What can a virtual assistant do for you?

Following on from Chambers Chief Executive, Chris Sargisson’s call for member input into a now shared column of the EDP, and the thoughtful ‘change’ themed response from Dave Wilson at Tiger Eye, we were left with plenty to think about. Moreover we were energised into sharing some of our own thoughts about change within business, especially in our field, event marketing.

For many in the business community, ‘change’ is often synonymous with themes of modernity and progress as well as perhaps disruption and challenge. Take the events industry for example, all too often the demise of live events has been touted by those riding the crest of a wave of ‘change’. The internet, digital marketing, social media, viral marketing…all examples of when a change and indeed evolution in the approach to marketing, was thought to have put a final nail in the coffin of live events. Yet events and exhibitions remain a crucial and undeniably valuable part of the modern marketing mix. So was the ‘change’ wrong? Well no, but perhaps just badly marketed (ironic eh)?

When change is spoken of in industry, all too often it can been deemed ‘disruptive’. A term regularly used by the tech industry in particular, with technological advancements ready to disrupt industries and shake up the established order. Whilst we don’t disagree with the need to disrupt some industries, businesses and practices, it would be myopic to assume that such disruption has a place across all of them. Heading back to our events example, arguably this idea of disruption is nothing new. There was a time when the internet was seen as the great disruptor, why would people waste their time on events when they could video conference and email? Indeed for a while people believed this, live events saw a downturn…in fact so radical was the perception that the internet would reign supreme, that cinema and theatre were also impacted. But it didn’t last.

Yes the internet and video conferencing and social media and digital marketing and influencers and content and all that incredible ever-evolving change in how we market and communicate our business and brand, remain pivotal to our success. Yet so do events. Why? Because they have not been disrupted by change, they have been augmented by it. Far from being the butt of a digital joke that only the most ‘modern’ of brands can giggle at, events more than ever are being included and augmented into this change. Where else can you shake an entrepreneur’s hand and see in their eyes the passion they have for that product that your business needs? Far from being left guessing how to pitch or tone your communications to serve your audience, you can respond in real time to the human being standing in front of you, laughing, smiling…doing business the ‘old fashioned way’. But then again you’re not, you’re at a modern event. You’re at an event that you’ve spent time promoting digitally, pre-arranging appointments via email, engaging with live via social media, an event that has been enriched by change, an event that embodies change.

Some may say it’s purely semantics whether change is ‘disruptive’ or ‘augmentative’, perhaps so, but it’s the attitude behind that’s what we really want to get at.  We revelled in Dave Wilson’s person-centric and value led attitude to change, it’s this same attitude that we apply to our own work. When change is led by values and purpose it not only leads to improvements, but the protection of those core components that already provide value to us. It’s an important reminder that whilst ideologies like ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it‘ are insidious for business, so too are those that blindly embrace a disruptive approach to change without considering value, or purpose or people. It’s those reasons that keep events relevant in the modern marketing mix and why we are so passionate about every business having opportunity to use this unique and very personal platform. Even if it means changing, how they think about events in this ever evolving, ever more digital business landscape.

Hey there, tech explorers! 👋 If you’ve been googling “best technology for website” lately, you’ve probably seen enough acronyms to make your head spin. React or Vue? Node or Python? Headless or traditional CMS? Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage – we’re about to make this whole tech choice thing a lot less painful.

The “Wait, What Actually Matters?” Guide

First things first: your website’s technology stack isn’t about winning nerd points (though they’re fun to collect). It’s about making your website work for your business. Let’s break down what really matters.

1. Speed: Because Nobody Likes Waiting

Remember dial-up internet? Yeah, let’s not go back there. Modern tech stacks can make your website faster than a caffeinated cheetah, but only if you choose wisely. Here’s what’s cooking in 2025:

• Static Site Generation (instant loading, like magic but actually science)
• Edge Computing (bringing your content closer to users)
• Modern JavaScript frameworks (they’re not just for show)

2. Scalability: Room to Grow

Your website should be like a good pair of stretchy pants – comfortable now but ready to expand when needed. Modern tech stacks offer:

• Cloud-native solutions (grow without the growing pains)
• Microservices architecture (fancy way of saying “flexible”)
• API-first approach (connect all the things!)

3. Security: Because Hackers Never Sleep

In 2025, security isn’t optional – it’s as essential as coffee on a Monday morning. Modern stacks come with:

• Built-in security features (no more bolt-on solutions)
• Regular security updates (staying ahead of the bad guys)
• Enhanced data protection (keeping the good stuff safe)

The Real MVP (Minimum Viable Pick) for 2025

Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s what your tech stack absolutely needs to have:

Must-Haves:

• Performance optimization out of the box
• Strong security foundations
• Easy content management
• Mobile-first capabilities
• SEO-friendly structure

Nice-to-Haves:

• AI integration capabilities
• Analytics tools
• Marketing automation options
• Multi-language support

The “Don’t Get Trapped” Warning Signs

Some red flags to watch out for when choosing your tech stack:

• Outdated technology (if it looks like Windows 95, run)
• Limited support community (you don’t want to be alone in this)
• Poor documentation (because mind reading isn’t a skill yet)
• Inflexible licensing (nobody likes being locked in)

Making the Smart Choice

Here’s the thing: the best tech stack isn’t about having the newest, shiniest tools. It’s about having the right tools for your specific needs. At Wisecoda, we’ve seen businesses succeed with various technologies because they chose based on their actual needs, not just what’s trending on Tech Twitter.

The Bottom Line

Your website’s technology should work for you, not the other way around. Don’t get caught up in the hype of what’s “cool” – focus on what works for your business goals, budget, and future plans.

Need help figuring out the right tech stack for your project? We speak both tech and human – let’s chat about what would work best for you! No jargon, no pressure, just honest advice about your options. 💡

P.S. Remember, the best technology is the one that helps your business grow, not the one that gives developers bragging rights at meetups (though that can be fun too!).

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People often ask me…”How does a young person learn about antiques?”

Mark holding a seminar for 40 managers of the West Country’s biggest chain of charity shops. Whilst it would be easy for me to say read as much as you can and watch educational videos, and of course you will learn a certain amount through doing this, there is one definitive answer…….handling the goods!

I have found that for most people their love of art and antiques becomes rooted at a young age, say 11 or 12 years old, so by the time they’re ready to leave school they are often set on following their passion to work with what they have grown to love. So where do they start?

Naturally, the first thing they would be likely to do is look at the options available within higher education and with many universities, colleges and indeed private institutions offering courses it appears that the options are there. However, most of these courses are in Fine Art and therein lies something of an issue! Now these programs are by and large run by extremely knowledgeable academics and by the time a student has gained their degree or diploma they’ll be able to recognise and date paint types and canvases and probably be able to give a fairly respectable opinion on the whys and wherefores of whether a newly discovered El Greco is genuine or not. BUT stop and think just for a moment! Let’s go back to that 12 year old child going to the local monthly antiques fair and immersing themselves in their love of all that surrounded them. A Georgian walnut lowboy, a Beswick figure, an Edwardian nickel plated police whistle or a trio of World War One medals……..but NOT an oil painting claiming to be a lost El Greco!

So these courses are fabulous if the intention is to move into the world of high brow fine art but not particularly useful if you see yourself working in a provincial auction house, which rather ironically is where most of these graduates end up! So, on leaving school where should they be looking? Well lets use me as a perfect example, not a perfect example of manhood of course…..although I do have my admirers!…..but a perfect example of the ideal route to follow. Like many others before and since I really had no idea what to do once I had finished my education but I had always been interested in history and ‘old things’ so when my father came back from the local auction house and told me that they were looking for someone to fill in for six months and perhaps I should approach them I jumped at the chance. I was duly taken on as a temporary junior porter and ended up many years later as their Senior Valuer!

From day one I learnt ‘hands on’, so for instance after a short while I was able to recognise different woods through not only looking at the polished finish but by being able to open a drawer and look at the interior where it was unpolished. After a year or so I was able to tell from sight alone whether a piece was likely to be solid silver or silver plated or if a porcelain figure was German or French by looking at the scroll work on the base. After a while I was trusted to do some basic cataloguing and within a year or two of this I was lotting our entire general sales which included the lesser antiques and art as well as household goods. And so it went on, although obviously it did take a good few years before I was cataloguing entire antique and fine art sales which encompassed everything from furniture, through paintings, ceramics, glass, silver, rugs, militaria, toys and much, much more!

In my line of work you really do learn something new every single day and this still applies with me, even though I’m now well into middle age. In fact, the one piece of advice I always give to young valuers is “Don’t ever think you know it all…..because you’ll learn something new tomorrow.”

So, once again lets go back to that 12 year old who wants to learn about and maybe forge a career in antiques. Approach your local auction house and offer to work at their evening viewings or perhaps during the school holidays. You’ll be starting at the very bottom but theres a lot to learn and you’re lucky enough to have a whole lifetime ahead of you. ​ You will never learn it all………..but you’ll have a lot of fun trying!

Knowing your Customer – Six Top Tips

1. Check out the exact name and legal status of the business you’re supplying. If it’s a sole trader or partnership, the proprietor or partners are personally liable so make sure you have their full details. Businesses can disappear much more quickly and easily than individuals!

For limited companies you can obtain information and documents at :https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company

2. Check if the business is a signatory to the Prompt Payment Code. If so, they have committed to the Code principles and, if they don’t pay promptly, you can raise a challenge and the Chartered Institute of Credit Management will intervene on your behalf.

Their Prompt Payment Code entry may also give information about how they pay and what you need to do to ensure you are paid promptly.

If it’s a large company (as defined by the Companies Act) it has to report its payment performance on the government ‘Business payment practices and performance’ website: https://www.gov.uk/check-when-businesses-pay-invoices

3. Don’t be afraid to push for all the information you need – if you can’t get it now, it will be far more difficult later.

4. Watch out for cultivated ‘friendly’ references that the potential customer gives you. Referees that you choose are far more effective.

5. Invest in credit reference information – it could save you a bad debt.

6. Set some rules that you (and all your employees) always follow and don’t be tempted to break them, even if you’re put under pressure to supply urgently.

CAN YOU ANSWER YES TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS?

•  Do you know the exact name and trading style of the business? The people or company that own the business, and are liable for any debts, may not be the same as the name under which the business trades. Types of business include, amongst others, limited companies, partnerships and sole proprietors.
•  If it’s not a limited company do you know the name (s) and personal address (es) of the proprietor or partners
•  Have you seen headed paper or documentation that verifies this information?
•  Have you used a credit reference agency to check their details and credit status?
•  Does the information support the amount of credit they’ll need? There are many sources of information, the most common and readily available being credit agency reports and references.
•  Have you talked to other suppliers of the business to obtain references?
• Do the details on the order match those you were given earlier? If they were previously dealing with your competitor, are you happy about their reasons for coming to you?

People often ask me…”Why has the value of antiques declined in recent years?”

This is a question I get asked several times a day usually in response to me sympathetically telling a client that their much loved family heirloom is worth far less now than it was 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. It’s a sad fact of life that many areas of the market are deflated to say the least and in some cases are seemingly at ‘rock-bottom’, so let’s take a look at this and try to  make some sense of it.

To start with let’s blame the Swedes! Yes, over the past 20 years the Ikea model of clean lines and minimalism has had a major effect on how we decorate and dress our homes.  To the vast majority of the under 50’s the very thought of walls filled with pictures, cabinets full of ornaments and shelves packed with clutter is anathema and this is largely because Ikea gleefully swept all this away and told us “No, you must not have a house that resembles that of your grandparents”. This of course meant that in a virtual blink of an eye antique furniture in particular became all but obsolete to an entire generation! A Victorian chiffonier once worth £400 was suddenly £100, a Georgian bureau which would have set you back £600 in 1980 was readily available at £150, and worst of all perhaps, a good Edwardian inlaid mahogany display cabinet which many once aspired to own was now all but impossible to sell.  The reason for the latter of course is that now we were living in a clutter free world, nobody was buying the ceramics and glass to fill the darned things! That beautiful stylish cabinet which once took pride of place in every lounge in the country was now replaced as the focal point by a 50″ TV!

So it’s all about how we live our lives and view our homes today which leads me on to Art. When I started in this business many moons ago I would enter the house of an average client and there would be pictures in the hall, pictures up the stairs and pictures filling every nook and cranny in the lounge, whereas today other than the obvious family photographs the fashion seems to be to have two or three large pictures usually in the contemporary style taking pride of place and surrounded by empty walls.  Not only that but these pictures are entirely transient in that it’s not about how well loved they are, but about how well they fit the current colour scheme.  Try selling a typical Victorian English landscape today and you will seriously struggle.  Even artists that used to command prices of say £500 – £1000 can often be picked up for £100 or so. So traditional art is out and contemporary art is very much in…… but often only until you change your wallpaper!

So just what do people want to buy and collect in 2019? Well there is no simple straightforward answer to this so let’s address the point loosely. I have a theory that means looking at things from a male and female point of view.  Firstly, it seems that ladies particularly those of retirement age are largely speaking simply not collecting. Those empty shelves and lack of clutter have become heaven for the housewife and it seems that she doesn’t want to return to the days of moving copious amounts of china and glass before she can dust the shelves……, and before you accuse me of chauvinism this does too apply to the average househusband!.  So traditional feminine collectables such as chintzy bone china, figures of crinoline ladies by Royal Doulton and others, cut glass and Wedgwood Jasperware are deemed old fashioned and therefore completely undesirable. BUT if we move onto what I would term masculine or men’s’ collectables then there are areas that are thriving.  For instance in recent years there has been an upsurge in collectors of Militaria and all its off-shoots, medals and vintage cameras.  This suggests to me that whilst ladies are blissfully content in their retirement provided they are not surrounded by the aforesaid clutter, men need to shut themselves away and indulge themselves by becoming sexagenarian geeks!

Another area of course which is growing more rapidly than any I have ever seen is the nostalgia driven Vintage & Retro market.  But that’s for another day!

Lockdown means more time spent in our homes and our gardens, but whatever size garden (or windowbox) you have you can get involved (a great project to do with the children too)!

The Bee Saviour Behaviour card is one of the more original printing projects that we have been involved in. The team behind the project had the noble idea of encouraging people to carry a little card containing sugar syrup to revive exhausted bees. The idea proved popular and a crowdfunding campaign enabled the team to upscale their initial design and increase their production of the insect-reviving cards. 

How It Works

In their industrious search for nectar, bees can fly many miles from their hive. Sometimes a bee will run out of energy and land exhausted on the ground. A small drink of sweet nectar will soon have the bee back in the air, but if there are no flowers around then the exhausted bee may not be able to work up the energy to get back to the hive. 

An insect-loving good Samaritan can give a bee a dose of sugar syrup to set the insect up for the next stage of her journey. Fine if you are at home and the solution can be prepared in a teaspoon, but what if you see a distressed bee when you are out and about? This is where the Bee Saviour Behaviour card comes in. A section of the card can be peeled back to reveal the sugar syrup. Once the bee has been revived and buzzed off, the card can be resealed and popped back in a wallet or handbag.

Printing Expertise

We were contacted to provide the printing services for the latest iteration of the Bee Saviour card. We printed the backing card and two self-adhesive panels which reveal and reseal the card, one of which was foil backed.

Most importantly, we worked alongside the team at Saviour Bees advising on the simplification of the concept and working out a way of embossing the plastic card in the hexagon style. We also recommended a supplier who could produce these, the whole project was very collaborative.

We enjoyed being involved in this unusual project where our printing expertise was used to solve problems and produce an attractive functional item that is now in use internationally. People are sharing their pictures and videos of revived bees on social media under the hashtag #SaviourBees.

When a customer doesn’t pay, they’re hanging on to money that is rightfully yours and you should ask for it. You should have a routine system for following up non-payment that includes letter, email, and telephone, but be prepared to act more quickly if the amount is large or you are concerned about the customer.

Follow these Five Top Tips for chasing payment, or why not give me a call on 01603 319034 for a chat.

Jacksons CRS