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business-action.co.uk | August / September 2019 | @businessactionm

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HEADER

Virtual Business Partners

Because running a business

can be a lonely journey!

Why work with a Virtual Business Partner?

What’s the Benefit?

If you are a solopreneur, entrepreneur or SME we can help

you to:

• Consolidate your position - stabilise or expand, depending on the

health of your business

• Streamline your business, across - processes, procedures, systems

and people

• Invigorate and energise your reasons for starting this journey -

through coaching and collaboration

How do we do this?

• By listening - to what’s working and what’s not, and to your end

goal vision.

• By offering practical advice and actually doing what’s needed - we

are not just all talk, we are not gurus, we actually do the work.

With the added potential benefit of virtual assistance.

• By bringing extensive experience and a proven track record to the

table.

Are you ready to take your start-up or SME to the next level?

If so, contact us to discuss whether working with a Virtual Business

Partner is right for you.

Contact details: email: nfo@virtualbusinesspartners.co.uk

tel: 01271 603078 or 07788 181419

www.virtualbusinesspartners.co.uk

ii

business action | June / July | business-action.co.uk

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CONTENTS

business

ACTION

Web site | business-action.co.uk

Online version | business-action.uk

Vol 1 Issue 4 – Aug / Sept 2019 – distribution 2,500 across North Devon

CONTENTS

Initiatives, support & consultations............................................................ 1

Engineering firm’s 15th anniversary........................................................... 2

Road haulage company is here to stay...................................................... 2

Home carers fleet goes electric..................................................................... 3

Accountancy firm goes national................................................................... 3

Exeter Airport achieves gold for disability access............................... 4

Waste firm celebrates 60 years of service................................................ 4

Housing group plans big investment in Devon...................................... 5

Children’s hospice challenge......................................................................... 5

Fastest wifi in the west?................................................................................... 5

New business: Chartered Financial Planner steps out...................... 6

New business: Keeping clients organised............................................... 6

New business: New accountancy practice.............................................. 6

High street: New café fulfils ambition........................................................ 7

High street: Ethically sourced fruit and veg............................................ 7

High street: Hardware store provides local service............................. 7

What the editor forgot........................................................................................ 8

Stay Sharp with Clarity...................................................................................... 8

From one laptop to a team of eight.............................................................. 9

Manufacturing talent survey........................................................................... 9

A mystery is uncovered.................................................................................... 10

North Devon Enterprise Day........................................................................... 11

Develop your business now............................................................................ 11

Business Action Plan......................................................................................... 11

BBxpo: Bideford Business Expo.................................................................. 12

Free business advice and guidance............................................................ 13

Keeping customers safe and satisfied....................................................... 14

Tap into funding for construction skills training................................... 15

Employment and skills events ...................................................................... 15

Magnetic North Devon: Determination to succeed............................... 16

Diary of a market research apprentice....................................................... 17

In the Hot Seat: Lucy Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald HR................................. 18

Woolacombe development now available to buyers............................ 19

Rafting away on work experience................................................................. 19

People....................................................................................................................... 20

Using strategic financial data for growth.................................................. 21

EDITORIAL

Robert Zarywacz

Editor, Designer & Publisher

t: 07971 176044

e: robertz@business-action.co.uk

@robertz

ADVERTISING

Alan Williams

Advertising, Distribution & Publisher

t: 07970 671192

e: alan@business-action.co.uk

© Need it Find it 2019. All information in this magazine is published in good faith.

Any views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher, Need it Find it.

Readers are strongly recommended to seek advice from an appropriate professional

before taking any action on any topic discussed in the magazine and to check full

terms and conditions of any products or services promoted in advertisements.

INITIATIVES, SUPPORT & CONSULTATIONS

Cyber security webinars

Barclays is offering businesses

free webinars to introduce

them to cyber security and how

they can improve awareness

of threats and increase their

online protection.

The webinars include an

overview of cyber security and

what it means for businesses; a

look at the main cyber threats

and how to help prevent them;

tangible next steps to help businesses

and their staff stay safe

and secure online; additional

support and information.

The webinars are useful if

you are concerned about the

potential risks and threats

of cyber security and online

fraud, and want to ensure you

and your staff are up to speed

with the latest threats and

prevention techniques. They

will help you to understand

what help and support is available

for businesses.

Webinars are available

Monday to Friday between

8am and 4pm and delivered at

a time that suits your business.

You will need a desktop ⁄ laptop

computer with an internet

connection and a telephone

Webinars can be booked by

speaking to a Barclays business

banking manager or relationship

team.

■■barclays.co.uk/business-

banking

STEM graduates into

business

University of Plymouth’s

STEM graduates into business

programme aims to

assist Devon SMEs in finding

talented graduates from STEM

(science / technical / engineering

/ maths) subjects. The

intention is to create a cohort

of graduate-employing SMEs

across the area, leading to

longer term opportunities and

retention of talent in the area.

The scheme helps businesses

to recruit graduates on six

to 12-month internships on

which they can help the business

develop a new product,

service or process. There is

also funding of £1,800–£3,600

available through the European

Regional Development Fund

The university is working

Cover photo: Traffic light by Robert Zarywacz

North Devon

ENTERPRISE

Day

#ndevonent

Diary date: 24 October

Celebrate business in North

Devon on the first North

Devon Enterprise Day – register

your business for free.

■■Details page 11

with strategic partners to

deliver the scheme, including

Exeter University, South Devon

College, City College, Petroc

and Plymouth College of Art.

The process starts with a

meeting to talk through the

potential requirement and a

business ‘eligibility check’. Then

the university will help to create

an advert which is published

internally, via strategic partners,

Grad South-West and

LinkedIn. Applications are

collated and passed to the

business which will employ the

graduate, with payment being

made on completion.

■■Details 01752 587736 or

plymouth.ac.uk/STEM-grad

Inspire Launch in Devon

Inspire, the programme to

scale up businesses with more

than five employees, launches

in Devon on 1 October in

Honiton. Inspire is a not-forprofit

business organisation

providing high value support to

the SME business community.

As part of the launch event,

Inspire has partnered with the

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small

Businesses UK programme

to showcase this package of

support to businesses in the

Heart of the South West.

■■Details eventbrite.co.uk/e/

inspire-launch-in-devon-tickets-62132819937

Meet Somerset Chamber

Barnstaple Chamber of

Commerce is holding a lunchtime

event where North Devon

businesses can meet members

of Somerset Chamber on 18

September in Tiverton.

■■Details eventbrite.co.uk/e/

meet-the-neighbour-somerset-chamber-of-commercetickets-63412542622

@businessactionm | August / September 2019 | business action 1