Businesswise: The Voice of Business Networking in Swindon

In the first of our new collaboration series, Hannah Edwards from Scott Media talks to Andrew Wilkinson of Secure Safety Solutions and Laura Dent of So Fresh and So Clean.

After sharing a little about their individual businesses, Andrew and Laura talk about how they started to collaborate after meeting at our Businesswise networking group.

Laura talks about how she first got to know Andrew and learnt more about his business and how it could support her business before considering working with him. For her, doing research first was important as she’s worked with other supplies in the past and things haven’t worked out.  Now they’re collaborating and things work very well, because they get on, and also both support each other’s business.

Andrew enjoys working with Laura, because of her work ethic, and the support she receives from his business is perfect. She knows that her clients also benefit from Andrew's company’s input.

Having the biohazard cleaning is something that Laura has to ensure is safe, and Andrew, who hasn’t worked in this field previously has ensured he is up to date with all of the latest legislation. They both give examples of how the collaboration works so well, including Andrew impressing Laura with his quick responses to emails and also the fact he promptly sends information to her clients when asked.

Both Andrew and Laura give their tips about why networking works – and especially Business Wise. Here are just 3 of their tips.

• Even if you’re scared of networking – just do it!
• Don’t go along with preconceived ideas about what people expect.
• Whereas family and friends may try to help with problems, they often don’t know how to run a business – our group does.

If you’d like to know more about Andrew, Laura and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ and if you’d like to visit email [email protected]   – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you will be put on a waiting list

In our final podcast of the year, Hannah Edwards representing Scott Media talks to John Lewis of JL Mindset Performance about being in their roles on the Businesswise committee for this year and reminiscing about all the things that have happened.

John is the chairperson for the group, and Hannah is the group secretary – roles they both talk about with passion! 

Our first podcast was launched earlier this year, when our then chair, Dave, talked about his reasons for stepping down and John talked about stepping up into the role.

John, who has loved being chair, explains the logistics of what goes on behind the scenes to organise the meetings, which is quite a task when you have 32 members.  And it’s not just the practical planning, the committee also have a lot of extra work in between the meetings. 

Hannah and John talk about how, because the group is run like a business too, they have to ensure members get the best value for their money. There are a huge number of events and opportunities that the committee have overseen during this last year. Being in the secretary role, Hannah doesn’t only work in the week leading up to the meetings – but most of the time between.

They talk about the wonderful characters that make up the group; 32 members all with different opinions and ideas and experienced businesspeople in their own right. Over time, the group has come together to create a culture where everyone opens up honestly about both business and personal things and knows they’re in a safe place.

Both Hannah and John are looking forward to March, when the committee are planning another open networking evening, following the successful one the group had in February this year.  

If you’d like to know more about John, Hannah and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ and if you’d like to visit email [email protected]   – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you will be put on a waiting list

Today our host Lis McDermott is talking to member Liza van Zyl of Priory Heating Limited. Based in Swindon, Liza runs a small domestic plumbing and heating company that she set up in 2013 and has been in business for 11 years.

Liza talks about what it is like being a female in a very male dominated industry, and why she finds it easy and is very comfortable in her working environment and she is not alone, as there is another female plumber working in Swindon too.

She shares her passion for her business, and also how she likes to ensure she supports her elderly clients, particularly in winter.

Liza also talks about growing up in South Africa, before leaving to work in Holland and then joining the British Army for eight years prior to starting her business.

She has been a member of Businesswise for 5 years, and initially was sceptical about the whole idea, as it wasn’t an environment she’d been in before. Her first visit to a networking group was everything negative that she had expected the experience to be, and didn’t go back. However, when she visited Businesswise, she enjoyed it, and recognising that she’d found the right group for her, joined.

The healthy environment where everyone can communicate with each other freely, whether to celebrate or to commiserate over some negatives – we’re all business people sharing the same types of problems. She also enjoys the other opportunities that Businesswise offers too, which not all networking groups do.

If you’d like to know more about Liza and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ 

In today’s podcast our presenter Fiona Da Silva Adams is talking to Yvonne Parker for Yvonne Parker Hypnotherapy who explains how she helps people when working with them. 

She talks about how many more people are recognising the benefits of different therapy techniques, and also understanding the advantages of maintenance sessions. Yvonne also shares how hypnotherapy can help with so many issues, from confidence and low esteem to helping people with eating disorders and even pain.

Yvonne talks about why she became a therapist after previously being an accountant, and the journey that she went on to become who she is today.

She has been a member of Businesswise for two years and loves it. She loves the people and the support she has gained whilst being a member.Originally, she came as a sub for another member then decided to join herself. Yvonne understands the importance of referrals for her business but also how important it is to get to know people well and build relationships.

Yvonne also talks about how she and another member in Businesswise who has a similar business swap session and support each other – something that wouldn’t have happened, had she not joined the group. Plus, she knows that there are people within the group who she could turn to for support if it was needed.

If you’d like to know more about Yvonne and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ 

In today's podcast our presenter, Lis McDermott talks to Jess Walters of Howden Insurance. This is the new name for A Plan, and Jess points out that Howden Insurance is not the kitchen company – that is Howdens with an S.

They were A Plan for over 60 years, so it’s not so easy for people to remember the change.

Jess talks about how she got into insurance, because it wasn’t always the thing she wanted to do. She shares a secret not many people know – that she was planning to go to music college, but in the end that didn’t happen. 

She loves working in the industry, which is good, because she knows that many people find it really boring, and it’s not something they want to deal with. There’s too much jargon too but the more she learns, the more she loves it. Jess particularly loves working with clients who visit when they need their insurance sorting out. She enjoys helping people who feel completely baffled by it all.

She also explains the difference between advised and non-advised companies, which is interesting to learn about.

Jess does a lot of networking, including Businesswise. On her first visit she was subbing for someone else from her office who couldn’t make it, and straight away she felt welcomed when she walked into the room. She knows that if she needs business advice, or even personal advice, she could ask her Businesswise friends.

Although networking for many people is scary, Jess’s advice is that it is one of the best things you can do for your business, in terms of confidence and self esteem.

If you’d like to know more about Jess and Businesswise, visit: https://businesswise.org.uk/ and if you’d like to visit email [email protected] – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you can be put on the waiting list. 

Today’s podcast presenter is Fiona Scott of Scott Media and she is talking to our member, Dawn Pursall.

Dawn runs Orangestripe Outsourcing and Accountancy – a business which is all about helping business owners to understand their own finances and also gives them advice about tax. You may not like numbers, but Dawn does.

Dawn has been in Businesswise for quite some time, although she doesn’t always come to the meetings personally, but sends one of her young employees.

When she first joined, Dawn held the bookkeeping seat, and much of her huge client base has come from networking, and initially from Businesswise. She has had many clients introduced from people within a network group, and several of those clients continue to provide her with thousands of pounds worth of business each year.

She doesn’t just go along to one group, but many, because she believes networking is an important thing for any business owner to do. 

With Businesswise particularly, Dawn talks about loving the fact that it is ‘not for profit’ – and all the benefits that members gain because of that.

Dawn talks about her career before Orangestripe, how her entrepreneurial side developed, and how the workplace has changed over the years for the better in terms of misogyny. She remembers a time when there were very few female accounts, and the profession was male dominated.

If you’d like to know more about Dawn and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ where you’ll find details of our members. If you’d like to visit email [email protected] – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you will be put on a waiting list. 

Chris Dawes from Visual PR hosts our latest podcast where he is talking to Sophia Best of Heartfelt Moments – an independent celebrant.  She creates unique, personalized services for all those milestones in life. 

Sophia who has only been in her business for one year, explains what an independent celebrant does, compared to what a registrar does, when leading a service or celebration. 

Despite only being in business for such a short time, since her first funeral last May she has now done nearly 100.  

She talks about how she works with clients, be it weddings, funerals, or christenings - spending a lot of time with them to get the right information, particularly when talking to a bereaved family about their loved one. She then prepares a eulogy based on what she has learnt. Sophia also talks about how emotional the job is, and how she manages to cope with that herself. 

She also explains how the skills from her previous career as a policewoman, having to write factual statements, help her to write and create the words she uses for her services –though, obviously they are more creative and gentler in style.  

Although she has only been in business a year, and only joined Businesswise at the start of setting up her business, she is now vice chair. Having set up her business, she wanted to do it well, and decided that to do that, she had to get out and about to be seen and meet people.  After joining a few groups, she was invited to Businesswise, came along and eventually joined. She loves the different levels of experience in the group and knowing that starting business was going to be difficult, she wanted to be able to tap into the knowledge in the room and ask questions.; there’s always someone there to help. 

If you’d like to know more about Sophia and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ and if you’d like to visit email [email protected] – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you will be put on a waiting list.  

 
If you’d like to contact Sophia visit https://businesswise.org.uk/members/sophia-best/  

Today’s podcast presenter Lis McDermott talks to member Ed Le Coyte of Luniq, a technology consultancy.

Ed talks about how Luniq came from the defence sector which historically has large enterprises, but now, Luniq have moved to a space where they offer more to more people. They take a solution agnostic and vendor agnostic approach, and Ed’s role in the company is to help move the company more into a private sector space. 

However, Ed is fairly new to the IT trade, but has always been in sales, and he talks about how after working in the motor trade for many years helped him with his sales skills.

Ed also talks about moving away from the motor trade has helped him to enjoy more work-life balance. He has three little girls, and only working from Monday to Friday gives him far more time with them.  Plus, he also fronts a band, as the lead singer – another escape from work-life.

Before joining Businesswise, earlier this year, Ed had not done any networking, because in the motor trade people come to you – you don’t have to find your customer base. Visiting Business wise was a baptism of fire – but he says a fun place to be, where business is taken seriously first and foremost.

Since joining, he has also joined other business networks, and is looking to find other networking events to attend, because he recognises the effect it has on business. But also, in Businesswise particularly, he is enjoying the long lasting relationships that can be built, when meeting with like-minded people.

If you’d like to know more about Ed and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/members/ed-le-coyte/ and if you’d like to visit email [email protected] – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you will be put on a waiting list. 

In today’s podcast our presenter Fi Da Silva Adams is talking to member Danielle Holmes of Black Nova Designs, a company who provide design and host websites. Next year the business will be celebrating 10 years.

Danielle runs the business with her husband, Kyle, who she says is the brains. Kyle is the one who understands all of the IT stuff, and Danielle, over the last nine years has learned about how things work in terms of managing domains, emails, websites etc.  She now sells the company so that Kyle and their team of 5 can do the work.

Before working with her husband, Danielle had several different jobs, but the last one in accounts and credit control is extremely helpful to make sure that Black Nova’s cashflow is correct and she keeps an eye on profit and loss.

When Danielle was first invited to visit Business Wise as a guest, she wasn’t that keen when she found out about the 7 am start, but after visiting she was surprised how much she enjoyed it, and how welcoming everyone in the room was.

According to Danielle, Business Wise is the reason that Black Nova has got to where we are today – partly because of the networking she now does.  She found being able to communicate in person invaluable. Plus, during that time, she has made many good friends too. And she has found that there are many different businesses there that complement their business. And people genuinely do buy from other people in the room.

Danielle also talks about how she and Kyle, through the business sponsoring several events, including Event Horse of the Year for Horse and Hound.  They also take stands at the Badminton Horse Trials, and are the only IT company there, which is also great for building their branding.

She also talks about the importance of having your own website, rather than just relying on social media.

If you’d like to know more about Danielle and Businesswise, visit https://businesswise.org.uk/ and if you’d like to visit email [email protected] – we do have to check first that your seat is vacant. If it’s not you will be put on a waiting list. 

If you’d like to contact Danielle directly:

https://businesswise.org.uk/members/danielle-holmes/

Our host today is John Lewis, and he is talking to, our social media member, Hannah Edwards. 

Hannah has been a member of the group for several years, and after initially joining as her own business, holding the virtual assistant seat, her seat now is social media, and she is representing her client, Scott Media. And at the beginning of the year, she took over the role of secretary of the group. 

Hannah shares how her business has grown and changed over the last seven years, talking about how as a younger person, you often leap into business, without considering what it actually takes to be a business owner! She shares the things that she has learnt from Fiona Scott, her long-term client, and owner of Scott Media. 

Hannah loves how supportive people are in the group towards everyone’s achievements and says it’s almost like being a family member- there’s always someone there at the end of the phone. 

The three main things she thinks about being part of the group are: 

• You only get out what you put in. 
• You need to take up any advantages and opportunities offered. 
• You learn how to help others run their business. 

If you’d like to know more about Hannah, or more about Businesswise, then come along and visit us, or look at Hannah’s profile on https://businesswise.org.uk/