2020 is a year that has changed the way we work forever. With businesses being forced to move their team to remote working, security is not something to be overlooked. Due to this, we at Breakwater IT have decided to bring our annual Cyber Security Conference forward and host it online! From the comfort of your living room or office chair, you’ll be able to tune in and hear from our exciting line-up of speakers. Keynote Speaker: FC (Freaky Clown) We’re excited to be joined by FC (also known as Freaky Clown). FC is a well-known ethical hacker and social engineer. He has been working in the information security field for over 20 years and excels at circumventing access controls. As an ethical hacker and social engineer, FC ‘breaks into’ hundreds of banks, offices and government facilities around the world. FC will be highlighting the change in mindset when working from home compared to an office or more secure location. He will be focusing on the type of attacks your business should be paying attention to, as well and how you protect yourself and your business. You don’t need to be an IT or security expert to attend. The aim of this conference is to educate and inspire change in the way you secure your business. Further details on the agenda will be revealed in the coming weeks. Links and details of how to join the conference will be sent closer to the event. Please ensure details used to register for the event are accurate.
Dynamic Print was established in Norwich by Barney Phillips back in 1999.Barney spends his days designing and thinking of type. He prides himself in his typeface knowledge and is known in the trade for his ability to identify various fonts. He is even sad enough to go on-line and enter a competition recognising different fonts; his score being in the top 25 in the country!The team at Dynamic Print thought it was time to explain why hestill loves to print, even after a lot of years. This is where Eye Film could help, we love telling stories. Together we have created this hopefullythought provoking video, explaining very simply Barney’s motivations – somemany of us may connect with ourselves. Shot over a a couple of days, out on his bike, at home and at work, the result was’Type’.
Fosters Solicitors is delighted to confirm the appointment of Paige Gouldthorpe as head of its Lowestoft branch.
Paige joined Fosters two years ago and during that time has become deputy head of their Wills, Trusts & Probate team and the firm’s Court of Protection specialist. Through this additional role, Paige will help drive initiatives and focus on Fosters’ services available in Lowestoft and help them continue to be a key contributor to the town.
Commenting on the news, Paige Gouldthorpe, said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed as Head of Lowestoft at Fosters Solicitors and look forward to helping support and drive our reach in the area. We have a great team of people who are based at our Regent Road branch, and many more of our wider colleagues who provide additional support from our Norwich and Wymondham offices. We are also privileged to have such a loyal base of clients and partners within the town, who I look forward to working closely with.
“We are hugely excited for the year ahead buoyed by us building new relationships, as well as cementing established ones. Last year, we celebrated a decade of partnership with Lowestoft Town FC, which we’re hugely proud of – and we are in the process of planning several activities with them and other partners in the town.”
Fosters Solicitors has had an active presence in Lowestoft for over 15 years, and just ahead of the pandemic moved to new premises in the town at 14 Regent Road. Members of its Residential Property and Wills, Trusts & Probate teams are permanently based at this branch, but as an all-service law firm, all of its wide-ranging legal services for both individuals and businesses are also available through its Lowestoft office.
The firm is also a community partner of Lowestoft Town FC, with the club’s ground named the Fosters Solicitors Community Stadium and the firm organising with the Blues some community activities for the coming year. Fosters’ Lowestoft office are also seasoned participants in the town’s annual pumpkin trail and pancake day race.
Chris Brown, Chief Executive of Fosters Solicitors, added: “The pandemic unfortunately frustrated the official launch and development of our new Lowestoft office on Regent Road. We are therefore excited about Paige’s appointment and that her natural drive and enthusiasm will add extra focus on us increasing our presence and reach in Waveney and throughout Suffolk.”
This webinar will help those who thinking of selling their business. MHA Larking Gowen Corporate Finance Experts James Lay and Jack Minns will discuss the following areas:
Minimising your tax on the sale proceeds (with speaker Richard Proctor, Tax Partner at MHA Larking Gowen)
Post-sale matters – ongoing consultancy and earn-out arrangements.
Hear genuine insights from a recent seller (with guest speaker David Holland from Salix River & Wetland Services Ltd)
When? 28 July, 12pm – 1pm
You can register for the other webinars in the series here;
Part one – Planning for selling your business in 2020 and beyond, here – Tuesday 14 July, 12pm – 1pm
Part two – How to sell your business, here – Tuesday 21 July, 12pm – 1pm
The team at Face to Face Finance is very excited to be kicking off our new Your Recipe for Financial Success podcast with a virtual launch party – and you’re all invited!
We’ve love it if you could join us to celebrate as we officially launch our new personal finance podcast. Your Recipe for Financial Success is a place where you will learn which ingredients you need in your mixing bowl to whip up a delicious slice of financial success. Expect practical advice, tips and plenty of baking puns as the team share some of their expertise so you can make sure your money is working hard for you.
Given the current limitations, the launch party will be live streamed on YouTube. We’ll pour in some laughs, mix them with your company and decorate the evening with a few surprises.
PLUS there are FREE mini-bottles of bubbly for the first 40 people to sign up so we can toast the launch of our podcast together. Be sure to get on the guestlist early!
To secure your place, simply visit https://www.recipeforfinancialsuccess.co.uk/launch-party/ to submit your details. We will then send you the link to join us on the morning of the 28th July. If you have signed up, remember to check your inbox!
Maintaining a positive cashflow within your company can be a challenge – it is something most financial leaders are managing regularly, always looking for ways to help ensure consistency. A negative cashflow situation can be caused by a variety of factors, particularly in the current economic environment. Overdue payments, higher overheads and fewer clients can all affect cashflow.
Forecasting
Planning and budgeting are the best ways to ensure your cashflow stays healthy. Of course, unforeseen circumstances occur, but budgets can be updated to keep control.
Make sure cashflow is monitored and tightly controlled, as this will provide a better outcome.
Keep accounts up to date, including bank reconciliations and prepare monthly or quarterly management accounts to ensure you always have meaningful up to date figures to work with.
Payment terms
Many companies often have generous payment terms, but there is nothing to stop these from being amended. Your business could encourage faster payment terms if longer ones are beginning to cause a problem. Online invoicing also helps with cashflow as it encourages faster online settlement and issues automated reminders.
Adjust accounts payable
If your company needs more time to settle its supplier accounts, you could request extended payment terms. This isn’t ideal for the other suppliers’ cash flow of course, but generally if your cashflow is under extreme pressure, they would rather be paid slower than see you go out of business. It’s worth making contact to try to establish more flexible payment terms.
Conserve company cash
One of the biggest expenditures for a business is its staff bill. Regarding salaries and pay incentives, consider non-cash benefits for employees. Offering additional holiday entitlement and flexible working arrangements doesn’t add to the wage bill but might be highly valued by employees and will therefore help reduce costs.
Increase expenditure controls
It’s perfectly reasonable and in fact, necessary to review expenditure controls to maintain cashflow.
Consider increasing expenditure control procedures and reducing limits. Ensure there are clear budgets set while maintaining some flexibility. Often, just the introduction of a process will usually reduce unnecessary expenditure.
Build up reserves
It might sound like a cliché, but there is a lot of value in ‘fixing the roof whilst the sun is shining’ and ensuring that you do not overspend when cash is flowing well. Try to retain cash within the business to ensure there is a rainy-day fund, because there will always be hurdles to overcome in the future. Remember, a regular customer could go out of business, another pandemic could occur, or an inflation hike might happen.
Retaining funds can limit the risks to your business overall. If you do have a rainy-day fund, make sure you are receiving the best rate of interest available.
If you need help managing cashflow in your business, please contact a member of the Beatons Group by calling 01473 659777 or by visiting the Beatons website.
New all-electric Lotus Hyper-SUV – Eletre – wins prestigious award from world’s leading fashion and lifestyle publication
GQ’s judges cited Eletre’s power, range and styling among attributes which set it apart
Advanced ‘digital cockpit’ cabin with Lotus Hyper OS usher in new era of in-car experience
Available in Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R variants, flagship Eletre R is world’s fastest dual-motor electric SUV
The all-new Lotus Eletre hyper-SUV has claimed victory in GQ magazine’s Car Of The Year awards, winning the prestigious ‘SUV Of The Year’ title. Selected annually by GQ’s panel of design, lifestyle and automotive experts, the awards honour vehicles from a diverse range of categories which are ‘inspiring, interesting, have automotive integrity and get the pulse racing.’
As both the first SUV and the first production EV in Lotus’ 75-year history, the Eletre marks the start of an exciting and electrified new chapter for the business and brand. Its newcomer status proved no hindrance in a crowded field of contenders, with the Eletre seeing off stiff competition from many of the world’s well-established SUV manufacturers.
In summarising the Eletre’s winning traits, the GQ judges concluded: “The premium electric SUV sector is filling up faster than you can say ‘recession-proof’ with all the automotive big beasts vying for attention, but none have grabbed our attention like Lotus.”
Ben Payne, Chief Creative Officer, Lotus, said: “From the very first discussions about what the Eletre should be, our vision was to deliver a unique and highly desirable car that would demonstrate to the world what the EV future of Lotus would stand for. As an SUV, it will bring a completely new audience to the brand – a lifestyle customer. To be recognised for that by GQ, a globally renowned lifestyle publication, is a great honour.”
Matthew Hill, Head of Interior Design, Lotus Tech Creative Centre, with GQ magazine’s ‘SUV of the Year’ award for the Lotus Eletre.
The all-new, all-electric SUV is set to hit roads later this year, with thousands of customers around the world having already placed their deposits to secure a car. Three different versions are available – Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R – with a choice of two powertrains.
Eletre and Eletre S both feature a 603hp (450kw) single-speed unit producing 710Nm of torque to deliver a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and a maximum range of 373 miles. The flagship Eletre R comes equipped with a 905hp (675kw) dual-speed set-up boasting 985Nm for 0-62mph in just 2.95 seconds, making it the world’s fastest pure electric dual-motor SUV. Maximum range for this performance-oriented variant is 304 miles, while the 112kWh battery found in all versions can be charged (10%-80%) in just 20 minutes using a rapid charger.
Inside, the Eletre’s premium cabin sets a new standard of desirability for Lotus interiors. The Eletre comes with 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, four-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging and much more. Its advanced ‘digital cockpit’ features server-level computing power, enabling a billion-colour OLED touchscreen to display the cutting-edge Lotus Hyper OS for next-generation real-time 3D content.
Immersion is further enhanced by a 15-speaker KEF Premium Audio system. Customers can upgrade to KEF Reference, a 2,160-watt 23-speaker system with Uni-Q and 3D surround sound technology. KEF Reference also features Uni-Core, a pioneering new approach to speaker and subwoofer design, and the Eletre marks its debut in the automotive world.
The Eletre also comes with renowned immersive audio experience Dolby Atmos, a new way to enjoy music that takes listening to new heights through unparalleled depth, precision and clarity. Together, Dolby Atmos and the Eletre’s KEF speaker system combine to elevate music listening to new levels. Driver and passengers will feel like they’re sitting in the middle of the recording studio alongside the artist. The Eletre is the world’s first car to combine Dolby Atmos and KEF Audio.
In the UK the Eletre is priced from £89,500, with a standard spec including five drive modes, active air suspension, torque vectoring, matrix LED headlights, active front grille and 10-spoke 22-inch forged wheels.
During the free-to-attend webinar, guest panellists from leading organisations in the Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality sector will discuss key questions:
• What’s the latest in the road to recovery?
• What are the staffing practicalities around returning to work?
• How do you manage customer expectations?
• What are the risks and rewards of opening?
• What are the key challenges ahead and how can you plan for them?
The webinar will offer genuine insight from businesses with information to help roadmap the future and what it means for the sector. As part of the live webinar, the audience will be invited to ask questions to the panel, making it a truly interactive and discussion-led event.
Building the right infrastructure to scale your business with the NatWest Accelerator Hub
About this Event
Building the right infrastructure to scale your business
2 people, 2 channels of communication…3 people, 6 channels…4 people, 24 channels – as your business grows, so too does its complexity. As the business leader, you need to plan and develop your building blocks.
This session will focus on the people, platforms and processes that you need to consider when scaling your business.
What will it cover?
– The right people, processes, and capacity to grow
– When to invest in infrastructure
– Understand what step you need to put in place to scale
– Q&A Session with Jenny Campbell
This is a Zoom webinar – details will be sent in your confirmation email. You will find it at the bottom of the email, in ‘Additional Details’. The meeting is password protected and must be accessed using the encrypted link.
Carole, Charlotte and the whole team at MAD-HR are delighted to share the news that we have been recognised with a prestigious Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award.
The accolade is an independent seal of excellence, which is awarded to businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
It comes just months after we received the Suffolk Business Award for ‘Customer Excellence’, which again acknowledged our high level of client service.
Carole said: “We’re delighted to receive a Platinum Trusted Service Award from Feefo.
“Ensuring our customers are happy with our service is very much a priority in all we do at MAD-HR. We live up to our name in wanting to ‘Make a Difference’.
“The fact this award is based on feedback from real customers gives us confidence we are providing an exceptional level of service, and this has of course been recently highlighted in a different way – by us winning the Suffolk award for Customer Excellence.”
She added: “The award also recognises just how hard our entire team have worked under fresh challenges, with both rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis affecting both consumers and businesses alike.
We will continue to be working very closely with our clients throughout 2023 and listening carefully to how the landscape is changing for them, and what adaptations they may need to ensure our service is as perfect a fit as it can be, for their unique needs.”
Congratulating MAD-HR, Tony Wheble, CEO at Feefo, said: “This year has been a difficult one for so many businesses. I’m delighted to recognise thousands of our clients that have overcome various challenges to provide such high levels of customer service and satisfaction.
“The Trusted Service Awards have always been about recognising companies that go way beyond the norm in customer service and in turn receive great feedback from delighted customers.
“A particular congratulations to MAD-HR for winning a Platinum Trusted Service Award by providing great customer service consistently over a number of years. I look forward to seeing them continue to achieve next year and beyond.”
Feefo established the Trusted Service Awards in 2014 to recognise brands that use the platform to collect verified reviews and receive exceptional feedback from their customers. The awards are unique because they truly reflect a business’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service by analysing feedback from real customers.
Working with over 6,000 brands, Feefo is the world’s largest provider of verified reviews, helping brands understand customers by analysing verified reviews and providing insight into trends, needs and habits.
If you’d like to know more about our team, and what it is which ensures our stand-out level of customer service, please visit our website or drop us an email.
Several academics at UEA have been contributing to research and intelligence support during the Covid19 crisis within the local health economy of Norfolk. Many local NHS and NCC representatives have said that they have found the contributions very helpful and that they have made a big impact on the response to the virus by the hospital executive teams, other local health providers and planners. The multidisciplinary research approach has been an excellent example of the role that universities can play in their local communities, fostering collaboration at the local level. To celebrate this work we will be running an 80 minute virtual event where some key academics will share their work and highlights with a wider audience.
The event will run with the following sessions:
What happened: Prof Ric Fordham
What we did: Pete Best, Dr George Xydopoulos, Tim Winters
What we found: Prof Paul Hunter, Prof Alastair Grant, Dr Carlota Grossi-Sampedro
What we learned: Prof Kristian Bowles, Dr Vassilious Vassiliou, Pete Best, Tim Winters
We’re back, and avid listeners to the pod will know that Mark loves a challenge, especially when it comes to following rules, and in the first episode of series 3 he discusses the relevance of workplace dress codes and workplace etiquette with our fabulous new co-host Becky Ames.
The lockdowns of 2020 brought about many changes in how we work, least of all what we wear whilst we’re doing it, but has it changed the meaning of ‘dress for success’? Becky and Mark discuss if dress codes even matter anymore, and if they’re in place, what they represent and the expectations, restrictions and pitfalls that can come with them. Should we advocate for more individuality and personality at work? What does ‘dress for success’ really mean? And are you really what you wear…
Thank you to our sponsors Larking Gowen, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors – check out their website to see how they could help your business www.larking-gowen.co.uk