Networking - Embracing New Thinking

The following is a guest blog by Johanna King

The morning commute from your bedroom to the living room has become somewhat of a routine and you’ve managed to master an array of genius lunch recipes to compete with the likes of Pret and EAT so finally this permanently working from home lark is beginning to feel normal!

But how about networking? The global pandemic has forced everyone to limit their interaction with others and ultimately rethink the way we operate on a day to day basis and unfortunately this means no scrumptious networking breakfasts in swanky crowded conference rooms for a while!

So how do you continue to grow your business using networking throughout the current Covid-19 restrictions?

Here’s some handy tools and tips to get you back on track with networking for your business!

Start the conversation..

Don’t be afraid to start the conversation, if the global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how to think outside the box when communicating with others! Reaching out to companies or organisations that you would like to potentially collaborate with is a great way to open up the lines of communication and working on skills share basis, can create opportunities for you and other businesses with no major costs attached.

Befriend Zoom

Zoom - If you hadn’t heard of the video conferencing before lockdown you certainly would have now! From the weekly pub quiz to catch up calls with friends and relatives, it feels as if the Zoom platform has been a crucial life line to many throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

Zoom is an ideal space to arrange a ‘virtual coffee’ or for team meetings with colleagues. With the ability to screen share, all attendees can give input and a clear visual ensures that discussions flow in a conference call setting.

If you’re currently on furlough or unable to work for various reasons, now is the ideal opportunity to improve your zoom skills and build your confidence using video conferencing.

Share ideas on social and networking platforms

Reports show that the general use of social media platforms increased by 23% at the peak of lockdown, so upping your game on social is key when communicating your business updates and brand messaging. Sharing ideas or even simply opening a conversation on a current topic, can lead to new connections and business leads. Business platforms such as LinkedIn are the ideal space to provide interesting industry content and connect with like minded professionals.

Virtual communities

This is the perfect time to explore the array of virtual communities via their various platforms! A number of individuals have turned to local projects and businesses throughout lockdown and have been able to seek solace in staying connected through this incredibly uncertain time.

Virtual communities can vary, from action communities that are campaigning for social change, to professional communities who are doing similar work. No matter the community, each gives you the opportunity to share advice and experience which can be invaluable within business. The feedback and sense of community spirit can also be empowering and help when growing your brand.

Create a podcast

Creating a podcast is a brilliant way to help tap into another audience, as the popularity of your podcast grows, its reach will increase, helping to gather interest in your business.

If starting a podcast feels a bit daunting, start off by selecting a theme. When promoting your business, you want to strike a good balance between informative and interesting, so keeping the narrative engaging is key and a lighter approach can be favoured to encourage listeners to tune in.

Researching popular podcasts and successful formats can help too, navigating through the world of podcasts can be overwhelming so as a beginner, find what you like and engages you and then work from there.

Take your events to the virtual side

As traditional networking events are not possible at the moment, consider taking your events online! Creating a workshop style event that can streamed, is a brilliant way to get your business out to the masses. The popularity of online exercise programmes such as yoga and dance classes has dramatically increased since gyms and studios have been closed and many leisure based brands have found providing online offerings have kept their brand current and accessible within a difficult climate.

You can also create watchable content by demonstrating a brand new product, running an online session or interviewing an industry influencer to help create new connections.

Business Support

If you’re a woman based in the Liverpool City Region or Greater Manchester and you’re looking for support to grow your business, contact us on hello@thewo.org.uk to find out more about the support available.

Gear Up to Grow with Emma Carey: Expert in the Law Industry

Next in the Gear up to Grow series, Industry leader and Managing Partner of MSB Solicitors, Emma Carey, shares her thoughts on lockdown and the impact on business.

Emma Carey

On the 11th March, covid-19 was declared to be a pandemic – industry leaders across the world began to implement responses with no real precedent to guide us. From the outset it was clear to me that we must protect the staff. Within one-week all fee earning staff were working from home and support staff who could not carry out their role from home were furloughed. Meetings with clients transitioned to Zoom and Skype, and all court hearings were heard remotely.

As the crisis unfolded, it became clear that businesses everywhere would need to adapt to survive this new way of life. As a full-service law firm, the challenges across our departments were varied. Residential property was dictated by government guidelines and we have had to act fluidly as the rules change daily. The demands on family law have increased with the rise in reported domestic abuse during lockdown. We were determined for our family clients to know of our availability, particularly where those in abusive relationships are isolated from the news or their devices. 

We commissioned a 120m media screen advert above St Johns Shopping Centre. Lockdown hasn’t hindered outcomes across the board and there have been considerable successes. Our Property Finance  team successfully supported lender Redwood Bank to deliver a  £3 million loan, having acted in over £8m worth of transactions in May alone, despite a significant drop in market activity as a result of Covid-19.I’ve always been an advocate of the freedoms home working can bring, particularly for those with childcare commitments.  

Lockdown has, however, highlighted the necessity of the office and the reality of the limits to working from home in some areas. We have ten trainee solicitors. How can we nurture the skills growth of the future generation of lawyers without observation and shadowing? These are all things about which we will continue to develop understanding and aim to achieve a balance.The other crucial component to our functioning during lockdown was the recent investment in our technology, including the key hire of a CMS Developer to bolster our internal systems and IT team. 

In January 2020, we were in the process of developing a new Environmental Policy with the view to becoming completely paperless. Lockdown has actually helped us achieve this quicker!Maintaining staff morale has also been key to surviving this period. Many of us have missed the upbeat atmosphere and camaraderie amongst our colleagues. 

We’ve had Friday quizzes with cake deliveries as prizes and sent all of our support staff bouquets of flowers over the period to thank them for their hard work.  It’s also not lost on me that some of the staff have experienced deep anxieties and sadness at home as a result of the pandemic. 

I’ve ensured that I’ve checked in and Heads of Departments have checked in with their staff weekly, providing support where it’s needed. Several staff members had become mental health first aiders prior to lockdown and we’ve seen the benefit of it now more than ever.I would welcome conversations with other industry leaders to share best practice and advice for moving businesses forward through this new era of change.

You can connect with MSB over on their website, Twitter & Facebook

Looking for help to grow or adapt your business? For more information about the support available through The Women’s Organisation to help you and your business, please contact us via e-mail at hello@thewo.org.uk if you're based in the Liverpool City Region.

Gear Up to Grow: 7 Ways Women Are Growing Their Businesses In 2020

The success of women has a massive positive impact on the labour force and the growth of an economy. It is therefore imperative that optimal entrepreneurial conditions are created for female business owners across the globe so that women can continue to be key drivers of economic growth.

In 2020, the number of female-owned businesses and their success continues to rise, despite the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic. Forbes reports that women are making powerful strides in the field of entrepreneurship. This article will look at 7 ways that women are successfully growing their businesses in 2020.

1) Adapt Your Approach According To Current Circumstances

Having an adaptable approach to business is key - especially in 2020. Think of innovative solutions to overcome new social distancing rules. Change the way your company and store is run or how your stock is handled. Shipping containers, for example, are a great option for self-storage or creative container conversions, such as site offices, studios, and home offices. S Jones Containers state that: ‘Converting shipping containers is relatively simple when compared to other bespoke builds as they provide a structurally robust foundation in standardised sizes and shapes that are both easy to work with and build from.’ So, get imaginative and brainstorm different ways you can still deliver your service or products in the new 2020 business environment.

2) Focus On Customer Relationships

It is common knowledge that it is easier and less costly to keep an existing customer than to develop a new one. This has become particularly important and helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic where acquiring new customers could prove challenging for many businesses. Deliver relevant and timely content that solves customers’ immediate and long-term challenges and questions. The priority during these uncertain times is to make it easy for customers to connect with you as people will be seeking updates, answers, and ways to improve their personal and professional life. Be sure to communicate business changes, including hours of operations, virtual offerings, and managerial decisions to keep customers in the loop during shifting times.

3) Networking and Mentorships

Support networks for women, greater representation of women in leadership positions, and young girls being taught entrepreneurial skills at an early age are essential aspects to furthering women’s success as entrepreneurs. Once a business is established, women entrepreneurs need the right tools to grow and manage that company. There are plenty of support networks, guides, and initiatives available for women, such as She’s Next and Grow Her Business. These are full of helpful resources that give female small business owners opportunities to learn and improve their skills on an online basis - which is key during the coronavirus outbreak.

4) Implement Tech Upgrades

It is important to plan ahead and ensure your communication and business equipment is as efficient as possible. Use the lockdown time to make any upgrades where possible and consider converting to online platforms for your planning and communication, use collaborative documents that everyone can edit and comment on, and online software for business planning and file-sharing. Introduce these changes as early as possible so that staff can become comfortable and proficient with the new methods of communication, which could prove vital for efficient workflow during the nationwide lockdown.

5) Reassess Strategies & Approaches

Use this uncertain COVID-19 lockdown time to reflect on your business strategy and refocus on the things you did not have time for previously. Gather, understand, and process your data to make strategic decisions for your business. It is important to consider not only how to survive as a business during the outbreak, but also to have a strategy in place for what will happen afterwards. It is important to be flexible and adapt your services so that they are not only useful during the outbreak, but remain the best choice once everything has calmed down.

6) Adapt Your Marketing

If your product or service could be of additional use or relevance in the midst of the coronavirus crisis then it is important to adapt your marketing to reflect this, especially if you are introducing an altered service for the duration of the outbreak. Make sure all updates and approaches are clearly communicated in the easiest and most relevant way.

7) Support Your Employees and Other Female-Owned Businesses

Where possible support female-owned businesses and take care of your staff during the coronavirus crisis. Staff members will need extra support and reassurance during these uncertain times. Supporting women-owned businesses is a great way to support the economy. They are a strong catalyst for economic growth, and when female businesses are thriving, the economy in turn thrives. And so, when we support these businesses, we support the economy and the lives of woman around the world.

Thanks to our guest blogger Chloe Walker. Chloe is a freelance writer who’s main focus is on working life and the business world. When she isn’t writing Chloe can be found curled up in front of the fire with the newspaper.







If you are based in the Liverpool City Region and have been running your business for 3 years or less, you could receive support from our Enterprise Hub team to plan your business growth.  Get in touch via enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk for more info.

Enterprise Hub is part funded by European Regional Development Fund and free to access.

Gear Up to Grow with Jayne Moore: Expert in the Marketing Industry

Following the announcement that non-essential retailers can now open, most businesses across the UK are now gradually starting to operate again – whether this be online or in person. As lockdown restrictions begin to lift further, we hear from some of the regions brightest business minds on their own journey through lockdown and what advice they would give businesses transitioning into the new normal.

First up in the Gear up to Grow series, we hear from Jayne Moore, Founder of Jayne Moore Media who shares her experience of managing a small business through lockdown and why it's important to seize opportunities and push forward.  

Jayne Moore

As a small employer, I think we are all a little frazzled, so my first piece of advice is to be kind - to yourself and your team. As we emerge from the safety of the sofa, we may not all be as quick to bounce back and embrace this ‘new normal’ - don’t dismiss how scared everyone is of this crazy virus, and don’t underestimate the stress everyone has been under during lockdown.

The first thing I did with my team is to work together to create a bounce-back plan -  collaboration and communication are key to this new way of remote working - and I was aware that our main power is in our collective brilliance, so remote working makes that all the more challenging.

I have found this time of reset and reflection really powerful in giving me space to plot the future direction for myself and the business, allowing us both growth potential. I’m also keen to diversify, lockdown made me realise my own vulnerability - so we are pushing forward with a new focus and a diversification mission. I have launched three businesses in my time and in each occasion it has been in the teeth of a recession, so it keeps me keen and focused on not wasting energy, time or money on things that are not going to fly. Mistakes are how we grow and learn, don’t beat yourself up, take the lesson and move on.

It is important to know what you want to achieve with your life and your business and have clearly focused and articulated aims and objectives for both your personal plan and your business plan. Once you write it down it will begin to realise, and when you start to drive forward you will be on the right foot with the map in your hands and the knowledge to get you where you want to be.

I also think good advice is to only work on stuff you love. I know it sounds a bit trite, but I have to love who I work with - not in the romantic sense of course - but people that I work with become some of my best mates because we share similar values. Do not compromise your values. A wise lady once said to me that “money is only an energy, it only has the power we give to it”, and I have stood by that in making decisions in business and in life.

That said, I also say that people will pay you what you believe you are worth - so it’s ok to be profit making as it will help you deliver on your personal missions, as well as create wealth for others around you.

Despite all but two of my clients pausing our retainer in April - we are all back from furlough, with new projects to focus on and our clients beginning to wake up - there is a lot to be excited about for in this new normal. To-date we have had no grant support, yet – (here’s hoping for discretionary grant) and my pandemic insurance was not worth the paper it was printed on - meaning that we have serious losses during lockdown, however, I am rested and recharged, I have my health and my family, who I still love after 12 weeks in the same house!  I consider myself to be so fortunate to have an amazing team, who are happy and healthy, if a little frazzled around the edges, and who are chuffed to bits to be back working again for the clients we love and a few new faces we have just started dating.

I am sure we have a long road ahead to recover, but it is up to us to seize the opportunity and push forward. As a city we have only known recession in my working lifetime, but we are a resilient group of talented scousers (and James). I for one have done it before, and I intend to do it again, hands in the bucket if you are with me?

You can connect with Jayne Moore Media over on their website, Twitter, Facebook & blog 

Looking for help to grow or adapt your business? For more information about the support available through The Women’s Organisation to help you and your business, please contact us via e-mail at hello@thewo.org.uk if you're based in the Liverpool City Region.

Wellbeing Tips for Working from Home

Right now, more people are working from home than ever before.  For most of us, this is something new: we’re used to going in to work in the morning, having coffee breaks and meetings with our colleagues, and signing off for the day when we leave the office. Maintaining a routine and looking after our wellbeing becomes even more important when our home and work lives become intermingled; here are some tips on how to make working from home as easy as possible.

Create a routine

Rule 101 of working from home – don’t work from your bed! If you can, carve out a permanent workspace in your home where you work from every day, creating a separation in space of your home and work life. Where you can, pretend as though you are actually going into work: get up, showered and dressed, have a cup of coffee, whatever you usually do on a normal workday. Most importantly, once you have finished work for the day, you really want to feel as though you have finished. Put the laptop away, sign out from your emails, and switch off. Keep to your regular work hours, and be sure to take regular breaks away from the screen, and take a proper lunch break. Sticking to as much of a routine as possible will do wonders for both your wellbeing and your productivity!

Keep communicating

Everyone enjoys a catch up with our colleagues over the course of the day. As working from home is not usual practice for most of us, try and keep a semblance of normality by still chatting to your colleagues where you can. Maybe schedule in a video chat once a day before you start working, or have an instant messaging platform that allows you to exchange messages throughout the day. Staying connected is more important than ever at the moment, so try and keep in contact with those around you.

Minimise distractions

There are so many more distractions at home than there are at work. The temptation lies there to have a scroll through social media, or quickly put a load of laundry on while you’re working, and then suddenly it’s the end of the day and you haven’t done anything. Obviously, distractions are unavoidable sometimes, especially if you also have children at home, but wherever you can, try to keep them to a minimum. Try putting your phone in a different room for the day, schedule in breaks where you can check social media, and keep your household tasks to outside of work time where you can. It makes the working day much smoother and easier!

Look after yourself

This is a testing time for everyone: the circumstances we find ourselves in are unlike anything most of us have ever experienced. Be sure to make some time for yourself, doing something you like doing. Go for a walk, read a book, do some yoga or meditate – whatever it is that allows you to practice mindfulness and feel grounded. We aren’t machines, and we need to nourish both our minds and our bodies in order to keep ourselves feeling well, both physically and mentally. We’re allowed to have bad days, and remember – everyone is in this together.

Create whilst you isolate.

The following is a guest blog from Catherine Rogers – Cut Out Collage

Whether you’re an art scene regular, a curious creative or stuck at home looking for things to do, making art during this period of isolation is a sure-fire way to positively impact your mental wellbeing and escape the worldwide conversation of these strange times!

Hi, I’m Catherine, the founder of Cut Out Collage. Before everything changed, I was running creative workshops across Liverpool, giving artist talks, exhibiting alongside collectives and selling original artworks at markets and events, so this current climate has had a huge impact on my business. Despite the curveball I’m committed to focusing on adaptation and how I can creatively respond to the current crisis. So, I’m going to share with my top tips for staying motivated amongst the mayhem.

Artists are still working, we’re just online

Art has not ceased, just the physical places we congregate and share it are closed. Creativity is very much alive in people’s homes, minds and spirits. Therefore, there is a ton you can still get involved with. I would suggest following local and international artists on social media so the content you are browsing each day can motivate and inspire you. I find new and exciting creatives everyday who are hosting online chats, workshops, all kinds of creative spaces and offerings. Following artists can feed your soul and help you discover things you may want to try at home.

Get making, keep making

Don’t know where to start, why not start a sketchbook? What an amazing time to experiment in this way. You can buy one online or use a spare notepad you may already have at home and give it a new lease of life.

Sketchbooks are great for scribbling down ideas, cutting and pasting old magazines into, sketching your garden or your family or to capture your work as you follow online tutorials. Also, when normality returns you will have a record of your creativity and productivity to show for it!  Who knows you may get hooked on sketch booking – it’s the best!

Share your masterpieces, inspire others

Artworks can have a huge impact upon those who view them. Never underestimate the transformational power of making art and sharing it with other people. The offering of something you have created to another person can have a profound effect on their day, so if you make something that lifts your spirits, let someone else be lifted by it to! I am loving the art being sent to my inbox, its inspiring and lets me know people are thinking of me, very encouraging indeed.

Support one another and say thank you

If people share images that move you and or you enjoy in some way, comment on them, let people know that their work has encouraged you. This wave of paying encouragement forward is hugely impactful, it can create a chain reaction of kindness from such a small gesture.

For me and my business, I want to say thank you to the Women’s Organisation and The Common Zine. I want to thank them for believing in my dreams, even before I completely did. They have encouraged me every step of the way and I have taken leaps I likely would not have if it hadn’t been for their support. If confidence is your barrier, I couldn’t recommend them both enough.

Join the Collage Revolution

Obviously, I’m a little bias about this one, but if you’re unsure about where to start I couldn’t recommend collage highly enough. I release weekly Cut Out Collage bitesize workshops on our YouTube channel and top tip videos on a Tuesday! It’s a new platform for Cut Out Collage, so we’re all in it together and learning as we go. There are also collage packs available on our Etsy store, so you have plenty of images to work with!

Thank you Catherine! If you would like to find out more about Cut Out Collage you can find them on:

Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Etsy
Youtube

5 tips for successful virtual meetings

It’s no surprise that, given the events of the last few weeks, more and more businesses are moving online. Thanks to modern technology, there is no end to the tools you can find to continue to communicate effectively, despite being at home. But what makes virtual meetings successful? 

Keep it simple

First and foremost, identify what tools are right for your business and stick to it. It’s easy to get swept up and overwhelmed with the amount of technology that is on offer, opting for too many platforms and things becoming unclear to your team. 

When choosing a service, think ‘small’. The most efficient video conferences come from those that only use the technology that is necessary: if you’re a smaller business, you may only need a service such as Skype or Zoom (which has free options) in order to keep in touch. There’s no need to pay over the odds for technology that you don’t need!

Use a ‘virtual watercooler’

On a normal day at the office, it’s inevitable that we end up having a chat with our colleagues in the staff room when making a cuppa or grabbing something to eat. Trying to maintain this semblance of normality will help your team become more comfortable using digital channels (and feel less awkward too!) Making time for casual conversation as well as work-related chat keeps everyone feeling engaged with the team and with work tasks, as well as keeping them all-important relationships going.

Be sure to follow up

Remote working is a new concept to many, and some things can get lost or misconstrued in a way they wouldn’t in most face-to-face meetings. Make sure that everyone leaves the meeting knowing exactly what their objectives are, who they need to speak to if they are unclear of anything, and where they can reach their manager. Send a follow up email or message to reinforce this – much like you would with ordinary meetings.

Minimise distractions

Distractions can easily cause meetings to run off course. Make sure all participants are in a quiet room, with proper internet connection and headphones. If it’s an important meeting with one person doing the majority of the talking, it’s worth asking everyone to mute their microphones so that the sound doesn’t cut out.

Again, much like a normal meeting, creating and sticking to an agenda is very helpful in minimising distractions in virtual meetings, and prevents them from running on for too long. Agendas become even more important in digital meetings, as we are going without the social cues we usually take from face to face contact.

Make sure everyone has video turned on

Phone calls are great for solving quick queries, but for anything that requires more time and concentration, video chats are the way to. The temptation may be there for some people to leave their camera turned off and only chime in with audio, but encourage everyone to have their video on. Not only does this help you feel more engaged with your team while you’re talking, but it also holds people accountable for paying attention and interacting with the meeting, and resist the urge to multi-task while on a call!

If you would like to benefit from the support delivered under the Excelerate Labs programme, including advice regarding accessing government business grants and loans during COVID-19, then please contact: exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk.

Helpful business resources during COVID-19

Developments with the COVID-19 outbreak have escalated in the UK over the past few days, which has led to many businesses worrying what this means for the future.

There are a number of initiatives being put in place to help businesses who may be affected by Coronavirus. We’ve compiled helpful, practical steps you can take to support your business:

Government Support

On 17^th March, the Chancellor announced a massive £350 billion in financial measures to provide a lifeline for many businesses. It is still in the early stages on how this will be rolled out currently, but for now, you can access the package of support measures that the Government has put in place here. There is also a Business Support Helpline which can be reached on 0300 456 3565.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

This scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, will allow businesses with a turnover of less than £41m to apply for a loan for up to £1.2m, with the Government covering up to 80% of losses with no fees. This will unlock up to £1 billion to protect small businesses.

Statutory Sick Pay

The Government will refund the cost of providing 14 days statutory sick pay per employee for businesses with fewer than 250 employees.

Small business cash grant

There will be a £10,000 cash grant to 700,000 of our smallest businesses, delivered by local authorities, and worth a total of £2bn. Local authorities are awaiting guidance from the government on how this will be administered.

HMRC Helpline

A dedicated helpline has been established by HMRC to support businesses and self-employed people in financial distress, to provide support with their tax affairs. Businesses may also be able to create a bespoke Time to Pay arrangement through this. You can reach HMRC on 0800 0159 559.

Private lenders

A number of private lenders are also making funds available to small businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19, including £2 billion from Lloyds Banking Group and £5 billion from NatWest.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunder have put measures in place to help businesses through the outbreak, providing 100% free fundraising for crowdfunding campaigns with support through Enterprise Nation.

Business rates

The Government has temporarily suspended business rates in England for 2020-21 for properties below £51,000 rateable value, meaning nearly half of all business properties will not pay a penny of business rates.

Bank of England measures

The Bank of England have also announced a package of protective measures to help UK businesses and households through the economic disruption associated with COVID-19.

Arts Council England

Arts Council England have announced plans to support people working as freelancers, artists and in publicly funded cultural organisations. Find our more here.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice have detailed how Coronavirus may affect you if you’re self-employed and need to take time off work, including what benefits you may be entitled to.

Companies House

Companies House have provided guidance on what to do about your company accounts if you have been affected by COVID-19. Find all the information here.

Liverpool Growth Platform

This is continually updated advice for businesses in the Liverpool City Region. Find all the information here.

#BusinessGrowthTips: Capacity Planning

Over the last month we've been asking our Excelerate Labs business growth advisers to offer us some key tips on how to maximise your business potential.  If you follow @ExcelerateLab over on twitter you will catch our series #BusinessGrowthTips

Capacity planning is a key part of strategising for growth.  Without the right team and resources your business with soon grow out of hand and beyond your control.  Below are some key tips from our advisers looking at this element of growth in more detail.

• Let Go to Grow

"As you grow, you need to let go" says business adviser Mike Marsden. "Eventually your staff will reach their limits and your will outgrow some of your connections.  Just make sure the next people on your journey are better than the last".

Sometimes in business we can get sentimental about both our staff and those in our network.  But actually when capacity planning it is crucial to identify what roles and connections we need for the next phase of the business and be honest as to whether those we already have in our circle match the business need.  If not we may need to let go in order to grow. 

• Systems Give You Space

"Systemise your business. Get your business working for itself, creating money.  If the business is reliant on you, you have a job" says Mike.

Unpacking this tip from our growth adviser Mike, it shows that you need to give yourself space away from the business in order to grow.  If you are basically the engine that keeps every cog turning then you essentially work for the business instead of having it work for you.  You need to be able to step out without everything falling apart or how can you ever have those essential meetings and strategy hours to move it on? Putting systems in place, which can be everything from handbooks that ensure staff know what to do, digital tools, automation etc. that will keep everything running while you aren't there is the best way to do this.

This is a massive part of capacity planning.  List everything you do, and everything that relies solely on your expertise.  Then plan and research ways to fill these gaps to ensure you can free up enough of your time to get the business growing.  Some of these systems may have a cost attached to implement, so these should factor in your business growth budget planning. 

If you are a woman running a growing business in the Greater Manchester area and would like support with capacity planning or any other area of business growth, please get in touch with our Excelerate Labs team.  Part funded by European Regional Development Fund the programme is FREE for your to access (subject to eligibility) and will offer advice and support tailored to your business need.

Drop a line to exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk to find out more.

'Just Get Started!' - Social Media Experts Share Tips and Stories on Boosting Online Followers!

It’s reported that 3.2 billion people use social media, making it clear to see that if you want to get your voice heard, you should probably be online. With that in mind, we rounded up some of Merseyside’s most savvy social media users to come and share their tips on how to get ahead and start building a following online at our event 'Building Your Social Media Influence'

Hosted by The Women's Organisations Training Co-ordinator, Bernie Cox, our panellists included; Head of Communications at Sefton Council, Nicky Speed, Producer and presenter, Ben Osu and Founder of multi award winning blog 'Mini Travellers', Karen Beddow. With the room full of people ready to start conquering the world of online communication, we eased our panellists in with the question on everyone’s mind.

“Do I have to be on every social media platform to reach my audience?”

In short, the answer was no with all panellists in agreement that it's more important to focus on finding out what social media platform is going to work for you and your business, from here you will be able to find where your audience are. For anyone unsure about what platforms to try first, Karen had a top tip

“Even if you don’t know if you’ll use that platform, I would still go on to register your username. If you decide to use it in the future, you will have an official username that everyone can recognise you by”

Successfully campaigning to bring the MOBO awards to Liverpool in 2010 and again in 2012, Ben shared some of his insights on how to make a campaign work.

“I worked tirelessly, constantly calling promotors” 

He spoke about social media playing a key element in his campaign

 “Social media can really compliment the work you’re doing. When I started campaigning, I used Facebook groups to get an audience together. At the end of the day, it’s all about engaging content. Once you got that in place, the audience will start to build itself”

At the heart of the Sefton Borough, Nicky spoke about how the community spirit influences her marketing team at Sefton Council. “Our biggest strategy for promoting our key messages is engagement. You need to be listening to what your audience wants. We work with different partners and organisations, so we like to share other people’s content and get involved in the conversation online”

The main message to come out of the night, JUST GET STARTED! Social media can take practice, but don’t be afraid to get it wrong!

A massive THANK YOU to everyone who attended our event and our guest panelists! a special thank you to Hala Saeed for taking photos of the event!

Feedback included:

“Really interesting, informative and funny! I have noted somethings I’m going to look at when I get home”

“Really informative! Picked up some great ideas & tips. I’ve been alerted to some things I was unaware of!”

“Fantastic, informative and well-chosen mix of speakers. Can’t wait for the next one!”

If you enjoyed Building Your Social Media Influence, we have TWO more networking events throughout summer. Join us on 17th July, 6-8:30pm for some Summer Collective, and on 21st of August, 6-8:30pm for Speak Out to Stand Out

Alternatively, contact us on 01517068111 or hello@thewo.org.uk for more information.

Ensure your startup survives - write a successful business plan

The following is a guest blog written by Emily Wilson: 

Writing a well-thought out business plan is an essential step for any startup. It’s a crucial strategic document that will help you to transform your business idea into practice – and an opportunity to think about every aspect of your business. It’s a way to articulate your vision and demonstrate your credentials to investors, shareholders, suppliers and staff members. It’s also a document that you, the business owner, can continually refer back to, to ensure you’re staying on course, whilst also adapting it to meet your changing circumstances.

Academic research shows having a business plan can double your chances of success. However, many start-ups and established businesses neglect this undertaking, instead heading straight into operations without a plan to guide them. “Perhaps they’re scared by shows like the Apprentice, where the business plan is this huge weighty document, ripped apart by Lord Sugar and his interview team,” says Darren Nicholls, Product Manager of business advice website, Informi.

Sure, a business plan is important but don’t worry too much about what it looks like, it’s what it means to you. “If you’re passionate about your business venture, a lot of the content should come naturally,” adds Darren. “The dreaded numbers bit should flow a lot easier once you’ve spent a bit of time formulating your idea, outlining your vision and demonstrating your tactics.”

Idea

The first section of your business plan should articulate what the business will actually do. A neat way to do this is to present your ‘elevator pitch’. This should be a concise and memorable overview of your business idea that is simple to understand and compelling. Your pitch should aim to answer these three fundamental questions:

1. What problem do you solve?
2. How are you different? 
3. Why are you the right persona to solve this problem? 

Getting an answer to these questions written down and sharpened into a compelling elevator pitch will help you focus on the finer details of your business plan. (And, of course, comes in handy if you find yourself stuck in an elevator explaining what you do!)

Research

Before you can go into the finer details of your business plan in the next section, it helps to strengthen your idea with supporting research. This can incorporate a whole host of considerations but should say to the reader that you understand the external landscape and the business you’re launching. To do this, you might include the following:

• Market research – what is the appetite for your product or service?  
• Competitor research – who are you competitors and what are their strengths and weaknesses?
• Economic data – what do you need to consider in terms of the national and local economy?
• Trends – are there changing consumer habits that you can capitalise on?

Execution

Now it’s time to go into the finer details of how you’re going to execute your idea. The research you’ve presented in the last section should feed into the logistics and tactics behind your business idea.

This section should include information on:

• the products and services that you intend to offer
• your costs and profit margins
• your business operations – where you’ll be based, staff, launch dates etc.

These are probably the most important details you’ll need to include in this section but you can go into more detail and cover things like marketing, suppliers and equipment if you wish. Remember, the more robust your business plan, the more useful it will be to you.

Structure

One of the last sections is to outline how the business will be set up and your financial requirements and projections. Unsurprisingly, this is a really important part of the business plan as it will significantly impact on the day-to-day running of your business.

• The proposed structure of your business. One of the biggest early decisions you’ll take is whether you set up as a sole trader, partnership or limited company. This decision will have various tax and accounting implications amongst other things. You’ll also want to factor in the equipment you’ll need, IT, and staffing roles (if any).
• The financial plans for your business. Probably the most detailed requirements of a business plan, this should include details of your initial startup costs, projected sales and cash flow forecasts.   

Finances

Everything you’ve detailed so far should lead you nicely to the final section: the bit where you outline how you intend to fund your business. At this point, you’ll have a good idea how much money you’re going to need to launch and your operating costs, plus how much revenue you expect to generate. You’ll explain how you, the owner, intend to source your funds. For example, this might be through personal savings or a loan from family and friends. If you’re seeking funding from investors you’ll set out the possible sources of those funds, for example, grants, bank loans, or bringing in additional shareholders.

One section we’ve left out but you might want to include is a section outlining your experience and qualifications. This can be important if you’re using your business plan to seek investment, as it will reassure investors that you have the right attributes to make the business a success.

Before we leave you, here are some common sense tips that will increase your chances of writing a successful business plan. 

• Don’t do it all in one go. Instead tackle it in chunks, one section at a time.  
• Don’t assume. Provide context and assume the reader knows nothing about your venture or industry.  
• Avoid jargon. Just because it’s a business document it doesn’t mean you can’t use everyday language. 
• Get help. Don’t just keep it to yourself, gather feedback from friends and family – and get them to proofread it for typos! 
• Be professional. It doesn’t have to be an elaborately designed document but it should be formatted in an engaging and accessible way. Maybe avoid Comic Sans! 

Still Struggling?

When starting your business, there are many supporting organisations available that are in place to assist you throughout the start-up phase and beyond. Gaining support from these external organisations and charities will prove to be invaluable throughout your start-up phase as you will be able to utilise their expertise and services to help you create your business plan and assist with your organisations next steps.

When you ask your professional network for advice with your business, you’re actually expanding your network. You’re either interacting with new people or strengthening existing relationships. Furthermore, knowing that someone else is willing to take the time to help your business out can heighten your sense of purpose and give you the drive to keep pushing through.

If you live in the Liverpool City Region and are thinking about starting a business and need help putting together a business plan, contact us on hello@thewo.org.uk or 0151 706 8111 and discover what support is available to you.