IQ-Magazine-Issue-12

Issue 12: Feb 15 - Apr 15

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IQ welcome 

welcome to the twelfth 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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Definitely an issue all about 

reflection, this quarter we 

deliver your quota of local 

business news and information 

straight to your door. As this 

is the first issue of 2015, many 

contributors are sharing stats 

which collectively highlight the 

‘good feeling’ around business, 

but which also hint at an edge of 

caution. In the second quarter of 

2014, we noticed confidence back 

to pre-recession 2007 levels. It 

appears that businesses are now less willing to be trigger 

happy with spending and investment, but still retain a 

cautious optimism for the remainder of 2015. 

In this issue, a highlight for me was interviewing Dr Indy 

Singh from Cathedral Dental. IQ magazine aims to inspire 

the SME business owner, and his interview certainly does 

that. Indy’s self belief, tenacity and expertise in his field 

is inspirational. Setting goals is important to his business, 

which is a theme also highlighted in Andrew Webster’s article 

on page 15. Andrew stresses the importance of forecasting 

and reviewing company performance for those wishing to 

step it up and drive their businesses’ growth forward. 

For those of you who haven’t had the chance to visit the IQ 

website yet, please do, its momentum is at a peak and it’s full 

of the latest local business news. If you have any business 

news you would like to share, send your information direct 

to me at gemma@cubiqdesign.co.uk. 

Gemma Treby 

to receive your free issue of iq 

Visit www.iqmag.co.uk and sign up to the IQ database to receive your free copy of IQ each quarter. 

issue 12 | page 5

IQ showcase

IQ contents 

in this issue 

08 Business overview 

11 2015: A Year To Grow 

12 New Year, fresh start 

15 Growing your business 

16 Increasing your profits without just cutting costs 

19 The Growing Pains of Success 

20 Marketing: the new rules and the ones not to forget 

23 Working Together 

24 Motoring: A local focus 

26 Does your business have what it takes to be award winning? 

29 National Award is National Recognition for Suffolk 

31 Are you doing enough for your local community? 

32 What makes a business an award winning business? 

36 The Future of Ecommerce 

40 6 Reasons why Productivity is Low 

44 One size fits all? 

47 Death at the desk 

59 The property market 

65 That would never happen to us 

THe TEAM 

John Treby Creative Director | Gemma Treby Editor | Georgie King Editorial 

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 

Iq magazine discusses the up and coming 

general election and the issues SMEs in 

Cambridgeshire and Suffolk are likely to 

face this year 

More Information 

www.iqmag.co.uk 

An alarming comment made by one pundit in the 

days prior to Christmas suggested the General 

Election Campaign would start virtually as soon as 

the Champagne corks had popped to welcome in 

the New Year. That’s four months of promises, 

projections, possibilities – anything to charm 

those of us with a vote on 7th May, to put an 

X in the right box. 

Things have already reached fever 

pitch with all politicians’ eyes on 

UKIP, former Prime Minister 

Tony Blair’s comments that 

Labour could probably not win being 

rapidly withdrawn, the feud between 

the Home Secretary and the Prime 

Minister becoming more acrimonious and 

the Lib-Dems fading to single figures in the 

opinion polls. 

Turn to the business pages of the newspapers, though, 

and there’s barely a word of dissent. UK growth 

figures might have been revised down slightly but are 

still the best since 2007, considerably better than any 

Eurozone economy. Unemployment is falling and 

there is a record number of people in work. Yet, as 

the politicians presently jockeying for position never 

cease to remind us, much remains to be done. 

What does seem to be certain is that it is small 

business which will help build lasting recovery and 

will bring added prosperity, whatever the outcome 

of the General Election in May. When City Link 

tragically collapsed on Christmas Day, it was not 

some major multi-national which suggested that 

it could stage a last-minute rescue, but it was small 

businesses up and down the country which suggested 

that they may need to take on an extra few drivers 

and couriers here and there. And while major 

projects, such as HS2, should it ever get built, attract 

the headlines, suggesting that 60, 70, 80, 90,000 jobs 

might be created, it’s rare for us to hear about how 

many jobs have been created in recent years in small 

businesses, those businesses which form the backbone 


IQ business overview 

of employment in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. 

Already, John Allan, national chairman of the 

Federation of Small Businesses has talked about 

the sea change amongst politicians who are finally 

recognising the importance of smaller enterprises. 

He highlighted the fact that, in 2014, the number 

of small businesses exceeded five million for the 

first time. More and more sole traders are taking 

on their first employee and a considerable majority 

of businesses expect to take on more employees this 

year. The number of small businesses exporting is 

also rising rapidly, and wages in personal services, 

construction and agriculture – all significant sectors 

in East Anglia – are on the rise. 

Yet, there are problems which need to be addressed. 

Businesses drew attention to the scandal of late 

payment and to the remarkable revelation by 

Premier Foods that they charged companies which 

still wanted to be on their preferred supplier list. 

That, surely, is one of the most punitive measures a 

big business can make against those just starting 

out on their way along the rickety road to 

riches. 

There are things, too, which need to be 

addressed in Eastern England. Suffolk 

Chamber of Commerce continues 

its campaign to cut down on red 

tape. It’s something politicians 

promise to attack time and time again, 

yet progress is sometimes agonisingly slow. 

One aspect of this which the Chamber has 

highlighted is the Prime Minister’s desire to cut 

red tape while the Government puts into place 

policy decisions about planning procedures which 

actually increase the burden on business. Another 

concern highlighted is the overhaul of planning 

regulations contained within the National Planning 

Policy Framework, with many small businesses 

concerned that any new process within the localism 

agenda should favour business and economic 

development. 

While construction on HS2, initially linking 

London with Birmingham, could start within a 

year or so, there’s pressure to better road and rail 

links in eastern England. The New Anglia LEP, 

along with the Suffolk Chamber, has been lobbying 

for investment into the Great Eastern Main Line, 

while upgrades to the A47 continue to top the local 

business agenda. 

There is, though, a degree of scepticism afoot. 

The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement attracted 

much fanfare, but John Bridge, chief executive of 

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce sought 

out a dose of reality, suggesting that many of the 

84 roads projects announced for England and 

scheduled for completion by 2021 are, in fact, plans 

which have already been announced and are merely 

being dressed up as a new project. He suggested 

that the political rhetoric needs to be tempered 

with a sense of reality, mainly focussing on whether 

in 2014, the number of small 

businesses exceeded five million 

for the first time. More and 

more sole traders are taking 

on their first employee and 

a considerable majority of 

businesses expect to take on 

more employees this year. 

these projects will be completed or, indeed, whether 

they are ever likely to see the light of day. Again, it 

is the long promised A14 improvements which are 

on the wishlist. 

The sad thing is that, whatever happens in May, not 

much will happen before 2016. 

Meanwhile, small businesses will continue to do 

their bit . . . extremely effectively. 


IQ growth 

2015: A YEAR TO GROW 

John Bridge OBE DL, Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 

highlights the positive statistics from the latest quarterly economic survey 

The East of England is a powerhouse of business growth 

and indications from the business owners that know their 

field the best are that it’s going to continue throughout 

2015. 

Each quarter the British Chambers of Commerce 

publish the results of their latest national Quarterly 

Economic Survey, and, for many years, businesses in 

the East have been outperforming their counterparts 

in other regions across the UK. Q4 2014 has been no 

exception. 

Here in the East companies have reported increases in 

domestic and export sales in both the manufacturing 

and service sectors. Companies have confirmed that they 

are continuing to grow their workforce, a step that is 

reflected in unemployment figures, and there is improved 

confidence that turnover and profitability will improve 

across the board. 

The bottom line is that the East of England is outweighing 

national performance, and that’s positive news for 

companies across the region. But what does our region 

have that others don’t? Convenient transport links to 

Europe and connections beyond; some of the world’s 

most renowned centres for academic excellence; vibrant 

technology clusters and centres for science and innovation; 

ambitious and forward-thinking manufacturers and 

exporters, and a willingness to collaborate. 

Flash back to those days in school where you’d be 

instructed, in pairs, to solve a puzzle. You’d frequently 

fight over the apparatus, grappling to be the one to say ‘I 

did it first’, before eventually pausing to think, and watch, 

as your partner sows the seeds that will lead you both to 

finding a solution. 

Our tactics may be a little more refined nowadays, 

but, here in the East, we’re continuing to turn to our 

neighbours for advice and input. We’re allowing them to 

have a go at fiddling with the puzzle. And together we’re 

coming up with the answers that are translating into new 

opportunities, creating jobs and generating wealth. For as 

long as that continues, businesses across our region will 

continue to succeed throughout 2015. 

Summary of National Stats 

British Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey 4th Qtr 2014 

• Business confidence in both manufacturing and services 

is now higher than 2007 pre-recession levels 

• All national domestic balances improved in Q4 v Q3, 

remaining strong by historical standards 

• The manufacturing balance for export sales rose from 

16% in Q3, to 26% in Q4. However, it is still lower than 

the first two Qs of 2014 

• The strongest Q4 export balances were in the 

East, with the weakest manufacturing net balance in 

Scotland 

• Within the manufacturing sector, all firms surveyed in 

the East had tried to hire in Q4.The East also had the 

highest % of firms in the service sector that tried to 

recruit in Q4 

• In the service sector, the % of firms stating they were 

operating at full capacity remains unchanged at 46%, 

1% below the all-time high in 1997 

• In the manufacturing sector, worries over inflation rose 

sharply, as did exchange rate and competition worries. 

Things were slightly more stable in the service sector, 

with competition worries falling slightly and interest 

rate concern easing 

For more information 

www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk 


IQ business planning 

New Year, fresh start: 

how East of England SMEs can make the most of 2015 

Area director for SME Banking for Lloyds, Steve Elsom, summarises businesses 

expectations for 2015 


Lloyds Bank, Endeavour House, 

Chivers Way, Vision Park, 

Histon, Cambridge, 

CB24 9ZR 

steve.elsom@lloydsbanking.com 

@steveelsom1 

The start of a New Year is always a natural point for 

businesses to reflect on performance, take stock of 

their progress and set out their aims and ambitions 

for the coming year. With 2014 proving to be such 

a strong period in terms of economic recovery, 

trading conditions and business activity, how are 

UK SMEs feeling about prospects for 2015? 

We wanted to speak to firms across the country to 

find out how business leaders feel as we move into 

the New Year, and gain an understanding of what 

they think they can expect for the coming twelve 

months. Last July, our Business in Britain report 

- a twice yearly snapshot of more than 1,500 

business’ expectations for the coming six months - 

revealed that overall UK business confidence had 

soared to its highest point since the survey began 

22 years ago, and firms were confident they would 

see a rise in sales, orders and profits. However, 

six months on, it would seem that the mood has 

changed somewhat, and business leaders are 

displaying an increased sense of caution and 

reserve for 2015. 

In the East of England, overall business 

confidence has slipped since July from 57% to just 

40%, with more business leaders stating they feel 

less optimistic about boosting their orders, sales 

and profits. Similarly, the latest report also reveals 

that overseas trading appears to be another area 

of concern for the East of England business 

community. Just 31% of the firms we spoke to 

said they planned to increase their exports over 

the next six months – a significant decline since 

last year’s 57%, with a large part of this decrease 

coming down to firms’ expectations for the 

Eurozone. Indeed, just 16% of businesses say 

they hope to increase trading on the continent. 

However, while the top line results might paint 

a slightly pessimistic picture on the surface, the 

reality is far from it, and actually the East of 

England is still displaying a solid rate of output 

that looks set to continue, albeit at a slightly more 

moderate pace than last year’s record high. For 

instance, while expectations for total sales, order 

and profits over the next six months may have 

dropped, they still remain above the long-term 

average for the region. Indeed, over half of the 

issue 12 | page 12


firms we spoke to (53%) anticipate a rise in orders 

and sales, in comparison to just 10% and 13% 

respectively that expect a drop. This is also reflected 

in profits, with almost a half of firms predicting an 

uplift during the first six months of the year. 

Likewise, firms continue to be relatively upbeat 

about recruitment prospects, with almost a third 

of businesses (29%) stating that they will increase 

staff numbers during the first half of the 

year, compared with 

just over one in ten 

“ 

while the top line results might paint 

a slightly pessimistic picture on the 

surface, the reality is far from it, and 

actually the East of England is still 

displaying a solid rate of output that 

looks set to continue 

(13%) who said they 

planned reductions. In 

addition, almost a third 

of companies expect 

to increase their capital 

expenditure, indicating 

that they are planning to 

ramp up investment as we 

move through the first half 

of the year. 

Taking all of these factors 

into consideration, it is clear there is still a lot for 

firms to be positive about, and the East of England 

business community remains robust. The economy 

as a whole is also strong, and falling inflation rates 

mean that businesses may be able to enjoy a period 

of lower costs and increased consumer spending – a 

great opportunity to capitalise on. 

Business leaders should also remember that peaks 

and troughs in the rate of business activity and 

output are completely normal, and something that 

can always be expected. Therefore, it stands to 

reason that they will go through phases of feeling 

more or less confident throughout their business 

cycle. Planning ahead and remaining confident will 

help ensure firms are in a strong position to handle 

any challenges that come their way. 

There is also a vast array of support services 

available to businesses looking to grow - be it 

capital to start a 

new venture, hire 

purchase facilities 

to invest in new 

machinery, or invoice 

discounting to help 

maintain a steady cash 

flow. We work closely 

with the Government 

on a number of their 

enterprise initiatives, 

including the Funding for 

Lending Scheme under which 

Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking gives 

all customers discounts of 1% for the life 

of the loans. 

Whatever a business’s situation, now is still the 

time to be focusing on growth, and considering all 

available expansion opportunities should be high 

on the agenda for 2015. 

“ 


IQ growth 

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS 

In the second in a series of four articles in IQ , Websters turns its thoughts to growth and the 

importance of forecasting and planning 

Once your new business is up and running and past the 

start-up phase, your plans will turn to growth. It is often 

stated in the business press that most businesses grow by 

selling more products to existing customers, so therefore 

grow organically; but growth can mean many things, from 

doing business better and growing steadily, right through to 

more aggressive growth plans which could include merging 

or actively looking for other businesses to purchase. In 

all cases, forecasting and planning for growth enables 

successful business owners to scale up without strangling 

their business or running out of cash, so ensuring you 

understand and manage your finances is going to be 

paramount to your success. 

It is very tempting to rush ahead, particularly if you are 

over-achieving your initial sales targets, or perhaps have 

had a really successful period such as Christmas. Taking 

on new staff or premises is always a temptation, but underplanning, 

coupled with over investment or over committing 

financially, can kill your growing business. That is not to say 

you should not adjust your original business plan to take on 

board any new opportunities you have, but ‘steady away’ 

is often the best approach! This approach is particularly 

important to those businesses that do not have contractual 

agreements. If your contracts are not guaranteed, or if your 

upsurges in profit are seasonal or proving to be temporary, 

keep an eye on your finances and aim to keep your costs to 

a minimum so that you can absorb your profits back into 

your business – and then reinvest. 

To check THAT your business is ready to go to the next level, review the following points: 

Have you looked at all the financial 

support options for your forecasts? 

Money for growth projects is now 

a little easier to find. Organisations 

such as your local LEP now have 

access to funding and can help 

you review if funding is the right 

option for your business. 

How are your customer, staff 

and supplier relationships? Do 

you spend time investing in your 

relationships with your customers, 

suppliers, bankers or staff to help 

create confidence in your business, 

build in some value and loyalty? 

Are you really aware of how your 

business is doing? Do you have 

financial reporting and forecasting 

processes in place that are robust, 

up-to-date and under control? 

Are you on top of all the legal 

and financial responsibilities of 

running your business so you have 

a steady foundation for a growing 

business? 

Are you maintaining your business 

momentum? Are you confident 

that you are focusing on the areas 

that are working and investing in 

them to help accelerate growth? 

Are you and your team reviewing 

your company performance 

systematically and consistently on 

a day-by-day basis? If you read 

these figures correctly, you can see 

into the future of your company. 

This will include profit margin 

changes, currency changes, 

seasonal dips and growth, risks 

and opportunities that could be 

on the horizon. 

Do you have good processes in 

place to ensure that all statutory 

compliance matters are dealt with 

efficiently and correctly? 

MORE INFORMATION 

Contact Websters for a free consultation or join one of the free Business Surgeries. 

01223 507080 view our events on www.tax.uk.com 



INCREASING 

YOUR PROFITS 

WITHOUT JUST CUTTING COSTS 

James Pinchbeck of Streets Chartered Accountants offers 

advice on increasing the bottom line 

You would expect an accountant to say ‘Keep your costs down’, whether these 

are direct or overhead expenses. You’re probably less likely to find accountants 

considering some of the other key areas that can help to improve your profitability. 

Focus on core business 

Identify your key areas of profitability 

and those with an upward trend. 

All too often, enthusiasm for new 

products and services can distract 

from profitable core activity. 

Research shows that more successful 

businesses focus on core activities. 

Cherry pick, rather 

than mass market new 

customers 

When looking for more customers, 

focus on characteristics that are 

similar to your more profitable, 

existing customers. 

If you’re looking for new customers, 

consider splitting this role between 

those in your organisation who are 

good at hunting for new customers 

and those who are good at looking 

after existing ones. 

Know your customer 

and ensure your 

customers know you 

Many businesses focus purely on 

new customer generation. However, 

it is important to maintain a balance 

between generating new ones and 

servicing existing customers. 

Selling to existing customers costs 

six times less than selling to a new 

customer. It’s important that staff 

are fully aware of your products and 

the cross-selling opportunities. It’s 

equally important to ensure that your 

customers are fully au fait with your 

products and services. How many 

times have you heard the comment 

‘I didn’t know you did that’ and, as a 

result, a customer has bought from a 

competitor? 

Ensure you keep up to date with 

customer expectations; most business 

is lost through indifference. 

Spend time on the 

business, not just 

doing the business 

If you’re looking to increase capacity 

or improve efficiency, spend time 

looking at the way you do business. 

It can be surprising how often it’s 

possible to achieve increased sales 

and profitability without taking 

on more people or investing in 

additional resources. 

Invest in your people 

Staffing is often the biggest cost 

and the most significant resource. 

Consider developing existing staff 

and rewarding them with a bonus 

scheme, training or better working 

conditions. This approach can often 

help to reduce employment costs 

through improved retention and 

reduced absenteeism. 


Outsource 

For non-core activities or where 

in-house skills are lacking, it may 

be more appropriate to outsource 

functions. There is a growing trend 

for companies to outsource specialist 

services where there is a shortage of 

technical knowhow, or where the 

cost of carrying out the work inhouse 

would be prohibitive. 

Persistence 

It isn’t rocket science, but in most 

scenarios the failure to attain one’s 

goals is simply the result of a failure 

to pursue them. All too often, good 

ideas and intentions are lost when 

we revert back to old ways and 

bad habits. There is much more to 

profit improvement than just cutting 

costs and increasing prices. Whilst 

you might start with gusto on a 

programme for increased profit, 

it’s surprising how, by giving a little 

attention to some of the points 

above, a significant difference can 

be made to the bottom line of your 

business. 

Be a supplier of 

desire or preference, 

not just price 

If you’re able to differentiate your 

product and service in such a way 

that your competitors cannot match, 

or to such an extent that customers 

specifically seek or request your 

supply, then you may be able to gain 

by increasing price, and therefore 

create a profit margin advantage. 

However, if the service or product 

you offer is just like your competitors’, 

then invariably the buying decision 

is all too often down to price, with 

ultimately pressure on profit. 

Create barriers to 

competition 

In addition to differentiating the 

service or product you offer, the 

ability to create something that 

gives you a competitive advantage, 

especially if you can protect it with 

a trade mark, patent or intellectual 

property, certainly can help enhance 

your margins. 


Budget for profit 

and review the way 

you budget 

It’s still quite alarming how many 

businesses don’t produce a forecast 

or budget unless they have to, say 

for a bank or other financial lending. 

The importance of a good budget, 

along with budgetary techniques 

where budgets are reviewed and 

action taken to ensure objectives 

are achieved, is essential. Probably 

more important for best results and 

improved profits is the basis used to 

produce the budget forecast. Perhaps 

one of the best methods is zero 

budgeting, where you build a budget 

on zero spend up, challenging and 

justifying all the spend you make. 

Certainly, this approach brings a 

fresh perspective and helps to avoid 

the budget looking the same, give or 

take, each year. 

Hopefully, the pointers outlined in this 

article will help to trigger some new 

ideas for your business and some fresh 

thinking. Whether you are mid-year, 

or looking at budget forecasting or 

profit improvement generally, a useful 

adage is, ‘If you carry on doing what 

you have always done, you will only 

have what you have always had’. 

Given the growing sense of growth in 

the economy, perhaps now is a good 

time to look at how profitable your 

business really could be, not least 

remembering that ‘Profit is sanity and 

turnover is vanity’. 

MORE INFORMATION 

www.streetsweb.co.uk 


IQ showcase 



THE GROWING PAINS OF SUCCESS 

Alex Brearley, Managing Director of agb Environmental, celebrates a successful 

start to 2015, whilst acknowledging the difficulties of business growth 

It’s not every year you look back at 

the books and realise you’ve achieved 

155% increase in business growth. Yet, 

having accomplished just that, Alex 

Brearley, Managing Director of the 

environmental engineering business 

agb Environmental, considers the 

most important issues when looking to 

expand your business. 

Cash Flow 

“Increasing turnover means increasing the gap 

between paying out and being paid. This has to be 

funded, somehow. Moving your business plans from 

paper to reality can be challenging, but without 

answering your cash flow situation, it seems little 

else can be achieved.” 

Developing Systems 

Ahead Of Time 

“You have to have systems. When you are an 

SME, you can almost make it up as you go, but 

this becomes a major burden when the business 

expands, as it takes up a lot of time making loads 

of little decisions. You also risk being unfair to the 

team. One rule must apply to all of them.” 

Opportunity 

“Sometimes an opportunity hits you and you have to 

act. Be ready for it, as you may only get one chance.” 

Sales Balance 

“One of the biggest issues I’ve found is balancing 

the certainty of sales and the resources to deliver 

them. This is especially hard when you are an SME, 

as each team member represents a large percentage 

increase in resources and overheads. If you wait 

until you have the demand, the existing resources 

can’t cope, but if you go too early, you risk losing 

profitability.” 

The Right Team 

“Good people are hard to come by, which becomes 

more of an issue when you recruit technical specialists 

who are in demand. Furthermore, when you are away 

from a major population centre, such as London, the 

percentages appear not to swing in your favour. 

“I’m really proud of the team we have – they’re a 

great group of people who are helping to shape the 

company culture. And, luck or fortune, either way, 

the team has enabled our rapid growth more than 

anything.” 

Whilst the points above raise areas of 

concern and highlight key aspects of 

successful business growth, Alex still 

considers the biggest challenge to be 

that of confidence. 

“Business plans look great, and micro 

and macro scale economics in your 

sector can give you a positive outlook, 

but having the confidence is perhaps 

the biggest challenge. At the end of 

the day, you can’t share the blame if it 

goes wrong,” he adds. 

“However, this is all offset when 

you start ticking off the milestones 

as you reach them. As soon as you 

set one, you’ve surpassed it and the 

next one is in your sights. This sense 

of achievement is a real buzz, and 

it’s great to share that with the new 

team. Growth is hard work, it adds to 

your workload significantly. You have 

to earn your money day to day, and 

then add growth on top… but it is 

absolutely worth it!” 


agb Environmental, Newmarket Business Centre, 341 Exning Road, Newmarket, CB8 0AT. 

Tel: 01638 663226. www.agbenvironmental.co.uk 


IQ marketing 

Marketing 

the new rules and the ones not to forget 

GEMMA TREBY from Cubiqdesign gathers the team’s thoughts on the 

marketing trends for 2015 

Getting your head around the 

latest trends, what’s moving, 

what’s shakin’ and what’s right 

for your business, is tough work, especially in the marketing 

world where there are so many opinions and variables. 

Working in a studio which encompasses a mass of marketing 

talent, I have gathered the team’s thoughts on the trends 

which they feel will play an important role in the SME 

marketing strategy this year and ahead. I have also added 

in a few old school activities that we really should not forget. 


Follow Cubiqdesign on twitter: @cubiqdesign. www.cubiqdesign.co.uk 


IQ marketing 

The Modern Consumer 

One running theme and topic of conversation, when 

we discuss the future, is the heightened expectations 

of the modern consumer, who demands a more 

personalised communication whilst also wanting 

transactions to be smooth and seamless. Brands will 

also need to ask less from consumers, but provide 

more. Those that do this will benefit from superior 

brand awareness, improved conversion rates, better 

brand affinity and consumer loyalty. Get your head 

around this, and the rest should follow. 

Personal Branding 

Promoting individuals as experts in their field will 

play an important role and is no longer just for the 

airy-fairy PR types. PR gets serious and becomes 

50% about the business and 50% about the experts 

within that business. Sending out highly relevant 

information across your platforms and proving that 

your business ‘knows its stuff’ will be key to clients 

purchasing your product and service. Social media is 

a dream for this activity, but the traditional methods 

are also very effective and important. Engagement 

with the press, and talking to relevant groups, will 

pitch your personal brand at the right level. 

Micro Targeting 

This is a marketing activity I really enjoy, as the 

results are clear and ROI easier to evaluate. It’s 

delving deeper, getting personal and speaking to 

your sales team to ask who is at the top of their wish 

list and how we can engage with those individuals. 

Getting personal will be something every brand 

should be clamouring to do this year. Sending tactile 

information which touches the potential client is an 

important factor in successful micro targeting. This 

is where the sales and marketing functions merge; it’s 

a good thing, and you should encourage this if you 

want to see your organisation flourish. 

Digital 

Last year digital accounted for 25% of the marketing 

budget, and this year that figure is expected to rise to 

33%. How many times have we heard that ‘content is 

king’! However, it’s true, and looking at what the content 

is, where it sits and what it says is absolutely crucial to 

driving the success of your digital strategy. The aim is to 

not slip from that first page of Google, and the strategy 

for doing that, changes regularly. However SEO is not 

the be all and end all, how we convert those visitors into 

leads or customers is the ultimate end game. This is 

where visitors must have a great online experience with 

your brand, made possible through cracking design and 

development. Another buzzword to throw out there is 

automated marketing. Again, it’s not easy or cheap, but 

it’s highly effective. At its best, marketing automation is 

software and tactics that allow companies to buy and sell 

like Amazon - that is, to nurture prospects with highly 

personalised and useful content which helps convert 

prospects into customers. 

The good old-fashioned mix 

Individual marketing activity is part of a mix, and what 

the right mix is for your business is the million-dollar 

question. When your mix is right, the bottom line 

hopefully produces the figure you project. This is where 

we see most small businesses struggling, as the bigger 

picture fails to be considered; my favourite saying is 

‘When you cannot see the wood for the trees’. Sometimes 

you need someone to help you do that, so you can get on 

with running your business. 

Print 

Yes, I know some may argue this is old school, but I don’t 

totally agree. We see great results from print work, and 

brochures are very important for most businesses. Leaving 

behind a tactile, creative brochure with key information 

after a meeting should not be underestimated. Brochures 

can reach the right person’s desk far more effectively than 

a link to a website. Savvy clients will consider having their 

very own seasonal publication; this enables them to push 

their desired message whilst offering a lifestyle read. This 

can also help tick the ‘personal branding’ box. 


IQ business IQ showcase planning 

WORKING TOGETHER 

Kelly Baxter, PR Executive at Cubiqdesign, 

highlights the importance of using local suppliers 

“Made in England”, “Locally 

Sourced” and “Buy Local” are all 

terms used for PR and sales strategies 

across a wide variety of industry 

sectors. In the food sector, we have 

already become accustomed to 

buying locally sourced food and are 

even willing to pay more to know our 

money is going back to the farmers, 

butchers and bakers in our region. 

Grocers look to local sourcing to meet 

environmental and ethical demands, 

and also reap many benefits, including 

shorter supply chains, lower delivery 

costs and faster reaction times. 

So what can this mean for your 

business? Can you guarantee the 

same quality of service you’ve come 

to expect from large, national chains? 

And what’s in it for you? 

It goes without saying that by investing 

back into the local economy you’re 

helping to stimulate the economic 

growth in your region, thus bringing 

more business to the area in the 

long term. Research on spending 

by local authorities shows that for 

every £1 spent with a small or 

medium-sized business, 63p stayed 

in the local economy, compared to 

40p with a larger business. What all 

this amounts to is something called 

the local multiplier effect. That is, 

spending your money at independent 

businesses begins a cycle in which 

those businesses then spend their 

money at local shops, and so on. Big 

chains, on the other hand, often take 

local money and send it to corporate 

headquarters for redistribution. After 

all, isn’t a thriving local economy what 

we’d all like to see? 

Its benefits also extend to housing 

prices. According to a recent study, 

high streets populated with thriving 

independent businesses boost the 

prices of nearby homes. The research 

by American Express found that, over 

the past decade, house prices near a 

prosperous town centre have risen by 

an average of £40,000 more than 

other properties. 

Working within close proximity 

of your suppliers can dramatically 

reduce delivery and distribution costs, 

and also strengthen the relationship 

you have with one another. Regular 

contact and face-to-face meetings 

help to establish strong, reliable 

relationships that can benefit your 

business greatly in the long run. 

This is also particularly attractive 

for businesses that work on a Just-In- 

Time basis. 

Another factor to consider is, that 

by using a local supplier, you are 

probably already aware of their 

reputation or know someone who is. 

If you are considering using a new 

supplier, ask around and see if others 

would recommend them, check how 

long they have been established, and 

if they are financially secure. From 

a PR angle, promoting your use of 

local suppliers and investing in the 

community will strengthen your 

company’s appeal and reputation. 

Local suppliers are particularly 

beneficial to SMEs, as highlighted by 

John Treby, Director of Cubiqdesign: 

“Wherever we can, we tend to support 

local suppliers for a number of 

reasons. On occasions, a face-to-face 

meeting is really needed, and using 

local suppliers makes the process 

quicker and easier. We also find that 

by building long-term relationships 

with local suppliers, we can pass 

out recommendations on services 

outside our remit, and also receive 

referrals coming into us. We work 

with companies across the UK and 

in Europe, but our core suppliers are 

probably within a 50-mile radius of 

our location, so sourcing local works 

for us.” 

Using local suppliers will not be 

right for every business. Ultimately 

the factors you should look for when 

selecting those with whom you do 

business are reliability, quality, value 

for money, good communication, 

financial security, and the potential to 

develop a strong partnership. 

But, as John points out, “There have 

been occasions when we have seen 

a really great supplier, but we have 

turned down their services due to 

lack of proximity. There was a really 

great accountancy firm specialising in 

our field, but the disadvantages of not 

being able to ‘pop in’ and the lengthy 

commute to London outweighed 

the benefits.” 



Robinsons Mercedes-Benz Showroom, Cambridge. 

Motoring: 

A Local Focus 

Robinsons Group Marketing Manager, 

Lyndsey Pollard, discusses the 

importance of local promotion after 

troubling times in the trade 


www.robinsonsmotorgroup.com 

Article by Georgie King 

With tough financial woes having cast 

a shadow on the motoring industry in 

recent years, the stability of the trade 

has been questioned time and time 

again as we saw yet more dealerships 

closing across the region, and 

manufacturing moving overseas. 

Yet, despite a drop in forecourt sales, 

the industry appears to have remained 

more resilient than first thought, with 

an increase in the aftersales market. 

As it grew 6.3% in value to £8.97bn 

in 2011, marking a 7% increase in 

real terms between 2008 and 2012, 

the apparent decline in the motoring 

industry may have not been as bad as 

it first seemed. 

So why did we see many dealerships 

shut shop and retreat from our region? 

We caught up with one of East Anglia’s 

leading motor groups, Robinsons, to 

find out why they continued to fight 

the recession, and invest heavily in 

new areas of the business. 

“In recent years we have invested 

in marketing to a greater degree to 

ensure the brands that we represent 

are promoted within our area of 

influence, reaching both customers 

and conquests alike,” explained 

Robinsons Group Marketing 

Manager, Lyndsey Pollard. 

“Although our manufacturing 



partners have always supported us 

with national marketing activity, it 

remains important for us to develop 

our own marketing strategy to build 

our local presence and adopt a 

differentiated approach. This has 

always been our focus, and the last few 

years have proven key to pushing our 

local appeal.” 

Having launched a brand new 

publication for Mercedes-Benz in the 

height of the recession, Robinsons 

Motor Group has continued to push 

its local presence and has reported the 

benefits of such targeted marketing. 

“Our decision to move towards a 

lifestyle magazine came when we 

felt we were missing a trick to not 

associate our products with lifestyle 

messages and other high end products. 

Although it was a fair investment, 

we certainly feel the benefit of our 

Robinsons Mercedes-Benz Magazine, 

now in its 8th issue,” added Lyndsey. 

“We consider our magazine key in 

creating leads for us to convert into 

sales during March and September, 

our busy plate change months. 

Customers bring our magazine into 

our showrooms and tell us about it as 

their source of enquiry. 

“It showed a good response straight 

away from the first issue; after 4 

weeks of the magazine being out, we 

recorded 11 sales entirely from the 

magazine, where people downloaded 

and presented the voucher offer we 

promoted inside.” 

John Treby, director of Cubiqdesign, 

the creative agency behind the 

Robinsons Mercedes-Benz Magazine 

commented, “When Robinsons 

shared the ROI figures we were 

delighted; to be working with such a 

prestigious brand is very exciting for 

us. Increasing marketing spend when 

competitors are retracting is a brave 

but very successful move which applies 

to many industry sectors.” 

Now, with analysts forecasting a 

positive outlook for UK car dealers in 

2015, things are finally looking positive 

for the industry, although, admittedly, 

that’s assuming there will be a modest 

organic volume of growth. 

The sector outperformed 2014 

expectations by 25%, yet analysts are 

now predicting stability and modest 

pressure on pricing across the core 

markets, which is thought to slow 

dramatic progression. 

Still continuing to push ahead with 

its marketing plans and new areas of 

focus, Robinsons is getting ready once 

again for a dynamic marketing drive 

on a local level. Investing heavily in 

The latest edition of Robinsons 

Mercedes-Benz Magazine. 

its marketing team this year, it would 

appear more is yet to come. 

“To enable us to implement our 

strategy, we have grown our marketing 

team, bringing some resource and 

expertise in-house which historically 

has been outsourced,” revealed 

Lyndsey. “The decision is a key 

investment into future plans, and one 

that we are certain to benefit from in 

the long term.” 

Now following a surge in PCP sales, 

which currently accounts for 80% of 

new car retail registrations, it would 

appear that the industry is due to face 

further changes in both marketing 

strategies and sales. 

So the question remains as to whether 

2015 marks the end of troubling times 

for the trade, or whether it simply 

diverts attention to customer retention 

and repeat business; only time will tell. 


IQ exposure 

Rosa dos Santos, 

NDCC and the team at 

Cubiqdesign - Business 

of the Year Award 

DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE 

AWARD WINNING? 

Mike Robinson of the NDCC highlights the 

benefits of having an award winning business. 

Suzanne Pearson (left) 

and Helen McGaffin 

- Sharing Parenting - 

Judges Award for Small 

Business and Apprentice 

of the Year Award 

The NDCC Business Awards Night is again being staged at the Granary Barns, Woodditton, on Friday 5th June 2015. 



Does the cliché ‘award winning’ actually 

mean anything? 

Does it really represent achievement or recognition or 

it is just a nice addition to the dodgy reception area art 

that, in Newmarket, is inevitably dominated by pictures 

of racehorses, jockeys and owners, all grinning in equal 

measure? 

Interestingly, although Newmarket’s dominant industry 

is equine-centric, the District Chamber of Commerce’s 

Business Award archive shows that although there have 

been entrants and constant support, there has not yet 

been an outright winner from this sector. 2015 may, of 

course, be different. 

Newmarket & District Chamber of Commerce 

membership extends across what is effectively Forest 

Heath District Council’s patch, and encourages Business 

Award submissions from the whole area, not just the 

largest town. 

“This area is not just about the equine industry,’ says 

Chairman, Graham Abbey. “We have a wide range of 

businesses from those associated with the commercial 

aircraft and motor industries, construction, leisure, retail 

and the entire service sector. 

“Nominations are generated across the board. They come 

from owners, employees and frequently from customers 

who feel that good service should be recognised.” 

The NDCC’s Business Award categories are vetted 

regularly and this year the sub-group is headed by Oliver 

Shevki whose company, Convergence Communications, 

is a previous winner. 

“While many of the traditional categories have been 

retained, we’ve introduced new areas to reflect changing 

trends like ‘Product of the Year’ and ‘Creativity in 

Business’. 

“In total, there will be a dozen sponsored categories. 

Sponsorship is another way in which local businesses 

can become involved and support the local business 

community at the same time as gaining valuable 

publicity.” 

In 2013, Suzanne Pearson’s ‘Sharing in Parenting’ won 

two awards, ‘Apprentice of the Year’ and ‘Small Business 

of the Year’. Suzanne said, “Getting the Judges’ Award 

for Small Businesses was such a surprise and felt like a 

real achievement for the business. It helped us and others 

Noel Byrne, Bedford 

Lodge Hotel - winner of 

the Business Person of 

the Year Award 

to see that what we do is worthwhile for parents and 

communities.” 

Cubiqdesign, publishers of this magazine, were major 

winners with the ‘Business of the Year Award’ and 

‘Effective Use of Marketing’ which the judging panel 

said was recognition that a ‘flourishing local business can 

compete in the national marketplace’. 

Gemma Treby insists that the award was additional 

recognition for the entire Cubiqdesign team. “Business 

Awards are important marketing tools, trophies of 

which to be proud, but most importantly they are 

an acknowledgement by the business community, 

competitors and peer groups that you are a serious 

player.” 

Noel Byrne, Chief Executive of Bedford Lodge Hotel, 

was awarded 2013’s NDCC Businessman of the Year 

Trophy. “Business Awards are important for both 

individuals and organisations. At a personal level, they 

are professional recognition that you and your team are 

getting the job right; they are also recognition by your 

peers, both locally and within your industry, which is 

always an honour. It is truly a reflection on all the hard 

work of the team and their ability to stay focused on the 

goals ahead and keep raising the bar. 

To enter or sponsor contact: 

Claire Elbrow, NDCC on 01638 731513, or follow the latest details on: 

www.newmarketanddistrict.co.uk/businessawards2015 


Follow Cubiqdesign on twitter twitter.com/cubiqdesign 

For more information please visit our website 

or email gemma@cubiqdesign.co.uk 

info@cubiqdesign.co.uk | 01638 666432 

www.cubiqdesign.co.uk


National Award is National 

Recognition for Suffolk 

Suffolk Chamber Of Commerce celebrates its achievements at the annual Chamber Awards 

The leaders of Suffolk Chamber of 

Commerce have said that the recent 

award they collected at a national 

ceremony in London is ‘national 

recognition for everyone in Suffolk.’ 

The Chamber picked up the “Most 

Effective Campaigning” Award at 

the British Chambers of Commerce’s 

annual Chamber Awards, which were 

announced in a ceremony at the 

Tower of London. 

Suffolk Chamber led the campaign 

against the plan to use tolls to help 

fund key improvements to the A14 

around Huntingdon; these tolls 

were widely viewed as imposing an 

unfair and damaging burden on the 

economy of Suffolk. A free-flowing 

A14 is of fundamental importance 

to the economic infrastructure and 

future success of Suffolk, a county 

that is home to 730,000 people, which 

delivers 305,000 jobs, and which has 

an economy worth £12.6 billion every 

year. 

“It was a great honour for the 

Chamber to collect this award on 

behalf of partners and colleagues who 

supported the Chamber-led No Toll 

Tax on Suffolk campaign,’’ said John 

Dugmore, the Chief Executive of 

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. “No 

Toll Tax on Suffolk was a powerful 

campaign that was underpinned by 

the drive and support from a host of 

partners – our MPs, Local Authorities, 

Local Enterprise Partnership, business 

groups and most importantly the 

L-R John Dugmore, Chief Executive, Suffolk Chamber/ Sarah Howard, President Suffolk 

Chamber/ Danny Longbottom, BT Business & Stephen Britt, Chairman, Suffolk Chamber 

Transport & Infrastructure Board. 

business community, from across 

our great county. That is what made 

the difference, and that is why we’re 

delighted to be awarded such a great 

national prize.” 

The No Toll Tax on Suffolk campaign 

was raised at local, regional and 

national level, including local MP 

Therese Coffey meeting with the 

Prime Minister; representatives of the 

group meeting with the Secretary of 

State for Transport; and the Suffolk 

Chamber Chief Executive directly 

asking George Osborne to scrap the 

plans. 

“There is no doubt the Government’s 

plans to toll the A14 would have been 

a direct tax on business in our county,” 

said Stephen Britt, the Chairman of 

the Suffolk Chamber Transport and 

Infrastructure Board, who was also at 

the Awards in London. “That is why 

the campaign gained so much support. 

There was, and is, no national strategy 

for tolling roads, and penalising 

drivers to come in and out of a county 

that is a positive contributor to the UK 

plc made no sense at all.” 

A study commissioned from Ernst and 

Young by Suffolk County Council in 

collaboration with Suffolk Chamber 

as part of the campaign, concluded 

that “as a trade and distribution hub 

with a growing population, Suffolk 

depends on the quality and free flow 

of physical transport infrastructure” 

and “the end of congestion on the 

A14 could generate c£362 million in 

annual GVA and create up to 7,100 

jobs in Suffolk”. 

Because of ‘No Toll Tax on Suffolk’ 

the potential for these figures from 

the Ernst and Young report can be 

achieved following the upgrade to the 

A14. 


AVOID 

THE QUEUES 

Pre-register for your 

free entry and free 

parking NOW 

East Anglia’s Premier Business to 

Business Exhibition Championing 

Business Growth in the Region 

Stands are now available to 

book at The Anglia Business 

Exhibition, East Anglia’s 

largest and best Business to 

Business Exhibition. Taking 

place at Trinity Park (Suffolk 

Showground) Ipswich on 

Wednesday 6th May 2015, the 

event this year is even bigger 

and better than before with 

more exhibition space and 

attractions, developing and 

growing significantly over the 

last 20 years to become the 

most important business to 

business event to be seen at. 

The event is free to attend and 

offers a wealth of opportunity, 

advice and information crucial 

for ongoing business growth 

within a challenging economy. 

The event welcomes 

businesses from a crosssection 

of industries, large 

and small, with support from 

some of the regions leading 

businesses, making it a great 

place to do business. 

The exhibition will also benefit 

this year from a new Property, 

ANGLIA BUSI- 

NESS EXHIBI- 

2015. This new satellite show will 

TION 

Home and Investment Show, an 

exciting and brand new event for 

showcase some of the leading 

property, home and investment 

opportunities in the area. 

How to book: 

Businesses are invited to 

book their stand via www. 

angliabusinessexhibition.com 

The only requirement is that you 

are members of one or both of 

the organisations staging 

the event: Ipswich & Suffolk 

Small Business Association 

(ISSBA) or Suffolk Chamber of 

Commerce. You will need to 

have your ISSBA or Chamber 

login ID, your public liability 

insurance number, and your 

payment card to hand when 

making the booking. Don’t’ 

worry if you are not an ISSBA or 

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce 

member you can join and 

membership starts from as little 

as £42 inc VAT per year. 

Over 200 Exhibition Stands All Under One Roof 

Some areas already sold out! 

1500+ Visitors 

Your Opportnity to Make Contact with Key Decision Makers 

Business Networking Area 

Strategic Partner and Sponsors ‘Key Note Speaker’ Breakfast 

The Chill Out Zone 

Specialist Clinics 

Special ‘One Day Exhibition Offer Packages’ 

Catering and Refreshements 

Free Entry 

Ample Parking

IQ community 

Are You Doing Enough For 

Your Local Community? 

Kelly Baxter, PR Executive at Cubiqdesign evaluates why your business should be 

involved in local projects and initiatives 

Company culture is a very important factor in running a 

successful business. The way your employees feel and the 

overall impression your brand generates to the public is 

critical to your survival, so what can you do to ensure you 

get it right? By getting involved with community projects 

you are able to: 

engage 

your 

employees 

Have a 

positive 

impact 

on your 

community 

Gain operational 

benefits e.g. offer 

apprenticeships that 

can not only help 

you, but will reduce 

unemployment in your 

local region 

Build a good 

reputation so 

that clients and 

potential employees 

will want to work 

with you 

Multiple surveys suggest that a 

company with strong Corporate Social 

Responsibility (CSR) policies have 

“happier” and “better” employees, as 

job satisfaction is increased and they 

are able to attract high quality talent. 

Encourage your employees to partake 

in volunteering projects; they’re an 

altogether worthwhile and fulfilling 

experience which will not only allow 

your employees to make a difference 

in your community, but will also result 

in greater job satisfaction. Examples 

include guest speaking at schools and 

colleges to inspire the next generation; 

helping out at a local charity 

organisation; or even supporting your 

staff to become Special Constables 

through an Employer Supported 

Policing (ESP) scheme. 

There are several such initiatives 

taking place in our region. Over the 

past five years, staff at MedImmune 

Biotechnology Company based in 

Cambridge have made more than 50 

visits to local schools where they use 

models and concepts to explain their 

research work to children as young as 

four. MedImmune also supports wider 

community-based initiatives such as 

the Society of Biology’s ‘Big Biology 

Day’ at Hills Road Sixth Form College 

and the annual Cambridge Science 

Festival, as well as supporting staff who 

want to get involved in local charity 

initiatives. 

HMP Highpoint holds regular 

Employer Engagement Events, the 

most recent of which took place in 

January, encouraging local businesses 

to network and take part in a ‘Breaking 

the Cycle’ initiative that aims to reduce 

reoffending through partnerships with 

local businesses. 

Newmarket Festival promotes 

Newmarket’s economy through a 

series of community based events, 

including QIPCO Guineas Preview 

Lunch, Newmarket Hilly Cycling 

Sportive, the July Festival Ball, and an 

Equine Professionals Conference. The 

Festival also organises a community 

awards evening that offers four shortlisted 

charities the chance to win 

£500 - £2,000. It is also developing 

a scholarship and intern programme 

to offer fixed-term placements to 

candidates aged 18-25 at local 

businesses across the region. 

If you are reading this as a manager 

or CEO, and are wondering if there 

is more that your company can be 

doing to help your community, why 

not visit the following links to give 

you some ideas. After all, clients will 

want to work with companies who are 

focused on developing a better world, 

and employees will want to work for a 

brand that gives back. 

www.thenewmarketfestival.co.uk | www.do-it.org.uk 

www.newmarketanddistrict.co.uk/newmarket-vision-project | www.cambridgebid.co.uk 

www.cambridgeahead.co.uk | www.ourburystedmunds.co.uk 



What makes a business 

an award winning business? 

Gemma Treby interviews Dr Indy Singh, owner of 

Cathedral Dental, a multi-award-winning dental practice 

Cathedral Dental is a dental practice based in Bury 

St Edmunds. Launched in 2008, it offers a whole 

range of general dental treatments. In addition, it 

provides more specialist treatments including cosmetic 

dentistry, teeth whitening, implant dentistry, teeth 

straightening and many other treatments. In 6 years, 

Indy has increased the profitability of his business 

by 40%, as well as winning a multitude of 

national and local business awards … making him 

the one to watch! 



When you launched your business, did 

you have a clear business plan with 

goals and objectives? 

When I bought the practice in 2008 I was very naïve, 

and if I am honest, I didn’t really know what I was 

doing. I read a few books about running a business 

and thought to myself that it seemed pretty easy, so 

I bought a dental practice and gave it a go. Once it 

was open, I realised how difficult running a business 

actually is, and it took me at least three years to find 

my feet. 

Once I got to grips with things, I realised how 

important it is to have goals. If you don’t know 

where you’re going, how are you going to get there?! 

I worked with a business coach to set my goals, and 

once I’d done that, the business really took off. 

I have some ultimate goals which I’m aiming for, and 

working backwards from that, I have set 5 year goals, 

yearly goals, 90 day goals and also daily goals. 

I believe that when you set your goals, you have to set 

them big. One of my ultimate goals is to create the 

most successful dental brand and group of practices 

in the world. 

Are you on track to achieve 

your ultimate goal? 

I am about 6 years into my 30 year plan, and I 

think I’m more or less on track. All businesses 

have their ups and downs which can throw 

you off track, such as staff leaving, competitors 

opening and so on. When this happens I just 

deal with it and change plans accordingly. 

What has been the hardest thing about 

running a successful business? 

Running a business is really hard. I could write a 

whole book in answer to this question, but I’ll keep 

it short. One of the hardest things is the amount of 

time you have to put in - late nights, early mornings, 

weekends... Getting the work/life balance correct is 

tough. 

If you could turn back the clock to the 

beginning, would you change anything? 

No, I wouldn’t change anything. It’s been a 

great journey so far and even though I’ve made 

loads of business mistakes along the way, I have 

considered them to be learning experiences. 

The three lessons I’ve learnt are, first of all, 

if you want to be successful you’ve got to love 

what you do. If you don’t have passion for your 

industry or your business, then it just won’t 

work. Why do something every day that makes 

you miserable? If you’re not having fun, then 

what’s the point? Also, you’ve got to be prepared 

to graft. You have got to put in the hours. 

Finally, self-belief is so incredibly important, 

because if you don’t believe you can achieve 

a vision or a goal, then you won’t even start 

to do the work needed to achieve that vision or 

that goal. 

Which award has been 

the most prestigious and 

important one to you? 

Winning the 2013 Best UK Marketing Strategy 

at the Dentistry Awards was huge - a bit like 

the Oscars for Dentistry. There are over 10,000 

dental practices in the UK, so to beat everyone 

else was some achievement. In that year we also 

won Best Team in the East of England. We also 

won the Velvet Magazine Awards for Healthcare 

in 2012 and 2014. The Velvet awards are the 

ones that I am most proud of as they were voted 

for by our patients and customers. At the end of 

the day the most important thing is what your 

customers think of you, so for them to take the 

time out to vote for us meant a lot to me. 



issue 10 | page 34


What sets you apart from the rest and 

has helped you win those awards? 

I just do my own thing and I don’t look at what my 

competitors are doing. I have just tried to create a 

dental practice that I would love to go to. Due to 

this, I feel we tend to be a bit different, so we stand 

out from the competition. We also use an amazing 

marketing company, Cubiqdesign, and this has 

definitely helped in winning the UK award. 

What role has the team played in 

the winning of awards? 

The team has played a major part in winning 

the awards. You can’t do everything by yourself, 

so it’s important to surround yourself with a 

great team. The team is very proud that we 

have won awards. It’s given them a great morale 

boost, and they get a buzz from working in an 

award-winning business. 

Would you consider your team to 

be a motivated one? 

As dentistry is essentially a service industry, it’s really 

important that the team is happy. If people come to 

see us and everyone on the team is grumpy, it reflects 

really badly, and it’s unlikely anyone will come back. 

Motivating a team and keeping everyone happy is 

hard, and it’s a constant, ongoing process. The first 

stage is getting the right people in. We recruit by a 

person’s personality and attitude. If someone has the 

right attitude, get them in; you can always teach them 

the skills of the jobs later. 

We have regular meetings with the team and are 

always talking to them. From this we can see what 

problems are occurring and then make changes. I find 

that if the team can see that we value their opinion, 

it keeps them happy and motivated. We also have 

various bonus systems in place which gives everyone 

something to work towards. This improves teamwork 

and ultimately keeps everyone motivated. 

If all else fails, then the best thing I can do to keep 

everyone happy is to buy them cakes or biscuits or 

chocolate every week. Don’t scrimp either, the posher 

the cakes are, the happier the team are! 

What kind of a leader are you? 

I suppose I’m quite a laid back leader. I find if you 

don’t micro-manage your team and allow them a bit 

of freedom to do their job, you get amazing results. 

I have a practice manger in place who does all the 

human resources and takes care of the day-to-day 

running of the practice. 

What do the next 5 years 

hold? 

I have big plans for the next 5 years, and want to 

grow the business considerably. I have hundreds 

of ideas, and it’s just a case of finding time to 

implement them. 

This year we are extending the existing building 

too, so it will have 4 surgeries. Once this is done, 

it will be a case of increasing patient numbers so 

the practice is running to 100% capacity with 

all 4 rooms fully booked and running 6 days per 

week. 

After this, it will be a case of setting up the next 

practice and repeating the process over again. 

The practice is the busiest it has ever been, 

and our appointment books are full for about 6 

weeks. This is the result I will aspire to for all my 

practices in the future. 


Cathedral Dental, 15 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1UZ. 

Tel: 01284 705637. www.cathedraldental.co.uk 


IQ ecommerce 

The Future of 

Ecommerce 

Chris Butterworth, Senior Developer at Cubiqdesign, 

discusses the online trends for 2015. 

Last year saw e-commerce retailers 

and marketers taking tips and tactics 

from product development with the 

use of user experience making it 

easier for a user to buy a product, a 

trend which is set to continue this 

year. With this in mind, more and 

more companies will have the budget 

to undertake user research and create 

the perfect platform for their target 

audience. 

Along with user experience, 2015 

will see a push towards contextual 

marketing. Contextual marketing is 

data-driven marketing which uses 

data gathered from user behaviour 

and profiling. Gathering this data can 

be easy; web analytics go a long way to 

help with it, can be easy to set up, and 

will track any user visiting the website. 

KISSMetrics, Google Analytics and 

Piwik are all examples of analytics 

giving varying levels of data. Other 

data that analytics can’t tell you, such 

as age and interest, can be gathered 

via social media and through forms 

that would allow a user to find out 

more about your products. 

This data allows you to deliver 

personalised and relevant content at 

the right place and at the right time. 

Even without contextual marketing, 

any analytics you gather can help 

find where people are dropping, and 

allow you to research why, so you can 

improve this. 

With most of the public now owning 

a super computer in their pockets, 

and mobile traffic skyrocketing over 

the past couple of years, 2015 will 

see a shift in the balance with more 

and more traffic coming from mobile 

devices. This means that companies 

will have to step up their game and 

start to create sites that are friendly 

for all devices, thereby allowing 

prospective customers to be able to 

access websites on any device. These 

websites should look perfect, and offer 

customers the optimal experience and 

journey when purchasing a product. 

Mobile e-commerce - known as 

m-commerce - is growing like wildfire, 

with traffic soaring and services like 

ApplePay offering more options 

to pay for items. This means that 

m-commerce is likely to grow, with 

more payment options surfacing to 

offer users more and more ways in 

which to buy an item on their phones 

wherever they are, regardless of 

connection, and the ability to do so 

securely. 

Forrester, the well known researchers, 

predicts that next year will be the year 

of globalisation, with more and more 

shoppers being abroad and speaking 

another language. If you have the 

option of international shipping and 

can market your website to best suit 

your audience, you’re set, except for 

one thing, language. According to 

OHT, the world’s largest translation 

agency, having the right language 

for your user helps with making the 

sale, as you’d expect. This means that 

globalisation needs localisation too. 

Another thing to look out for will be 

how wearable tech, such as Google 

Glass and improvements to smart 

watches, could effect e-commerce. 


IQ ecommerce 

For instance, they may help to create 

omni-channel marketing and online 

ordering, in addition to notifying a 

user of stock and price changes. It’ll 

be interesting and exciting to see 

how wearable tech will affect multichannel 

e-commerce in 2015 and 

beyond, and how these devices will 

integrate with daily life. 

Lastly, here are a few statistics about 

2014, published by UPS. 2014 saw 

over half of all retail transactions 

taking place online, with one fifth 

of these being on a mobile device. 

More stats in the report showed the 

importance of having device agnostic 

and optimised websites, with the 

following reasons being used for not 

purchasing using a mobile device: 

• User can’t get a clear or large 

enough image of the product 

• The product information cannot be 

easily viewed 

• It’s hard to compare products 

• Concerns about giving personal 

credit card information over a 

mobile connection. 

Online shoppers use their mobile 

devices for several different preand 

post-purchase functions, with 

tracking deliveries and research 

occuring most often. Below are a few 

examples: 

• tracking delivery 

• researching products on your 

mobile device before visiting a store 

• researching products and 

alternatives during visit to a store 

• locating stores or checking an 

inventory. 

These examples show the importance 

of having a device agnostic and 

optimised website design to boost 

conversions and to offer alternative 

payment options to those who are 

security conscious. 

All in all, this year is set to be 

a great year. With the right strategy, 

marketing and platform, you 

won’t miss the racing train that is 

e-commerce, ensuring that your 

business will capitalise on the benefits 

of selling online 

For more information 

Cubiqdesign, 01638 666432. 

www.cubiqdesign.co.uk 

@cubiqdesign 

CubiqdesignLtd 


IQ gadget update 

Gadget Update 

David Donnan and Paul Avory, of Igentics, offer their verdicts on this month’s gadgets 

The Selfie Phone Finder 

I have to admit that I was somewhat sceptical of this 

gadget. The premise is a Bluetooth-enabled key fob which 

allows the user to connect it to a smartphone, and then it 

acts as a proximity detector and a remote 

switch. 

When first presented with the 

fob, I thought it looked rather 

like it might be used to unlock 

a 1987 Vauxhall Astra. Once 

the app had been identified and 

installed, the initial connection 

was very simple. And it really does 

£29.99. Available from www.iwantoneofthose.com 

work as it claims. 

The proximity detector is where the device could really be 

useful. With a 10m range, it is very easy to 

use the fob to find your smartphone 

and vice versa, or to get an alert 

when the fob moves out of range. 

This is especially handy in our 

house, as we can never find the keys, 

but is also a benefit when there are 

several items you want to keep an eye on. So 

the applications for this gadget could range from 

childcare to taking valuables on holiday. by Paul Avory 

Wacom Intuos Pen and Touch 

Prices range from £84.99 - £169.99. Available from Wacom.com 

First impressions are of a welldesigned 

slate, with the aim of 

recreating an A4 notepad in 

electronic form. 

A great benefit of this pen is that it 

doesn’t require the batteries which 

hamper a wireless mouse. Having 

previously only ever used a mouse, my 

first inclination was to place the slate 

to the right of my keyboard, leaving 

the keyboard clear and enabling my 

left hand to occupy the crucial key 

command space. This proved to be 

slightly problematic, as using two 

screens resulted in the cursor wanting 

to drift across the screen of the slate 

in a peculiar fashion. As soon as 

the slate was placed in front of the 

screen, the issue was resolved. 

If you’ve ever tried to sketch a picture 

or paint a curve in a CS package, 

you’ll understand why a mouse is a 

flawed device, and why a pen offers 

greater flexibility. With the Intros pen 

you can draw in the traditional sense 

on the slate’s electronic paper with 

your movements reproduced on the 

screen. 

Whether you will like the Wacom 

Intuos or not isn’t down to how well 

the product is designed and built; it’s 

about how familiar and proficient 

you’ve become with your mouse. 

by David Donnan 

more information 

www.igentics.com 


IQ employment 

6 REASONS WHY 

PRODUCTIVITY IS LOW 

Jacqui Kemp discusses the impact of the latest CIPD stats 

Recently I was talking to a senior manager at a local 

business. It’s a subsidiary of a USA company and its 

senior management was unhappy with the UK office 

performance. He was very worried about the implications 

for the future. Productivity had not dropped, but neither 

had it risen, as the parent company expected. 

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 

(CIPD), the professional body for HR and people 

development, recently published a paper on the topic. 

They found that this company was not alone – overall 

productivity in British companies was below that of 

both Germany and the USA. CIPD research found 

that about 30-35% of staff had some sort of managerial 

responsibility, so even modest improvement in the way 

they work can add up to big organisational benefits. 

CIPD research concluded that it was management 

practice that was at fault and highlighted six key areas 

for improvement: 

1 

While management 

practices have kept 

pace with international 

competition during the last 

year, they have not made any 

ground. It’s essential they 

do so in such a fast-paced 

environment. 

2 

We need a new 

approach to managing 

organisations that 

stimulates more effective 

employee involvement, and 

commitment to achieve high 

levels of performance. 

4 

Less than 5% of a manager’s time is spent speaking formally 

or informally with the people they manage, and under half 

of employees questioned were happy with the time their 

manager spent with them. 

3 

While 65% of 

employees are satisfied 

with their line manager, 

that still means 35% are not. 

Furthermore, only 35% 

say they trust their senior 

managers. It’s well known 

that people work harder for 

managers they like and trust, 

producing higher productivity, 

taking less sick days and 

staying with the organisation 

longer. 

5One in five employees reported that they 

had never had a formal meeting with their 

manager. 

6Companies which invested in training 

for staff fared better when pursuing high 

quality strategies. 



35% of employees do not trust their manager 

Despite being an HR consultant for several years, I 

was aghast at some of these findings. ‘Only one in five 

employees reported they had ever had a formal meeting 

their manager’! That’s a terrible indictment. It means 

no staff appraisals, no weekly or monthly meetings and 

probably not even an induction. How can the managers 

know their staff or how well they are working? 

‘Less than 5% of 

manager’s time 

spent speaking to 

staff’! I’ve noticed 

that many managers 

do not seem to 

realise that time spent 

managing people is 

part of their work. This 

means time needs to be 

allocated to it, it should not be seen as an ‘extra’ to 

“We need an approach to managing 

organisations that stimulates more 

effective employee involvement, 

and commitment to achieve high 

levels of performance. “ 

the manager’s ‘real’ work. How much time managers 

spend on staff will depend on several issues – experience 

of staff, workloads, new projects, sickness levels, etc. As 

the report points out, without good attention to workers, 

productivity fails to reach full potential. 

‘35% of employees do not trust their manager’! This is so 

worrying. Without trust, staff will not go to their manager 

when they have a personal or professional problem. They 

won’t work hard for them. They won’t tell them they’re 

applying for another job either! 


Jacqui Kemp 01954 267 640 or email 

jacqui@namasteculture.co.uk 

www.namasteculture.co.uk 



The mamas 

And 

the papas 

Jacqui Burke helping your business 

evolve to accommodate the latest 

employment law changes 

The past couple of years have seen a whole raft of 

employment law changes that have already impacted 

heavily on small businesses, and which continue to do so 

- pensions auto-enrolment, real time reporting and the 

right to request flexible working being just a few. But these 

almost pale into insignificance when compared with the 

complexities to be faced by small businesses as a result of 

the introduction of Shared Parental Leave for the parents 

of babies born after April 2015. 

The intention behind the legislation is to allow fathers 

to play a greater role in raising their children, to help 

mothers return to work when they want to without losing 

leave entitlement, or to enable mothers to return to work 

temporarily for a busy period. The rules also apply to 

same sex couples and to couples adopting or involved 

in surrogacy. 

Shared Parental Leave will allow parents to share statutory 

leave and pay following the birth of a child by allowing 

mothers to choose to end their maternity leave at any 

point after the initial two week compulsory maternity 

leave period. The parents can then choose how to split the 

remaining 50 weeks of leave between them, taking leave 

either separately or at the same time. 

The most challenging aspect of the legislation for small 

businesses is that parents may choose to take leave either 

as one continuous period or in discontinuous periods. This 

means that the mother can return to work for a while after 

the first two weeks, and then take further leave at a later 

date or dates. Similarly, the father can take Shared Parental 

Leave at any time within that 50 week period. 

In order to get ready for the introduction of Shared Parental Leave employers should: 

Review the eligibility criteria and 

update policies and procedures to 

ref lect Shared Parental Leave 

Consider how to deal with requests 

for continuous blocks of leave 

(these requests cannot be refused); 

for example, arrangements made 

for maternity cover 

Consider how to respond to requests for 

discontinuous patterns of leave (these can 

be rejected on certain grounds but need to 

be managed objectively and with a view 

to avoiding any form of discrimination) 


http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4911 

https://www.gov.uk/shared-parental-leave-and-pay-employer-guide 

visit www.flourishingpeople.co.uk 



ONE SIZE 

FITS ALL? 

Sarah Brereton of Limewash discusses the need to consider 

all stakeholders when forming a communications strategy 

Strong personal relationships are 

built on a solid foundation of trust, 

mutual respect, mindfulness (taking 

responsibility for our words and 

actions) and open communication. 

The relationships we forge in business 

with our colleagues, clients and other 

stakeholders, should be built on 

nothing less. 

Understanding your target audiences 

and developing meaningful 

relationships with them is the key 

foundation for any marketing 

communications strategy or activity 

that drives a return. Building trust 

and respect can take years, but the 

rewards are worth the effort. Effective, 

proactive communication will 

support the development of positive 

relationships, as well as influence 

attitudes and behaviours across a 

wider environment, all of which will 

have a positive effect on how your 

organisation and your products and/ 

or services are perceived. 

It is particularly important to get this 

right when dealing with very diverse 

sets of audiences - all of whom have 

very specific, but varied considerations 

when it comes to thinking about their 

involvement in your business. Good 

examples are science or specialist 

business parks. Here the stakeholder 

audiences are not only the prospective 

tenants that the park is trying to 

attract, but also the land developers, 

investors (large corporates, venture 

capital firms, private individuals etc), 

existing tenants, commercial property 

agents and the park management 

team. Each of these audiences has a 

stake in the success of the endeavour, 

but success will look very different 

for each one, making it critically 

important to understand each 

audience in detail before deciding 

what to communicate to them and 

in what way. When dealing with 

complex groups of stakeholders such 

as these, one size definitely does not 

fit all. 


Contact Limewash on 01223 813557. www.limewashmedia.com 



Are you talking to me? 

We all like to believe that our audiences - however diverse 

- are at the forefront of our minds when making business 

decisions. But all too often, the consideration we actually 

give them is fleeting at best, and is either based on a 

historical view, or is in fact our own opinion transposed 

onto the audience in question. 

In order to develop an effective communications strategy, 

we need to identify and examine the stakeholders under 

a number of headings, and, in the case of a science or 

innovation park, those stakeholders, as stated above, can be 

multiple and varied: 

Who are they? 

Which individuals or groups 

influence the effective 

development and continued 

growth of the park or can be 

influenced by its actions? 

Stakeholder analysis, to 

establish who and what their 

considerations are, is key to 

success here. Clearly identifying 

what you want to say, to whom 

and what action you wish 

to elicit as a result of that 

communication is paramount. 

Different stakeholders require 

different considerations, and 

acknowledging these will ensure 

that your communications are 

appropriate to each. 

Why should we 

communicate with them? 

The effective communication 

of appropriate information 

will help you develop a trusted 

peer-to-peer relationship with 

your stakeholders. Effective 

communication can assist a 

science or innovation park, for 

example, in the development of 

a good relationship between the 

park and its environment (current 

tenants, the local community, 

industry organisations etc), and 

can also influence the wider 

environment by informing and 

changing attitudes across target 

groups. 

What should we 

communicate and how? 

Aristotle hit the nail on the head 

when, in 350 BC, he said: “If 

communication is to change 

behaviour, it must be grounded 

in the desires and interests of 

the receivers.” 

In order to ensure that we are 

communicating successfully, 

we must always refer back to 

our stakeholder considerations, 

and design not only the 

communication content, but 

also the method of delivery 

accordingly. 

Methods of delivery link directly back to the target 

audiences, and it is essential to recognise the differences 

between the stakeholders and the way in which they 

wish to receive and digest information. For example, a 

commercial property agent who spends a great deal of time 

out of the office undertaking prospective client viewings 

will appreciate a website that is optimised for mobile 

platforms, enabling him to easily access availability sheets 

and property brochures via an iPad or smart phone. On 

the other hand, an Office Manager for a mid-sized biotech 

wishing to explore potential laboratory options in the area, 

might find a hard copy brochure more appropriate, given 

that their task is to gather information for the ultimate 

decision maker to review at an opportune moment. 

Whomever you are targeting, it is important to ensure that 

every communication is clear, concise, includes a clear call 

to action, is proactive rather than reactive, and is followed 

up to determine effectiveness. 

Stakeholder communication should become part of the 

daily life of your organisation. Ensuring that stakeholders 

become active and equal partners in the relationship, rather 

than distant and passive objects, ensures a better foundation 

from which you can challenge the way you have always 

communicated…particularly if there is uncertainty about 

whether current efforts are delivering the value required. 


IQ IQ employment 

showcase 

Death at the Desk 

So, you were a relatively active person when you were 

younger; although you played a few sports, aches and pains 

were a myth and any injury you sustained was a distant 

memory within a couple of days. What’s more, you ate what 

you wanted, couldn’t put on weight if you tried, and, no 

matter what happened, you still felt great for school or work 

on Monday morning. 

However, in the last few years waking up has been a problem. 

Aches and pains are a constant that need to be managed with 

all sorts of remedies, and, rather than not being able to gain 

weight, it seems to find your every nook and cranny. The 

weekend has become your saviour for sleep, and in general, 

you have as much energy as a hibernating bear. 

Sedentary life at a desk is a killer for aches, strains and pains. 

You’re hunched over, a phone jammed between your shoulder 

and ear as you look at a screen. That bad posture is going to 

wreck your natural structure and switch on muscles that, after 

a while, are really going to struggle to turn off fully. 

Now I know that with busy schedules and aggressive deadlines 

you can’t avoid these problems all the time, but what you 

can do is minimize them, and start improving some of the 

major, (let’s call them unmentionable) issues, hopefully before 

they start. The key to longterm success will be to rally your 

co-workers round into your new regime. 


Grizzleys Strength and Conditioning. 

Tel: 07801 720691. 

As of today 

Drink plenty of water - pound your 

boss for a water cooler! 

Lunch should not be a carb load, as your body 

doesn’t need them when it’s sitting at a desk. 

Stay away from too much caffeine. Try Robush. 

Try to go to sleep one hour earlier (we are aiming for 8 hrs). 

Next step 

Start to do some light exercise – a walk 

at lunch is ideal. 

Go swimming (doing this before work seems to work best). 

Do a Pilates or hot yoga class. 

Time to get serious 

Start some lightweight sessions and circuits. 

Find an event, such as a Spartan Race, Tough 

Mudder Race or Zombie Run. 

Join a local sports team. 


Article by Samantha Sales 


Thank You, 

seems to be the hardest word …..! 

Research continues to tell us that finding ways to say ‘thank you’ to our colleagues and teams goes a 

long way to making colleagues feel engaged and motivated. 

As the job market 

continues to improve, this 

means greater choice for 

colleagues if they are feeling 

restless or undervalued in 

the workplace. With the 

true cost of recruitment 

being upwards from £25k 

and skills in high demand 

and short supply, creating 

the right environment 

that ultimately will lead to 

employee retention and a 

successful organisation is 

critical. 

So, if you want your 

business to further 

succeed, creating a work 

environment that is 

meaningful, rewarding and 

enjoyable should be on 

your 2015 priority list. 

I make no apology for 

the rest of this article 

being commonsense, as you 

would be surprised how 

many managers disregard 

the significance of the next 

5 steps. 

1 

Vision colleagues – share where with 

business is going 

the 4 

Knowing why they are doing what they are 

doing; context is important. Make sure all your 

employees have insight on the company and 

the industry. The more information employees 

have, the more able they will be to do the right 

thing and make the right decisions. 

2 

Communication 

Everyone has a responsibility in 

the organisation to communicate, 

it is not about annual reviews or surveys etc. 

The more employees communicate with one 

another and with the organisation, the more 

everyone will feel on the same page. It i 

s also an important part of a manager’s job 

to create the right environment to encourage 

employees to provide feedback as issues or ideas 

arise. 

3 

Act fairly, with respect 

and create trust 

Create an environment that is 

supportive and, if things go wrong, make 

sure you understand the circumstances before 

you react! Trust and respect is the foundation 

of a good solid relationship, and this requires 

honesty and authenticity. Without trust, the rest 

is superficial! 

Get colleagues involved 

If employees feel they are 

genuinely part of the planning 

and decision making it will develop 

ownership and commitment to tasks or 

projects. Let employees take ownership 

and spread their wings, they’ll appreciate 

the confidence the organisation has 

in them and they’ll take on more and 

personally develop in the process. You 

never know, it may even lead to some 

new ideas. 

5 

One to one feedback 

The purpose of positive 

and negative feedback is to 

encourage great personal performance, 

build confidence. Provide ongoing 

feedback, it must not be only at formal 

reviews, and certainly not only when 

things have gone awry. 

And don’t forget…. ‘thank you’. 

Research continues to support 

the notion that recognition from 

immediate managers and senior 

managers continues to be just as 

important or more important than 

financial rewards as a powerful 

motivator. Thank you for reading 

this article. 


www.cambridgeinterimhr.com 



Sell Your Business 

With applicants now looking for the best employment packages, selling your business 

as the perfect place to work has become more important than ever before… 

“ Why do you want to 

work here?” has 

become one of the 

most commonly 

used interview questions, yet its 

foundations still reign true in every 

instance. Why do your staff want to 

work for you, and how do you attract 

the best applicants for vacancies? 

Employee benefits can be the tipping 

edge when attracting new workforce 

members (as well as retaining current 

members of staff) as the best candidates 

often find themselves in demand. 

A well thought out benefits package 

can place your business in the lead, 

whilst encouraging a happy, healthy 

and efficient workforce, yet many 

small business owners mistakenly 

believe they cannot afford to offer 

benefits. 

Whilst going without benefits may 

boost your bottom line in the short 

run, it is thought that, in the long 

run, the penny-wise philosophy could 

hinder, and affect staffing stability. 

Benefits do not have to cost the 

earth; they can offer a bridge to your 

workforce, creating an exciting perk for 

team building events, entertainment 

and leisure. Scudamore’s Corporate 

Tickets offer a unique local bonus 

and the perfect way for your staff to 

experience their surroundings. 

Based in Cambridge, the punting 

company offers businesses free boating 

all year round with Corporate Tickets, 

allowing your team to come together 

and enjoy a choice of punt, kayak or 

canoe hire. 

Each session can be as short as an hour, 

or last all day long, leaving employees 

or clients plenty of time to relax away 

from the office, whilst enjoying the 

benefits their employment offers. 

Offering staff a great opportunity to 

get out of the office with exceptional 

health benefits, the Corporate Ticket 

offers an inexpensive way to help your 

company stand out in the recruitment 

market with a quintessentially 

Cambridge benefit. 

With the reported levels of stress 

increasing to one in three amongst 

middle-aged employees already this 

year, the need for benefits is on the rise. 

Whether you’re looking to strengthen 

your workforce or simply to retain the 

foundations of your current business, 

there’s more to employment benefits 

than first appears. 


Please contact the Scudamore’s 

Booking Team on 01223 359750 

or email enquiries@scudamores.com. 

www.scudamores.com 




Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa, Keepers Lane, Leavenheath, 

Colchester CO6 4PZ. www.stokebynayland.com 

Where Business 

Meets Pleasure 

Celebrate the success of the last 

quarter at Stoke By Nayland 

Hotel, Golf and Spa 

With the final quarter of the 

financial year now coming to a 

close, businesses up and down 

the region are taking a long hard 

look at the outcomes of 2014/15. 

With positivity on the rise across 

the majority of industries, now’s 

the time to celebrate those 

achievements and thank the team 

that really made them happen. 

Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf 

and Spa offers the perfect 

location for business reflection 

and aspirations for the future. 

Undergoing a dramatic 

transformation on the peak of 

its 40th anniversary last year, the 

stunning venue now boasts the 

finest upholstered furniture, silk 

wallpapered entrances and some 

of the best facilities in our region. 

Orchestrated by the Hotel’s 

Director, Tamara Unwin, the 

family run business welcomes 

small and large businesses alike 

to its 300 acre site, presenting 

tailor-made packages to suit your 

business, budget and preferences. 

With a PGA recognised golf 

course, a vast spa area, a health 

club and an 80 bedroom hotel 

complete with 9 flexible function 

rooms and an outstanding 

restaurant, there is more than 

one way to put the fun back into 

corporate events. 

Creating a fresh environment 

in which to create, produce and 

inspire your employees, Stoke 

By Nayland Hotel, Golf and 

Spa’s facilities will start the next 

financial quarter with motivation. 

Floor to ceiling windows flank 

each function room, whilst rolling 

views of the golf course and lake 

will make your team sit back and 

really evaluate. 

Complete with full air 

conditioning, free high-speed 

internet and private terraces 

to allow your staff to enjoy the 

fresh air on break-outs, choose 

a room to suit your party. The 

Devora Suite welcomes up to 450 

delegates in a theatre-style, with 

access to the Constable Bar, whilst 

the Garden and Gainsborough 

Rooms provide superb views 

of the 18th greens of both 

championship courses. And there 

are still plenty more rooms to 

choose from. 

Whether it’s time to reflect that’s 

needed, or simply space to enjoy 

a team building activity away 

from the crowded environments 

of your office, Stoke By Nayland 

Hotel, Golf and Spa is able to 

tailor its services to your business. 


IQ business diary 

BUSINESS DIARY 

Bury St Edmunds Breakfast 

Business Networking 

Meetings are held twice 

a month, and, as well as 

offering opportunities for open 

networking, include a 4sight 

slot with a guest speaker, and 

conclude with 3 ten minute 1:1 

appointments. 

Date: 3rd & 17th February, 3rd, 

17th & 31st March, 14th & 28th 

April 

Time: 08.00 – 10.00 

Venue: Bury St Edmunds Golf 

Club, Fornham All Saints, Bury St 

Edmunds, IP28 6LG 

Organiser: C4networking 

Booking details: For more details 

and to login, visit www.4networking. 

biz 

Cost: Breakfast costs £12 

Business over Breakfast 

(BoB Club) 

This successful business 

networking club, which meets 

fortnightly, concentrates on 

quality referrals. 

Bury St Edmunds 

Date: 3rd & 17th February, 3rd, 

17th & 31st March, 14th & 28th 

April 

Time: from 07.00 

Venue: The Self Centre, Kempson 

Way, Moreton Hall, Bury St 

Edmunds, IP32 7AR 

Cost: £15.00 

Booking details: David Rhodes 

on 0751 001 3851 

Cambridge 

Date: 6th & 20th February, 6th & 

20th March, 17th April 

Time: from 07.15 

Venue: Arundel House Hotel, 

Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 

3AN 

Cost: £12.00 

Booking details: Tony Miles on 

0779 9623028 or 01487 800032 

Organiser: Business over Breakfast 

Clubs www.bobclubs.com 

Informal Networking 

Evening 

These free, popular informal 

networking evenings continue 

to attract businesses of all sizes 

from a wide range of sectors. 

You can also ask Chamber 

staff about the benefits of 

membership. 

Huntingdon 

Dates: 3rd February, 3rd March, 

7th April 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Holiday Inn Huntingdon 

Racecourse, Thrapston Road, 

Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4NL 

Ely 

Dates: 9th February, 9th March, 

13th April 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: The Lamb Hotel, Lynn 

Road, Ely, CB7 4EJ 

Cambridge 


16th April 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Holiday Inn Cambridge, 

Lakeview, Bridge Road, Impington, 

Cambridge, CB24 9PH 

St Neots 


8th April 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Waterfront Bar, Wyboston 

Lakes, Great North Road, Wyboston, 

MK44 3AL 

Peterborough 


15th April 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: Park Inn by Radisson, 

Telephone House, Wentworth Street, 

Peterborough 

Organiser: Cambridgeshire 

Chambers of Commerce 

Booking details: Call Peter 

Watts on 07545 697799 or email 

p.watts@cambscci.co.uk. 

The Very Early Lunch Club 

Networking, guest speakers and 

breakfast are on offer at this 

event, scheduled for the first 

Friday of the month. 

Date: 6th February & 6th March 

Time: 07.30 - 09.30 

Venue: Angelsey Abbey, Lode, 

Cambs, CB25 9EJ 

Organiser: Ian Clemson 

Booking details: To book a place, 

email cambridge@thebestof.co.uk or 

to find out more tel Ian Clemson on 

01638 745286 or visit velc.co.uk 


Huntingdonshire 

Construction and Property 

Networking Breakfast 

The Huntingdonshire 

Construction and Property 

Network brings together all 

professions associated with the 

development and construction 

industries in the county and 

region. 

Date: 6th February, 10th April 

Time: 08.00 - 10.00 

Venue: Alconbury Weald, Alconbury 

Airfield, Huntingdon, PE28 4WX 



Booking Details: To attend, or to 

sponsor a breakfast, e-mail h.bosett@ 

cambscci.co.uk. 

A14 Coffee Morning meetup 

The A14 Coffee Morning 

is a relaxed environment 

where business owners and 

professionals can meet and 

informally network over coffee 

on a Friday morning. 

Date: Every Friday morning. 

Time: 9:00 

Venue: The Taproom, 23 Bridge 

Street, St Ives 

Booking details: www.meetup. 

com/A14-Coffee-Morning-Weekly- 

Business-Networking-In-St-Ives 

Cost: Free 

Link4 Coffee Cambridge 

Link4Coffee events are informal 

morning drop-in sessions, which 


provide a regular opportunity 

to unwind, share knowledge 

and connect with all kinds of 

interesting individuals from your 

local community. 

Date: 10th February, 10th March, 

7th April 

Time: 10.00 – 11.30 

Venue: CB2, 5-7 Norfolk Street, 

Cambridge, CB1 2LD 

Organiser: Link4Growth Ltd 

Booking Details: Contact Mike 

Clarke on 07824 600153 or visit 

www.link4growth.biz 

Cost: £3 for tea/coffee, there’s no 

charge to attend 

meet the buyer event 

The aim is to actively encourage 

local B2B engagement between 

two important communities. The 

‘Buyers’ will come from the local 

racing and stud community and 

the ‘Suppliers’ will come from the 

local business community. 

Date: 11th February 

Time: 16.00 

Venue: The Heath Court Hotel, 

Newmarket 

Organiser: Newmarket District 

Chamber Of Commerce 

Booking details: Email info@ 

bluelizardmarketing.com 

knowledge transfer 

partnership workshop 

At this workshop, you will find 

out how a partnership can unlock 

access to academic expertise in 

your locality, and how support 

from an academic expert can 

improve your business. Speakers: 

Jan Stringer, KTP Regional 

Manager, Daba Chowdhury, 

Senior Lecturer. 

Date: 12th February 

Time: 15.30 - 17.30 

Venue: WTL1, Lecture Hall, 

University Campus Suffolk, Waterfront 

Building, Neptune Quay, Ipswich IP4 

1QJ 

Organiser: Suffolk Chamber of 

Commerce 

Booking details: To book your 

free place, please contact Research and 

Enterprise Services via the Research 

Office: researchoffice@ucs.ac.uk or 

01473 338181. www.ucs.ac.uk 

Menta Business Club 

If you’re thinking of starting a 

business or going self-employed, 

drop in for some free business 

guidance to help you get started. 

Haverhill 

Date: 12th February, 12th March, 

9th April 

Time: 12:30 - 14:00 

Venue: The Job Centre Plus, 65 

High Street, Haverhill, CB9 6AH 

Bury St Edmunds 


9th April 

Time: 15:00 to 16:30 

Venue: Menta Business Centre, 5 

Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 

7AB 

Organiser: Menta Business Events 

Booking details: No booking 

required, simply turn up! For more 

information, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk 




Cambridge Alternative 

Networking 

Creating a welcoming 

environment for people in 

business to connect and do 

more business. It is also keen 

to subsidise social events for 

members as well as to actively 

market its members through 

social media and on-line 

marketing. 

Date: 12th & 26th February, 12th 

& 26th March, 9th & 23rd April 

Time: 06:45 - 08:30 

Venue: The Gonville Hotel, Gonville 

Place, Cambridge, CB1 1LY 

Booking Details: To book, e-mail 

networking@cambscan.co.uk or tel 

Kathryn Fletcher on 07889 364 348 

To find out more, visit cambscan.co.uk 

Cost: £15 

Coffee Means Business 

Relaxed, informal networking 

with local businesses. 


9th April 

Time: 09:30 - 11:30 

Venue: The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 

Suffolk 

Organiser: Menta Business Events 

Booking Details: For more 

information, visit www.menta.org.uk/ 

training/suffolk-business-networking. 

No need to book 

Cost: £2 on the door 

Huntingdon business 

women 

These monthly meetings for 

women in business in and 

around Huntingdon are held on 

the second Friday of the month. 


On 13th February, Liz Weston 

will lead a session on How to 

Manage Facebook Marketing. 


10th April 

Time: 11.00 - 13.00 

Venue: Wood Green Animal Shelter, 

King’s Bush Farm, London Road, 

Huntingdon, PE29 2NH 

Organiser: Ann Hawkins 

Booking Details: A £5 fee is 

payable. To find out more, visit www. 

meetup.com 

the essentials of email 

marketing 

This non-technical course, 

designed for people with limited 

experience in email marketing, 

is suited to those who wish to 

improve their knowledge and get 

better results. 


Time: 11.00 - 14.00 

Venue: Framlingham Technology 

Centre, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP13 

9EZ 

Organiser: Ipswich and Suffolk 


Booking Details: Cost £75pp 

Member discount available. For more 

information visit www.issba.co.uk 

IQ Networking Event 

Guest speaker Richard Glinn 

from the New Anglia Growth 

Hub will be talking about the 

support available for growing 

businesses in Norfolk and 

Suffolk. This event is free to 

participants. 


Time: 18.00 - 20.00 

Venue: Granary Barns, Parsonage 

Farm, Woodditton, Nr Newmarket, 

CB8 9RZ 

Organiser: Cubiqdesign 

Booking Details: RSVP to 

gemma@cubiqdesign.co.uk 

collaborative cambridge 

meetup 

This regular breakfast meetup, 

scheduled for the third Friday of 

each month, is themed around 

collaborative problem solving. 


17th April 

Time: Breakfast: 08:00 – 09:30; 

Co-working: 09.30 - 17.30 

Venue: Cambridge Business Lounge, 

Burleigh House, 52 Burleigh Street, 

Cambridge, CB1 1DJ 

Organiser: Ed Goodman 

Booking Details: 

Contact Ed at ed.goodman@ 

cambridgebusinesslounge.com 

camcreatives 

CamCreatives embraces a 

diverse group of interests 

which includes graphic and 

web design, media of all kinds, 

literature and publishing, visual 

arts, multimedia, performing 

arts and general culture bringing 

together a mix of large and 

small firms. 

Date: : 25th February, 25th March, 

29th April 

Time: 19.30 

Venue: Hot Numbers, Gwydir Street, 

Cambridge, CB1 2LJ 

Organiser: CamCreatives 

Booking Details: Visit www. 

meetup.com/camcreative/ 


Cambridgeshire Export Club 

- Cambridge 

A free, informal networking 

event, held on the last Tuesday of 

the month, for exporters or those 

considering it. Each month The 

Export Club features a specialist 

in an international element. 

Date: 24th February, 31st March 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: The Moller Centre, Storey’s 

Way, Cambridge, CB3 0DE 



Booking Details: For further 

information contact h.bosett@cambscci. 

co.uk 

Digital Workshop for Women 

Getting connected offers free 

help and support to women in 

Norfolk and Suffolk who want 

to increase their knowledge and 

confidence using social media 

and the internet. 


Time: 09:45 - 12:45 

Venue: Active Business Centre, 33 

Saint Andrew’s Street South, Bury St 

Edmunds, IP33 3PH 

Organiser: Suffolk Chamber of 

Commerce 

Booking Details: Email 

amanda@suffolkchamber.co.uk, or 

phone 01473 694812 

Social Incubator East – 

Cambridge 

Two and a half days of world 

class training for people with 

an ambition to set up or grow a 

business dedicated to making a 


positive social impact. 

Date: 27th February - 1st March 

Time: from 16:30 on 27th Feb to 

17:30 on 1st March 

Venue: Future Business Centre, 

Kings’ Hedges Road, Cambridge, 

CB4 2HY 

Booking Details: visit 

socialincubatoreast.org.uk 

CSW INNOVATE CONFERENCE 

CSW Innovate conference is 

the place to be for inspirational 

speakers, great busines 

information and fabulous 

networking. 

Date: 6th March 

Time: 9:30 - 16:30 

Venue: Quy Mill Hotel, Church 

Road, Stow-cum-Quy, Cambridge, 

CB25 9AF 

Booking Details: visit www. 

cambridgestyleweek.com 

The Two Counties Business 

Exhibition 

This Exhibition, which is free 

to visitors, brings together 

businesses from across 

Cambridgeshire, Suffolk 

and beyond to build new 

connections, promote products 

and services and to learn and be 

inspired by guest speakers. 

Date: 25th March 

Time: 11.00 - 15.00 

Venue: Millennium Grandstand, 

Newmarket Racecourses, Newmarket, 

CB8 0TF 



Booking Details: For more 

information or to book your exhibition 

stand, email k.dawson@cambscci. 

co.uk. 

ipswich and suffolk small 

business association - meet 

the members 

Join the association for some 

friendly, informal networking 

over coffee/tea. 

Date: 16th April 

Time: 09.00 - 11.00 

Venue: Trinity Park Conference 

Centre, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, 

IP3 8UH 

Organiser: Ipswich and Suffolk 


Booking Details: To find out more 

and to book, visit www.issba.co.uk 

Huntingdonshire Business 

Fair 2015 

This fair now attracts 130 

exhibitors and over 500 visitors. 

As well as offering a free seminar 

programme and popular speed 

networking, it provides a great 

opportunity to showcase your 

business and to get connected. 

Admission is free. 

Date: : 23rd April 

Time: 10.00 - 16.00 

Venue: Wood Green Animal Shelters, 

King’s Bush Farm, London Road, 

Godmanchester, PE29 2NH 


Chambers of Commerce, in 

partnership with The Federation of 

Small Businesses. 

Booking Details: To find out more 

visit www.cambridgeshirechamber. 

co.uk 



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IQ property 

The Property Market 

how will it be affected by the new 

‘National Infrastructure Plan’? 

Tim Mendes da Costa, lawyer in Greene & Greene’s commercial and residential 

property department, discusses how the NIP will affect the local property market 

In December 2014, the Coalition Government set out its 

new National Infrastructure Plan (NIP), detailing the 

long-term strategy for investment in the UK’s infrastructure. 

There are a number of elements of the NIP that focus on 

the property market and seek to ease the burden of the 

planning process on developers, namely: 

Simplifying the establishment 

of the ‘principle’: 

The principle of development will only need to 

be established once, to give greater certainty and 

allow locally-supported development to proceed 

more quickly. In other words, once land has been 

earmarked for development, it should become a 

simpler process to obtain the granting of planning 

permission. 

Speeding up negotiations: 

The Government will take steps to speed up Section 

106 negotiations (a tool used by Local Authorities to 

divert some of the increase in land value derived from 

planning gain back to the public sector), including 

issuing revised guidance, consulting on a faster process 

for reaching agreement, considering how timescales 

for agreement could be introduced, and improving 

transparency on the use of Section 106 funds. 

Faster decision-making: 

The Government will keep the speed of major 

decisions under review, with minimum performance 

thresholds increasing to 50% for major decisions 

being made on time as performance improves. 

Streamlining systems and providing 

additional opportunities: 

Proposals will be published for consultation during 

the 2015 Budget to make processes clearer, faster and 

fairer, and making more brownfield land available for 

development. 

How this will affect the Bury St 

Edmunds’ Vision 2031 Project? 

If these proposals come into force, 

they should have a positive impact 

on the implementation of Bury St 

Edmunds’ Vision 2031 project, which 

sets out how the growth in the town 

can be managed over the next 20 

years and beyond, bringing the town’s 

surrounding villages closer through 

new developments and transport 

improvements. 

Flood Risk Benefit 

To support this, it is hoped that the 

region will also benefit from the 

additional money being allocated to 

flood defences through the NIP. The 

Government has published its six year 

programme of investment in flood 

defences, allocating the £2.3 billion 

capital funding announced during the 

2013 Spending Round. 


please contact Tim on 01284 717437 ~ timmendesdacosta@greene-greene.com. 

www.greene-greene.com and follow us @greenegreenelaw. 


IQ local news 

MILITARY 

MOVE OUT 

With the US Military recently 

announcing a withdrawal from 

Suffolk, we discuss the possible effect 

on businesses in the region 

As businesses and residents debate the 

effect of the US Air Force’s departure 

from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, news 

that Forest Heath District Council 

are not prepared to sit and wait for 

further information has sparked hope 

in many. 

Forest Heath District Council 

leader, Cllr James Waters, has said 

that February will welcome several 

meetings with local businesses to 

discuss the impact on jobs, the housing 

market, and local communities. 

With 850 jobs thought to be affected 

by the closure of three US airbases 

in East Anglia, the news has struck a 

chord with many businesses operating 

in Mildenhall and the surrounding 

areas, yet, as the update settled in, 

it seems all is not as bad as it first 

appeared. 

“I firmly believe that every change 

brings opportunities and I would be 

optimistic that, given the strengths and 

resilience of our local community and 

West Suffolk, we can work with our 

partners to ensure we do the very best 

for people in Forest Heath and make 

the most of any new opportunities,” 

added Cllr Waters. 

With figures reporting an off-base 

spend of $149.5 million per year 

by military personnel, it is easy to 

understand the panic that struck, 

however with the mist clearing, the 

initial reaction now appears severely 

calmed. 

Cllr Mark Bee of Suffolk County 

Council said in a prepared statement: 

“This is not the first 

time that Suffolk has 

dealt with the closure 

of a major airbase. 

US forces moved out 

of RAF Brentwaters in 

1993, and the economy of 

the area has subsequently 

benefited from growth in 

housing, an increasingly 

diverse economic base 

and growth in the visitor 

economy in nearby towns 

such as Woodbridge. We will 

look to see what lessons we can 

learn from this to help us with the 

Mildenhall closure.” 

Although many differing opinions are 

still found throughout the region, it 

seems that localised business support 

networks are now appearing to help 

those who will take the majority of 

the blow. 

John Dugmore, Chief Executive of 

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: 

“This is obviously sad news, as RAF 

Mildenhall and the people that live 

and work there have been a part of 

the everyday life of Suffolk. 

“The work there and the jobs it created 

are a big part of the economy, and 

while we have had the announcement, 

we’ll need to wait to hear more detail 

about the schedule to close down the 

base. 

“Once those plans are developed, we 

will work with the business community 

to look at how local business can be 

supported and how the closure 

can bring new opportunities to our 

economy.” 

With a five year plan now set in 

motion to remove the US presence 

from Mildenhall, the message to our 

local businesses seems clear - get ready 

to embrace the change. 

With 850 jobs thought to be affected by 

the closure of three US airbases in East 

Anglia, the news has struck a chord 

with many businesses operating in 

Mildenhall and the surrounding areas, 

yet, as the update settled in, it seems 

all is not as bad as it first appeared. 


www.iqmag.co.uk 


IQ business support 

Suffolk And Norfolk Firms Utilising 

Growth Hub 

Service 

IQ explores how the Growth Hub has been created More 

to support the expansion of our local businesses 

Since its launch in June 2014, the New Anglia Growth Hub has 

engaged with over 1570 businesses to help them develop and 

grow. Providing free advice and support, the hub is working with 

local and national organisations to ensure that businesses have 

quick and easy access to the help and support they need. The 

Growth Hub is managed by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce on 

behalf of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, and the hub 

aims to support up to 3000 businesses by June this year. 

Support is available for any business in any sector, from startups 

to growing companies. It’s now over six months into the 

project, and businesses are really starting to feel the benefits. The 

Sicklesmere Post Office and Convenience Store in West Suffolk 

was successful in securing a £20,000 grant from the New Anglia 

LEP’s Small Grant Scheme, which awards grants to businesses 

making capital purchases to upscale any part of the business. 

The grants are offered at 20% of the total funding required, on 

the understanding that new jobs will be created. 

The support offered to businesses varies considerably, and it’s 

not just about grants. Suffolk River Cruise Restaurants secured 

a funded training course for an aspiring young chef. Zach Rea 

has been working towards a recognised and useful Intermediate 

Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery. The course is provided 

by Easton and Otley College, and lasts up to 18 months. What’s 

more, the course is delivered in-house, so the trainer actually 

comes out to the kitchen, resulting in minimal disruption and 

maximum impact for the business. 

Morgan Potter is one of the Growth Hub’s Business Growth 

Advisers who identified that the company was eligible for this 

training. “The company had plans to bring in two boats and 

centralise their food preparation facilities. Training was needed, 

and the result has been an Apprenticeship funded and delivered 

through Easton and Otley College.” 

Mark Stead, Head of Work-based Learning at Easton and Otley 

College said: The college is pleased to be able to support the 

Owners John and Susan Haresnape and the crew of the Allen Gardiner vessel. 

Information 

To find out more, call 0300 333 6536 or email 

growthhub@newanglia.co.uk. Follow us on twitter @AngliaHub 

expansion of Suffolk River Cruise Restaurants by delivering 

directly in the workplace training and development needs for 

their staff.” 

The Growth Hub is working with some really interesting and 

highly innovative companies, such as Aponic Limited, which 

designs and produces ‘vertical green wall units’. These units 

allow you to grow plants, vegetables, herbs and fruit without the 

need for soil. Ideal for anyone too tired of digging and weeding 

in the garden, the units are easily mounted on a sunny wall or 

fence, in greenhouses or conservatories and even on balconies. 

The system incorporates a reservoir where the fish live, and 

their waste is turned into nutrients by the digesting action of 

the vertical plant towers. The water and nutrients are recycled, 

saving up to 90% of the water which would otherwise be lost in 

the ground. So, there’s no need for fertiliser, the plants are not 

vulnerable to soil-based pests, and they are not at the mercy of 

the great British weather. 

Aponic, launched only six months ago, have already had a 

good start after they secured £28,000 from the Agri-Tech grant 

scheme that supports new ideas and projects which improve 

agricultural productivity or which develop new technology for 

the Agri-Tech industry. 

Owner Jason Hawkins-Row said: “We’re really pleased with how 

our research and development has progressed, and our aim over 

the next few months is to consolidate our production process and 

get on with running the business smoothly, so that we can expand 

and ultimately, employ more people.“ 

Ten Business Growth Advisers operate across Suffolk and 

Norfolk, and are able to come to your business to help you scale 

up. Businesses can also take advantage of the new Digital Growth 

Programme, which includes two digital advisers to provide 

impartial advice and guidance to local businesses on Broadband 

and internet issues, including how to access Superfast Broadband 

and how to maximise its benefits. 


Set in the heart of Historical Bury St Edmunds, The Farmers Club is tucked away within beautiful, 

tranquil gardens. The ideal setting for corporate meetings, or private hire; our bespoke meeting rooms 

have an abundance of character and charm. We have full conference facilities, ample parking 

and superb dining from a choice of menus. Please give us a call to discuss your requirements. 

WEDDINGS • CORPORATE • PRIVATE HIRE 

Contact us for an informal lookaround our club: 

01284 750969 | frontofhouse@bsefc.co.uk | www.bsefc.co.uk

IQ business support 

NEVER 

THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO US 

Helping businesses keep safe, 

Miles Vartan emphasises the importance of 

risk assessment and management 

Over the weekend you have seen an 

article on TV showing a raging fire 

in a warehouse. All the stock in the 

building and adjacent buildings has 

been lost; the Chief Fire Officer 

cannot confirm that all those who 

were in the warehouse when the 

fire started have been accounted for, 

and is suggesting that the fire was 

probably caused by arsonists. 

Imagine being in this situation and 

how devastating it would be... ‘Thank 

goodness that was not us’ you may say 

to a fellow Director on Monday. But 

could it have happened to you, and 

what are you doing now to prevent 

your company from having to suffer 

such devastating circumstances? 

This scenario was discussed when 

we set up our Risk Management 

Bureau. Where could you go to get 

Crisis Management and Business 

Continuity, Health & Safety and 

Security advice? Our vision was and 

is to provide an accessible source of 

competent advice, which if used, will 

reduce any company’s risk profile, 

and be a go-to source of information 

and help when attempting to assess 

risk. 

Making sure that your company is 

adhering to The Health & Safety 

at Work Act 1974 is a good starting 

point for ensuring that all risks are 

assessed. Auditing where you are in 

relation to this key piece of legislation 

will create a clear picture as to where 

there are gaps in your protection 

strategy. Recovering from a serious 

accident where an employee, a 

contractor or a member of the 

general public has been hurt or even 

killed, will put financial performance 

into stark perspective. 

As The British Continuity Institute 

explains, “Business Continuity 

Management is a holistic 

management process that 

identifies potential impacts 

that threaten an organisation 

and provides a framework for 

building resilience and the 

capability for an effective 

response that safeguards 

the interests of its key stakeholders, 

reputation, brand and value creating 

activities.” 

Spend some time considering your 

company’s Risk Management 

strategy and give yourself the 

comfort of knowing that you are 

taking positive steps to reduce such 

an incident from happening. As 

my Secret Santa mug says, “A little 

risk management saves a lot of fan 

cleaning”!! 


www.milesvartan.co.uk 

Our vision was and is to provide an accessible source 

of competent advice, which if used, will reduce any 

company’s risk profile, and be a go-to source of 

information and help when attempting to assess risk. 


IQ review 

Article by Georgia Watson 

BOOK REVIEW 

Speak So Your Audience Will Listen: 7 Steps to 

Confident and Successful Public Speaking 

Author: Robin Kermode 

Pendle Publishing, 2013 

Available in paperback or Kindle edition 

Bio 

As a professional actor, Robin 

Kermode has had to give his 

fair share of speeches and 

soliloquies with applause and 

aplomb, so who better to 

advise you on successful public 

speaking? One of Europe’s 

leading communication 

coaches, Kermode has worked 

with CEOs, boards and senior 

professionals, to teach them 

how to structure presentations 

and pitch them in a confident 

and creative manner. Providing 

seven steps to becoming a 

successful public speaker, 

Kermode promises to change 

your attitude towards those 

dreaded work presentations or 

important wedding speeches. 

Review 

Written in language that’s easy 

to understand, Kermode’s 

seven steps are broken down 

into sections that you can 

dip in and out of whenever 

you feel a confidence boost 

is required. With simple, yet 

effective diagrams, Kermode’s 

useful information can be 

easily digested and then put 

into practise with a series 

of end of chapter exercises. 

Tackling the way you deal with 

nerves, your body language 

and even the structure of your 

presentation, this book covers 

plenty of ground for one that 

only has seven steps. As it also 

explores the selling techniques 

that often come hand-in-hand 

with public speaking, this book 

is for many readers, from 

those looking to conquer their 

fear of giving presentations to 

those needing to boost their 

sales figures or those who just 

want to give a speech at a 

friend’s wedding. 

Rating 

4/5. Right from the start, this 

book acts as a friendly and 

helpful guide, giving you small 

snippets of information which 

instantly encourage you to 

read on; Kermode’s seven steps 

will have you feeling confident 

within just a few chapters. 

With constant exercises to test 

your new knowledge, you’ll 

feel as though you’re learning 

something from the very first 

page, as you put Kermode’s 

lessons into action. 


IQ IQ showcase review 

Article by Lauren Wilson 

BOOK 

REVIEW 

Zero to One: Notes on Start Ups, 

or How to Build the Future 

Author: Peter Thiel with Blake Masters 

Virgin Books, 2014. Available as ebook 

and hardback 

Bio: Peter Thiel is an American entrepreneur, venture 

capitalist and hedge fund manager. He is also the co-founder 

of Paypal, and was the first outside investor in Facebook, 

acquiring a 10.2% stake in 2004 for $500,000. Ranked #4 

on the Forbes Midas List of 2014 at $2.2 billion, it’s fair to say 

Thiel knows what he’s talking about when it comes to start-up 

businesses. 

Whilst studying 20th century philosophy at Stanford 

University, Thiel met friends Keith Rabois, David O. Sacks, 

and Reid Hoffman, who joined him in making up part of the 

‘Paypal Mafia’, a group of Paypal founders and employers 

who went on to create technology companies such as 

LinkedIn, YouTube, Tesla Motors, Palantir Technologies, 

Yelp and Yammer. 

Thiel co-founded PayPal in 1998 alongside Max Levchin; it 

went public on 15th February 2002 and was sold to eBay for 

$1.5 billion later that year. Thiel made early-stage investments 

in numerous start-ups, including Booktrack, Slide, LinkedIn, 

Friendster, Rapleaf, Geni.com, Yammer, Yelp, Powerset, 

Practice Fusion, MetaMed, Vator, Palantir Technologies, 

IronPort, Votizen, Asana, Big Think, CapLinked, Quora, 

Rypple, TransferWise, Nanotronics Imaging, Stripe, and 

Legendary Entertainment. 

In Spring 2012, Thiel taught Stanford class CS 183 Start-up, 

where student Blake Masters made avid notes. Those notes 

led to the release of Zero to One in September 2014. 

Review: For those considering starting a 

business, there is no better person to seek 

advice from than Peter Thiel. Focusing 

his writing away from the typical how-to 

manual this genre dictates, he instead opts 

to engage his readers by providing them 

with different ways of thinking before 

beginning their venture. Posing questions, 

Thiel asks us to look to the future in a way 

that proves to be a unique, and arguably, a 

more successful style of book. 

The stimulating read is supported by Thiel’s 

upbeat and optimistic approach to building 

a start-up company, and his unconventional 

way of thinking is inspiring. Often, however, 

Thiel can divert on tangents which takes 

away from the glory of his offbeat thinking 

to create almost arrogant sounding rants. 

The book does feature some great themes 

and is definitely worth a read if you’re 

looking for something slightly out of the 

ordinary. 

Rating: 3/5. When Thiel keeps within his 

area of expertise, his prose is inspiring with 

many bold points.

IQ-Magazine-Issue-12

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