This weeks guest is the irrepressible Deborah Carr, Business Owner at Total Spa Solutions and new business, Anada.

She shares her story of how the first UK lockdown in March decimated her core business, Total Spa Solutions - a B2B service that supported a fast-growing Spa client list with key staff to maximise revenues through maximising Spa Treatment availability.

Like many, her business suddenly stopped - overnight. And this is after a record-breaking start to 2020.

So what could Deborah do?

Well, she could have shut up shop, she could have taken a summer off, or she could have been another economic victim to the COVID19 pandemic.

But that is not in Deborah's nature as you will see or hear, so after a little reflection and a moment of inspiration on a dog walk, she decided to use her skills and the skills of her team and launch Anada.

Anada is a luxury "at home" Spa Experience which uses all of Deborah's B2B experience and converts that to a new, exceptional B2C brand.

The journey is great example of resilience, hard work and focus, lessons which despite the much over-used pivot word, will hopefully inspire you to make some positive decisions going forward.

This was a great session - fun, human and passionate. Enjoy

Contact Details

Deborah Carr

Business Owner Total Spa Solutions & Anada

Tel +44 (0) 7979 126603

Email [email protected]

Web www.totalspasolutions.com

Web www.anada.co.uk 

Ella Mesma is the Business Owner of Business Yoga.

Having had an idea for a business that combines her passion for Yoga, Wellbeing and Wellness with meeting the challenge of businesses maintaining productivity, healthy teams and engagement whilst navigating these challenging times - Business Yoga was born.

Whilst the business was launched pre-COVID19, Ella's significant research had already identified the connection between a sedentary work environment and a variety of illnesses and ailments, some of which were leading to absenteeism, stress and lower productivity.

Her unique approach to short burst activity, much of which is non-intrusive, desk-based and high impact, but not requiring any previous skills, experience (or a need to change or shower), is changing the workplace for many.

If COVID19 means you work from home, have teams that work from home or you run events that get people together and you need a little stimulus or something different to get you all going, then Ella explains some really easy options and steps you can take to make a real difference.

During the current crisis, Ella has upskilled herself in many areas of business, from social media to web content and website development, all with the aim of adding genuine value to her clients and future clients. 

It is easy to be something of a "victim" in a global pandemic, but hopefully Ella's story will inspire you to keep doing the things that make a difference, and if nothing else, to look after yourself too.....

Ella Mesma Business Owner

Business Yoga

Tel +44 (0) 7886 273719

Email - [email protected]

Web - www.,businessyoga.co.uk

On this episode, Salma Karolia shares her fascinating story.

How she set up, ran, significantly grew and then sold a successful Beauty Training Academy business over a period of years. She shares the journey from spotting a gap in the market to developing a business to exploit and develop in that gap.

Sometimes it was accidental, sometimes opportunist, sometimes by being in the right place at the right time.

What did Salma learn along the way, how she developed as a person and as a leader and what she would do differently if she did it all again?

Salma also shares the next phase of her journey, including why and how she got back into the beauty sector as a manufacturer of bespoke cosmetics, a packed market, but with another gap that an entrepreneur can see and target for growth.

Whatever your business, whatever your ambitions, this is a fascinating insight into the mindset and work-ethic of someone who has been there and done it, and is back to do it again....

Contact Details

Salma Karolia Managing Director - SK Cosmetics

Tel : +44 (0) 7850 930501

Email : [email protected]

On this very thought-provoking episode of The Impact Sessions Podcast, University of Leeds PhD Student & Researcher, Pauline Oustric shares her passions, not only for academia, research and study, but also for networking and building effective relationships.

(She also has a passion for food but puts that down to simply being French)....

Pauline identifies the opportunities that exist for businesses to exploit the talent, networks and facilities that exist across the University environment, whilst also encouraging Universities to offer clearer routes to building genuinely collaborative partnerships.

How does academia actually work & operate?

What resources can they offer?

How can a business be more active in collaboration and partnership?

What impact could a Researcher, PhD or Post-Graduate Student have in your business?

How would you scope out a project?

Why might a high calibre Intern be a great option?

This is not an academic podcast but a genuine exploration of networking and collaboration with a genuinely passionate advocate of both. Pauline has even managed to collaborate with both the French and the US army in support of her own research into our relationship with food and the behaviours around this.

Going forward, Pauline harbours real ambitions to create a networking resource to harness the talent of academia for the benefit of the business community and the wider world.

Nothing in this podcast suggests that she will be anything other than hugely successful in achieving this ambition.

Released on Pauline’s birthday, we wish her Happy Birthday and hope the Podcast listeners really enjoy this one....

Contact Derails

Pauline Oustric

Researchers & PhD Student University of Leeds

Tel - +44 (0) 7377 712641

Email - [email protected]

Businesses often need some financial impetus, but with so many options available, where can you look and what might be the right option for you?

Have you considered the distinct advantages of Angel Investment?

If not, is that due to a lack of understanding, a lack of knowledge of where to look, a lack of the right networks to leverage, or something else?

On this Impact Sessions Podcast, the excellent Martin Avison, Founder of angelgroups shares his wealth of knowledge and experience about the whole world of Angel investment.

How does it work?

What can it do for your business?

Why you might be a great fit?

What are the options available?

This and more is covered in this insightful episode.

Contact Details

Martin Avison

Founder Angel Groups

Tel - +44 (0) 7538 209478

Email - [email protected] 

In this episode, Lorna Feeney, Head of Mental Health Risk at Marsh Risk Consultancy & Marsh & McLennan Companies explores the whole subject of health and well-being in the workplace.

Mental health awareness in particular is now mainstream, with the likes of Mental Health First Aid and a whole raft of other initiatives emerging to tackle this sensitive, and often confused area.

Here, Lorna Feeney shares some of her personal journey in a frank and honest interview but offers some really practical and useful advice to businesses in how to spot, manage and develop a positive culture of support and intervention to create a genuine health and well-being environment in your business.

This is a fantastically open, maybe even courageous interview that will have you all thinking about this subject.

Contact Details

Lorna Feeney

Head of Mental Health Risk at Marsh Risk Consultancy & Marsh & McLennan Companies

Email - [email protected]

Website - www.mmc.com

LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/lorna-feeney-63617837 

On this podcast, Sarah Cowl, Marketing Director of The Rainbow Mash walks us through the customer journey from a marketing perspective.

Why is effective marketing like the dating scene?

Why is competition a great thing for your business?

Why is creativity in isolation not enough?

How do you build in a return on investment?

The answers to these and other questions are all answered by the engaging and very honest and direct Sarah.

It’s a great episode.

Enjoy.

Contact Details

Sarah Cowl

Marketing Director The Rainbow Mash

Mob - +44 (0) 7969 906369

Email - [email protected]

Web - www.therainbowmash.co.uk

LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/sarah-cowl-mcim-54a09246 

On this episode, Paul Lillywhite, Managing Director of Lillywhite Consultancy discusses tools, techniques and the science behind really understanding your team. Understanding them as individuals as well as as a collective force for your business. If you manage a team, have to recruit new team members, plan team succession or are simply looking to better understand team dynamics, then this is a great podcast for you.

Enjoy.

Contact Information

Paul Lillywhite

Managing Director The Lillywhite Consultancy

Tel - +44 (0)7764 852676

Email - [email protected]

Web - www.lillywhiteconsultancy.co.uk

LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/lillywhitecons...

On this episode of The Impact Sessions, Rachel Clark, Director at Wrapped PR shares her views on the whole PR world.

It is often a very misunderstood discipline and often, people either ignore its real potential or fail to maximise its impact, neither of which is ideal, for the client or the industry. PR, or Public Relations to give it its full title, sits alongside the sales and marketing mix and is integral to supporting areas such as brand, reputation, sales, and business strategy.

Rachel, quite naturally, is a passionate advocate of PR but on this episode, she presents compelling evidence of the value and impact that PR can deliver for a business.

She even has an offer of a free initial PR Telephone Consultation for any Impact Sessions viewer or listener to demonstrate that value and impact. https://wrappedpr.co.uk/contact/

Contact Details 

Rachel Clark

Founder of Wrapped PR

 Tel - +44 (0) 7557 400973

Email - [email protected]

On this episode of The Impact Sessions, Anna Ashford, Board Advisor and Lawyer at Alpaca shares her thoughts on why businesses, and especially small to medium enterprises, should not shy away from great legal advice and support, especially based on cost.....

Yes, when starting or growing a business, everyone wants a piece of you (and your budget), but you pay insurances for premises, key people, vehicles, and a host of other areas in need of protection.

Getting the right legal advice (and protection) in place should be no different.

Anna will hopefully inspire you to think about how easily (and affordably), you might want to think about your contracts, T&C’s and other areas of your business - BEFORE they become messy and costly.

Another really good episode.

Contact Details

Anna Ashford

Alpaca Tel - +44 (0) 113 320 4540

Mob - +44 (0) 7738 295313

Email - [email protected]

Website - www.alpaca.uk.com 

LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/annaashford