SURVIVING LOCKDOWN - an essential business podcast from Mark Ryes Voiceovers

With the job market contracting due to covid-19 - the recruitment industry has had it tough. In some cases, really tough.
Helen Fallon is the MD of Global CTS Recruitment, based in Oxfordshire. She deals directly with senior directors and business owners, offering an essential  human touch - making sure the right candidate is matched to the right employer. Some sectors are far from getting back to business, and for Helen, it's a question of staying positive despite these unprecedented times.

You can contact Helen through the website - www.globalcts.co.uk

Sian Pages runs a franchise of Not Just Travel - and as a travel consultant, she's dedicated to organising bespoke trips of a lifetime. 2020 was supposed to be Sian's year - her business was three years old, clients were booking some really complicated but rewarding trips - and then covid hit. The travel industry came to a standstill. Hear how Sian has coped with the roller coaster ride of being in travel, and how she's looking forward to what the future will bring.
You can contact Sian through the website: sianpages.notjusttravel.com

Sarah Palmer-Granville is a commercial interior designer who launched SPG Interior Design last summer, working on her own projects as well as freelancing into other designer consultancies.
When lockdown hit - she saw projects being postponed and cancelled - but through networking and tailoring her business to post-covid solutions, has managed to keep striving ahead.
You can contact Sarah through the website - www.spginteriordesign.co.uk

Prepare for a delicious success story! Oli Barton set up Jolly Good Brownies in 2018. When Lockdown hit - orders went to full capacity - to the point where she's looking for a new home with enough space to set up a separate brownie kitchen to expand the business! Find out how Oli coped with Lockdown, and has come out stronger.

You can order brownies and contact Oli through the website - jollygoodbrownies.co.uk

After 20 years as a teacher - Fiona Millington-Pipe took the bold step of taking her photography business Fiona Millington Photography full time at the start of lockdown. The thing she loves most about photography is the change in her subjects as their confidence grows from having their picture taken. With no financial help from the Government, it's not been easy - but Fiona is going strong and has great plans for her business going forward.

You can contact Fiona through the website - www.fionamillingtonphotography.com

Ceri Owen looks at houses when they're about to go on the market, and performs a kind of magical transformation called staging - giving the best chance of achieving a sale, and achieving it quickly. Her business, sort style and stage was relatively new when covid struck - and so she quickly had to turn to virtual staging. She talks to Mark about the property market, how things have been really tough, and why there's a glimmer of hope in her sector.

You can contact Ceri through the website - www.sortstyleandstage.com

David Wall is Director and Co-Founder of Dusted – a UK Top 100 design agency who deliver meaningful brand experiences for companies in finance, technology and professional services. With strong views on remote working and how business in general is looking, David explains how Dusted managed to thrive even in the most difficult of times.

You can contact David through the website - www.dusted.com

Seánna Holland is the co-founder of Packsmart - a fulfilment company for small to medium sized businesses. They pick and pack products for retailers who don't have their own warehousing and distribution solutions. During lockdown the business saw a growth in demand - and they're even planning expansion. Some would say it's a risky move in the current climate - but the team at Packsmart is confident.
You can contact Seánna through the website - www.packsmartltd.com

Rob Jefferson is Director of Marketing at Knapton Wright - a creative marketing agency helping businesses achieve their marketing goals. They take a creative, results-led approach to digital marketing, PR and advertising - but when covid-19 struck how did the business keep their own name out there, as well as helping their clients.
You can contact Rob through the website - www.knaptonwright.co.uk

Getting your core message across to potential clients can be a big task - and it's one Steve Atkinson of ScreenForge Web Design in Hull relishes. He's much more than just a web designer. Mark caught up with Steve in Italy, to talk about how his business fared through lockdown, and how rough he thinks the next 12 months might be for business.
You can contact Steve through the website - www.screenforge.co.uk