I never planned to build a print business from a garden shed, but like many people in this industry, my journey started on the production floor. Long before sales meetings, business strategy and acquisitions, I was learning the trade properly, understanding machinery, deadlines, pressure and the reality of what it takes to get work out of the door on time. After redundancy, I found myself at a crossroads. I had a young family, bills to pay and no real safety net. What I did have was experience, determination and a belief that customers still valued service, honesty and reliability. That was the beginning of Visual Print & Design. What started as a small operation from home slowly grew into something far bigger than I could ever have imagined. Sixteen years later, the business had grown into a £1m turnover company with more than 1,000 customers across councils, universities, schools, charities and national brands. But the reality behind growth is rarely as polished as people imagine. Running a business teaches you resilience very quickly. There are sleepless nights, cashflow worries, staffing challenges, difficult customers, supplier issues and moments where you question everything. Especially in print, where margins can be tight and expectations are always rising. One thing people rarely talk about in business ownership is the weight of responsibility that comes with employing people and managing cashflow. There were periods over the years where the pressure was enormous. Customers paying late, supplier costs increasing, unexpected machinery issues, economic uncertainty and still needing to make sure wages were paid on time at the end of every month. When you run a business, especially in print where margins can move quickly, that responsibility never really switches off. You carry it home with you. Those moments taught me some of the biggest lessons of my career. Stay calm under pressure. Make decisions early. Communicate honestly with both staff and customers. Most importantly, build strong relationships because the customers, suppliers and people who genuinely trust you are often the ones who help you through the hardest periods. I think many business owners also learn the hard way that turnover alone means very little without strong systems and financial discipline behind it. Growth is exciting, but sustainable growth is something completely different. The print industry has changed massively during my career. When I started, relationships were built over handshakes, site visits and face to face meetings. Quotes were slower, workflows were manual and customers expected longer lead times. Today, clients want instant pricing, automation, online ordering, sustainability credentials and faster turnaround times than ever before. At times, the pace of change has been relentless. We have seen recessions, digital disruption, Covid, paper shortages, energy increases and enormous pressure on independent businesses. I think many people outside the industry underestimate just how tough print can be operationally. But despite all of that, I have always believed good businesses survive by adapting. One of the biggest lessons I learned building Visual Print & Design was that relationships matter far more than transactions. We retained more than 90 percent of our customers over many years, not because we were always the cheapest, but because clients trusted us to deliver, solve problems and care about the outcome. That culture became the foundation of the business. As the company grew, my role changed too. In the early days, I was doing everything myself, sales, account management, production, delivery runs and even building furniture in the office at weekends. Over time, leadership became less about doing everything personally and more about building a team, empowering people and creating consistency. In the early years, I thought good leadership meant doing everything yourself and being involved in every detail. Over time, I realised that approach only takes a business so far. One of the hardest lessons for many founders is learning to let go, trust people and build systems that do not rely entirely on you. That transition was not easy for me personally because when you care deeply about standards, customers and reputation, delegation can feel uncomfortable. But sustainable growth only happens when businesses move from reactive decision making into structured processes, accountability and scalable systems. I also learned that growth alone is not enough. Businesses need structure, systems and scalability if they are ever going to become genuinely sustainable or saleable. Preparing a company for sale is probably one of the hardest parts of business ownership because it forces you to look at the company differently. You stop asking, “Can we grow?” and start asking, “Can this business operate successfully beyond me?” that is a huge mindset shift for many founders. Earlier this year, I sold Visual Print & Design and joined Solopress as Head of Partnerships Selling a business is a strange experience emotionally because from the outside people often assume it is simply a commercial transaction. In reality, it is letting go of something that has consumed a huge part of your life for many years. You remember the difficult periods far more than the highlights. The risks taken. The customers who backed you early. The team members who helped build the culture. The moments where things could have gone badly wrong but somehow worked out. I think going through that process gave me a completely different perspective on business. Growth is important, but longevity, relationships and reputation matter far more in the long run. Joining Solopress has opened my eyes to the scale of innovation now happening within print technology, workflow automation and AI driven systems. What excites me most is not replacing the human side of print, but improving the customer experience around it. Customers now expect the same ease and speed from print procurement that they receive in other sectors, and businesses that embrace technology intelligently will have a huge advantage over the next decade. What has not changed though is the importance of people. Print is still a relationship industry. Trust still matters. Accountability still matters. Service still matters. I genuinely believe print remains one of the most powerful forms of communication when done properly. It creates impact, credibility and permanence in a way digital alone often cannot. For me personally, this next chapter is not about leaving entrepreneurship behind. It is about taking everything I have learned from building a business over sixteen years and applying it in a new environment with fresh opportunities ahead. The industry is evolving rapidly, but that is exactly what makes it exciting. And after more than 30 years in print, I still believe the best businesses in this industry are yet to come. Author: Graham Hunstone Business: www.solopress.com Email: graham.hunstone@solopress.com Photography: Headshot Toby

Michelle Wright & Nicola Auckland share how their podcast is helping women step forward with confidence... Although very different people, Nicola and Michelle have one very important thing in common... Nicola is known for proclaiming that she will “die on the hill” of making women visible in their business, and Michelle has a passion for helping women to feel confident in what they’re wearing. They just want women to stop playing small, to step out of the shadows and own the space that they have worked so hard for. And it’s for these reasons that they decided to host a podcast. Nicola and Michelle met when their kids were at primary school together, however neither can remember the other from the school gates! So, their first ‘real’ meeting was through networking, something they are both big advocates of. Nicola recognised a gap when her clients often asked her what to wear to a shoot. As she was clueless, not her zone of genius, she pointed them in Michelles direction for a pre-shoot styling session, and then Michelle was also on hand during the shoot as well for styling touch ups. Then followed a chance conversation where they both confessed to wanting to do a podcast. The chat quickly turned to throwing round some ideas, to excitement and Michelle, as a Pantser (IYKYK) wanted to just launch it there and then. However, Nicola being the voice of reason and a Planner (again IYKYK), reigned Michelle in by insisting on putting some plans in place before the eventual launch in April 2025. They couldn’t be happier with the response, now on season 2, with regular listeners and downloads, they are going from strength to strength. The Reinvention Diaries is aptly named as it is based on their own experiences of reinventing themselves. They were both in their 40’s when they started their own businesses, which truly felt like their calling. Nicola knew the corporate world wasn’t for her anymore when she was made redundant, so she took the opportunity to turn her side hustle dream into a reality and is now the owner of Nicola Auckland Photography, a brand photographer specialising in working with female business owners. Michelle had been a stay-at-home mum for fifteen years, however, she realised during lockdown that she wanted more than being an unpaid taxi-driver and packer of lunches, so returned to her fashion roots and launched a styling business to help women feel good about themselves. She is now known as Mrs Stylewright - a Style Coach & Colour Analyst. Whilst setting up their businesses they went through the sometimes difficult, sometimes liberating, transition of reinvention, rediscovering themselves and regaining lost confidence. Although they don’t claim to be business experts, they are experts in their respective fields and have real life experience of running a small business, so they are more than qualified to speak about the upsides and the pitfalls of working for yourself. They also regularly invite expert guests on the podcast to chat and impart their valuable knowledge, many with incredible stories! The Reinvention Diaries doesn’t always focus on work and business, Michelle and Nicola often delve into home life, so listeners also get a bit of a peep into their, very different, family lives often much to the dismay of their husbands, and luckily their children don’t listen! Each week brings something different, everything from valuable and insightful business advice to uncontrollable laughter and even tears on more than one occasion! You can listen to The Reinvention Diaries on all the usual podcast platforms, with a new episode every Wednesday. Nicola and Michelle invite listeners to email them at the studio on studio@thereinventiondiaries.co.uk or through their Instagram page @thereinventiondiariespodcast. Author: Michelle Wright | Style Coach & Colour Analyst Nicola Auckland | Brand Photographer Podcast: The Reinvention Diaries Podcast Email: studio@thereinventiondiaries.co.uk Photogrpahy: Headshot Toby

Adam Hooker shares how Have a Go Day connects young people with real experiences and local businesses in a genuinely meaningful way. The government recommends that young people should have at least four meaningful engagements with employers between year seven and year eleven. For the students at the Lincoln Saints Federation, they can knock this out in an hour, thanks to the Have a Go Day that they get to attend every year. Created in 2022 St Francis School, one of the schools within the federation, alongside its business partner Sureserve (at the time known as Aaron Services) the Have a Go Day invites businesses, organisations, charities, sole traders and just about anybody willing to give their time into the school to engage the young people with an activity. That first year saw eleven businesses and organisations come into the school. The event now encompasses two sites, with 35 vendors and over 350 young people involved in the 2025 event. According to Lincolnshire County Council, it is by far the largest event of its kind in the county. And, while nationwide data isn’t readily available, it is doubtful there are many larger anywhere in the UK. An array of attendees have visited past events. From sole traders and small businesses such as a window cleaner, catering businesses and a local graffiti artist through to huge multinational companies including Siemens, Pepsico and Currys. Students have taken part in as varied an activity as measuring the school playground with an estate agent, creating Quavers (well, except the cooking stage), fixing (and breaking) laptops, fixing a toilet, building a wall and, everybody’s favourite, driving a digger! The benefits to the young people are varied, as the federation caters for such wide-ranging needs. While work experience and site visits are crucial for young people, for many this offers a first contact-point with local employers. It may be the first step in a young person pursuing an interest in work that hadn’t previously contemplated the possibility. For other students, it is simply a day filled with wonderful experiences, sounds, sights, smells and sensations that they are not accustomed to, bringing to their doorstep opportunities that they would not otherwise have had. While it is amazing to know that the event could be impacting somebody’s chances of employment in years to come, it is equally as special just to see the look of enjoyment experienced on the day. And every visitor usually finds that one student that falls in love with their activity. The pupil that shuns everything else and spends four hours cleaning the same window, the pupil that was so fascinated by turning a key and making a noise they didn’t want to go anywhere else, the child who just wanted to play with sand. In many ways, the vendors that attend get more from it than the young people. After the event every year, the school is inundated with messages and emails. Ian Hill at Danfoss, who have been attending since year one, told us last year: “It was, as always, emotional and rewarding to see the interactions of the students with everyone. I still have a massive smile on my face.” Everybody that has ever attended would say similar. Describing the day in a meaningful way to anybody contemplating attendance is not an easy thing to do. It is easy to say that the young people engage with activities and have a wonderful time. What does that mean for a business? What can it provide? What will and won’t work? One way is to just get stuck in and bring something along. Most people find the second show is their favourite, once they have attended and seen how it works then gone away and perfected things. Anybody less confident in that approach, though, is more than welcome to get in contact about popping in on the day. Attend as a visitor, meet the young people and see what other companies are up to. There are so many ways to meet CSR requirements, but I doubt any of them are as fulfilling as a Have a Go Day event and spending a day with some amazing young people. Author: Adam Hooker - Teacher Business: Lincoln Saints Federation Email: adam.hooker@lincolnsaints.com Photography: Headshot Toby

From the outside, many businesses look busy and solid. But when you look more closely, something interesting is often beneath the surface. The business has not really moved forward for some time. Ideas and efforts can plateau. New opportunities appear but do not quite convert. Plans get discussed but somehow remain incomplete. There’s a lack of enthusiasm and excitement. I have spent my career working in my own businesses as well as alongside owner-managed businesses, and this quiet kind of stagnation is something I encounter surprisingly often. One thing that strikes me is that in the early days, founders tend to operate with a sense of urgency. Decisions are quick, opportunities are pursued with enthusiasm and ideas turn into actions quite quickly. Energy carries the business forward. As the organisation grows, however, things naturally become more complicated. Teams expand, responsibilities spread out and the owner may begin to spend more time managing the business rather than directly driving it. Or spend less time in the business letting it become lifestyle focused. None of this is negative in itself. It is simply the natural progression of growth, but it does introduce a new challenge. Momentum becomes harder to maintain. You see often business owners may feel that they are ‘finished’ when they have built a profitable business at a certain level, probably taken their foot off the gas and are ‘maintaining’ and not growing. There is likely less ambition and more focus on doing the same things, likely in the same way, and just surviving. This is one of the reasons I created Business Unfinished, because no business or person is ever finished! Sometimes the energy and ideas start to reduce. Less risks are taken. New avenues of business are ignored as owners, managers and staff may become ordinary and just rinsing and repeating the norm. Surviving. Operating in a risk free comfort zone. Many founders can become tired and stop generating new ideas or different energies. They just lose the enthusiasm (or let it be knocked out of them). Things become Same Sh*t, Different Day! In my experience, these owners really need to work with a business coach or mentor. I find it hard to turn off over 30 years of hard wired sales & marketing led entrepreneurship and enjoy nothing better than working with business owners to help them generate new ideas and energy, looking at things from a different viewpoint and helping people to stop just doing the same things. Let’s build stories that clients really buy into, make them compelling and deliver with real enthusiasm. That sounds straightforward, but it requires discipline and a different way of thinking. Sales activity is a good example. In many organisations it remains surprisingly informal and ineffective, relying heavily on digital communications with little real interaction. Some say that less than 10% of people actually follow up and fully complete activity. I have to say from my experience I can see how that figure is right! Or put another way, over 90% of people don’t actually follow everything up! Introducing a consistent rhythm of prospecting, followup and review can transform performance, not through dramatic change but through steady, repeatable progress. Customer experience tends to follow a similar pattern. Businesses that grow steadily usually pay close attention to the small interactions that shape how customers perceive them. I have a complete event keynote about how great customer service actually multiplies your efforts in sales & marketing. These are not revolutionary ideas or rocket science but given that 90% of people don’t follow up, does it follow that 90% of business owners need a coach or mentor to give them focus energy and ideas to get them into the really effective zone? The encouraging part of all this is that stalled growth need not be permanent. Businesses need energy, new ideas and a spark to Ignite things. I love working to Ignite those sparks with clients. Do you need an occasional spark? Author: Paul Green Email: paul@businessunfinished.co.uk | Business: Business Unfinished Photograph: Headshot Toby

You try a new tactic. It doesn’t quite land. So you try something else. You post more, then less. Switch platforms. Refresh the website. Watch what a competitor is doing and wonder whether you should be doing that instead. Months pass. You’re working hard, spending energy you don’t really have, and somewhere in the back of your mind a quiet yet persistent voice is asking why it’s not working. This is the marketing spiral. And if you’ve been in it, you’ll know it’s exhausting - not just because of the effort, but because of comparison-itis. You look at peers and they seem to be moving. Their content is everywhere. Their brand has a confidence yours doesn’t feel like it has. And the spiral tightens, because now you aren’t just questioning your tactics. You’re questioning yourself. What’s usually missing isn’t a better strategy. It’s a simple but genuinely useful piece of self-awareness: knowing your own position. Not theirs. Yours. Most businesses are operating from one of three places: boldness, budget, or patience. Understanding which one applies to you right now isn’t a magic solution, but it is a remarkably effective way to stop the spiral and start moving with some actual intention. Bold Some businesses have genuine distinctiveness at their core. A founder with a clear point of view, a product that earns attention rather than having to buy it, or a brand with real personality and something to say. When that’s real, marketing has an energy that’s hard to manufacture elsewhere. The important word is real. Performed boldness tends to feel hollow, and audiences notice. Not every founder is built for it, and not every sector rewards it, which is fine. The useful question isn’t whether you could be bolder, but whether boldness is genuinely available to you right now, in this business, in this market. Budget Paid media has a complicated reputation among small businesses, largely because it’s so often done badly - too little money, too short a runway, no clear strategy, written off before it’s had a fair chance. Used properly and with commitment, budget is a completely legitimate path. It buys reach that organic effort can’t achieve in a reasonable timeframe, compresses the learning curve, and lets you test and refine in ways purely organic strategies can’t match. The condition is that you treat it as an investment with a long enough horizon to mean something. Spending a small amount for six weeks and expecting transformation isn’t a marketing strategy. Sorry, it’s disappointment waiting to happen. Patience This is the most undervalued of the three, and the one that modern business culture makes hardest to sustain. Organic growth is real. Consistent, valuable presence compounds over time. SEO builds. Relationships deepen. Reputation accumulates in ways paid media can’t fully replicate. Sometimes patience is a deliberate choice. Sometimes it’s simply circumstance. If cash is tight, patience isn’t a strategy you’ve selected from a menu - it’s the reality you’re working within, and there’s no shame in that. Knowing you’re in patient mode and truly accepting it is infinitely more useful than pretending otherwise, or measuring yourself against someone in a completely different position. The comparison that isn’t fair. The business you’ve been watching, the one that seemed to be everywhere, the one whose confidence made you question yours? They might be bold in ways that are genuinely part of who they are. They might be spending money you don’t know about. They might have been doing this for five years and you’re only seeing the results now. None of that is relevant to your situation. The comparison was never fair, because you weren’t starting from the same place. Knowing your own Bold/Budget/Patience position, whether chosen or circumstantial, does a powerful thing: it gives you permission to stop looking sideways. To measure yourself against your own last six months rather than someone else’s highlight reel. To build with what you actually have rather than what you wish you had. The spiral doesn’t end with a better tactic. It ends when you stop comparing and start choosing. Author: Emma Easton Business: Business Bollox & BBLX Strategy Email: emma@business-bollox.co.uk Photography: Headshot Toby

Using a ghostwriter is not cheating, honestly... even though there is still a lingering perception that it is. The reality is far less dramatic and far more professional. It’s not some mysterious person in a back room inventing content to make an author look impressive, well at least not the way I work anyway. In practice, a ghostwriter is there to handle the heavy lifting, the ideas, experiences, and expertise always come directly from the author. I’m not sitting there making things up, I’m listening, asking the right questions, and translating years of knowledge into a book that is structured, engaging, and commercially viable. Most of my clients could absolutely write their own book if they had unlimited time, energy, and the patience to organise thousands of words properly, yet they are running businesses, leading teams, operating at a high level, on stage and screen or fundraising, which means the book keeps slipping down the priority list. That’s where professional support becomes valuable rather than indulgent. What people often don’t realise is how collaborative the process actually is. I spend a significant amount of time understanding how someone speaks, how they explain things when they are passionate, and what tone feels natural to them, because the finished book has to sound like them on their best day, not like a generic writer. This takes several hours of interviews, reading previous articles and blogs and simply listening to how a person speaks. What phrases do they use a lot, what accent do they have (yes you can bring an accent into a book, I once wrote like a 65 year old Yorkshire man!). Tone of voice is where the real craft comes in, because some authors are warm and conversational while others are direct and authoritative, and the writing has to reflect that naturally rather than forcing a style that does not fit. There’s also a huge difference between knowing something and communicating it clearly to a reader. Experts tend to jump between ideas because everything makes perfect sense in their own mind, so my role is to add structure, flow, and clarity without diluting their authority or personality. Audience understanding sits right at the centre of ghostwriting as well. A book aimed at potential clients will sound very different from one written for industry peers or a wider readership, and getting that alignment right is what turns a book from a vanity project into a strategic asset. All of these skills take years, I’m really fortunate to have been in the industry for fifteen years as well as having been published myself at an early age. Working in marketing gave me the expertise to listen to people and also to know what is likely to resonate and what can be left out. I may have hours of recordings but won’t always use everything that’s said to me. Another key skill is asking the right questions. Many authors don’t know what they want to say until they’re guided in the right direction. I’ve got be honest that’s one of my favourite parts, when someone says “I’d forgotten about that” or “I don’t think I was going to talk about that”. It’s a really cathartic process for the author too. From a publishing perspective, quality matters more than ever. Readers are discerning, and a well-written book strengthens credibility, positioning, and professional reputation in a way that rushed or poorly structured writing simply cannot. Because I know the industry, I know whether a book needs to be short and to the point, or if there is scope for more detail. I don’t believe you can cram an entire eighty year life into four hundred pages but you can take the reader on an exciting and interesting journey through their highlights. At its core, ghostwriting is a professional partnership built on trust, discretion, and respect for the author’s voice, ensuring their ideas are expressed with clarity, confidence, and impact while still sounding unmistakably like them. I truly feel honoured that people are prepared to trust me with their words and with the outcomes of their books. Author: Taryn Lee Johnston Business: The FCM Group Email: hello@tarynleejohnston.com Photography: Headshot Toby

Is business networking redundant? We don’t think so. In fact, blending in-person networking with the digital world can elevate your profile, business, and connections to new heights. Success comes from combining both! By creating digital profiles and connecting online, then showing up in person, you increase your chances of people knowing, liking, and trusting you. When that happens, opportunities open up. But to make in-person networking work for you, here are some tips: 1. Ditch the Sales Pitch Networking is about making connections, not selling. Go in with a mindset of curiosity wondering who you’ll meet that’s interesting. 2. Listen More, Talk Less Build rapport by showing genuine interest in others. Ask thoughtful questions and really listen. 3. Provide Value Be helpful. Share resources, offer assistance, or make introductions. The law of reciprocity often comes into play - what you give, you’ll receive in return. Even if not immediately, helping others builds lasting connections. 4. Be Authentic Forget the old notion of acting a certain way at business events. Just be yourself. Authenticity creates meaningful relationships. If you’re not genuine, people sense it, and trust won’t form. 5. Consistency is Key Trust isn’t built in one meeting. Regular attendance at events shows reliability and commitment. Over time, you’ll meet more people and build stronger relationships. 6. Leverage Online Platforms Business cards might be outdated, but LinkedIn isn’t. Skip the physical cards and connect online immediately. That way, you stay in their orbit, showing up regularly in their feed and building rapport even when you’re not at the event. Tip: Open your LinkedIn App, click the search bar and click the square in the right hand side of it. This allows you to scan another members QR code or they can scan yours, which instantly sends you a connection request - Trapping them in your online vortex for life! By blending in-person and online networking, you’ll maximise your chances of growing your business and your personal brand. You’ll also have a lot more fun. Let’s face it, working in the digital world now is handy, but theres nothing like catching up with people in person and connecting in real life. Why not come along to the next Lincoln Business Club meeting which is on the last Friday of every month (except December) 7am-9am, at the YMCA venue on Tritton Road. Visit the website for more information https://www. lincolnbusinessclub.co.uk/ and to book your ticket. THE COMPANY IS GREAT AND THE COFFEE ISN’T BAD EITHER! Author: Lincoln Business Club Photography: Headshot Toby

The annual gathering that puts governance centre stage returns this June... and you're invited. For governance professionals, company secretaries, legal counsels and directors across the Midlands, the calendar date to protect is 11 June 2026. Gather Round, the annual governance gathering brought to you by Round Governance Services Ltd, is returning for another year of practical, peer-led learning at YMCA Newark and Sherwood. Now firmly established as a fixture in the Midlands governance calendar, Gather Round has built its reputation on a simple but refreshing premise: governance as it actually works in the real world, with relevant conversation grounded in genuine experience. Why does it matter? Day-to-day professional life doesn't always leave room to step back, reflect, and take stock. Gather Round exists precisely to create that space. Attendees come away not just informed, but genuinely energised with practical insights they can apply immediately across boards, organisations and advisory roles. It's also, frankly, a brilliant opportunity to connect. The governance community in the Midlands is a tight-knit one, and Gather Round brings together the people who are shaping how organisations are run, held accountable, and led with integrity. Whether you're a seasoned company secretary or newer to the governance world, the conversations in the room are as valuable as anything on the formal agenda. Who should attend? Gather Round is designed for anyone with a professional interest in governance — company secretaries, governance professionals, legal counsels, company directors, and those in advisory roles who want to sharpen their thinking and broaden their networks. The event is built around the values that Round Governance Services champions: affordable, accessible and applicable. This isn't an exclusive or prohibitively expensive conference. It's a gathering designed to be genuinely open to the professionals who need it most. Secure your place Gather Round takes place on 11 June 2026 at YMCA Newark and Sherwood. Full programme details and ticketing information are available here — or get in touch with Round Governance Services directly to find out more. Don't miss it. Venue Address: YMCA Newark and Sherwood, Lord Hawke Way, Newark NG24 4FH. Photography: Headshot Toby

Charlotte Mather & Andy Nisevic Are you a Coach, Healer, or therapist? You are amazing at what you do, you're clients get huge value from the work you do. You know exactly what you SHOULD be doing, and find yourself not doing it. You're not alone. There are 2 very common reason: 1, lack of clarity on where to focus, and 2, emotional blockers preventing the motivation to achieve. This is where Duality was born. The only business support programme that blends the best of feminine, and the best of masculine energies together. Charlotte Mather is a world class hypnotherapist renowned for helping people reprogramme the way they think about themselves. Andy Nisevic is world class at helping people get strategically focused and keeping themselves accountable to achieving their targets. Together, they're hosting the Subconscious & Strategic Masterclass. A one-day workshop, hosted just outside Newark, where you'll leave with clarity on where to focus your efforts over the next 3-months, and a complete understanding on what your personal emotional blockers are, with tools to overcome them. What's more, it's free to attend! There are 2-dates to choose from, both 1000 to 1600: 20 May 2026 15 June 2026 There's a max capacity of 12 people in the training room, so we are asking for a £99 deposit to secure your place. This is your commitment to attending, once you arrive, you'll have it refunded back to you. For more info, to check out the dates, and to book your spot, please follow this link: https://training.learn-hypnotherapy.com/sign-up-for-event

What if 'Good Enough’ could win the Marketing Game? Eleanor & Matt Hancock of Number 75 Design Calling all Respectful Rule-Breakers and Diplomatic Disruptors! We want to talk about flipping the flipping marketing script. Aren't you getting tired of the relentless pursuit of picture-perfect campaigns? It's time for a real reality check. We want to introduce you to the '75% Rule', a game-changer from Number 75 Design. This isn't your standard marketing mumbo-jumbo. This is  about getting real, raw, and (a little bit) rebellious. Because let's face it - we’re all getting tired of glossy, over-polished brand messages that are all glitter and no grit. It's time for something genuine; we’re all looking for more meaning. Ditching the Perfection Paradigm Perfection is overrated, and although 'Authenticity' is the buzzword for brands, that's where to strike gold. Enter the '75% Rule’! It's about hitting 'send' when things are real and heartfelt, before the pernickety-ness and procrastination set in. It’s about embracing those rough edges and showing the world what your brand is genuinely about - no airbrushing necessary. Why Spontaneity is Your New Best Friend We're constantly told that we 'should' batch create content and "plan ahead", but perfect planning often lacks life! Spontaneity in marketing keeps things lively and unpredictable. The '75% Rule  is your green light to jump on real-time trends, respond in the moment when inspiration strikes, and create content that feels like a conversation, not a batch-created broadcast. Play the game by your own rules, and colour outside of the lines if you want to. Feedback is Your Fuel Let's just be clear here, launching campaigns at 75% doesn't mean sloppy - it means smart. It's about putting your ideas out there, gathering real-time feedback, and tweaking on the go. It’s marketing in beta mode - always improving, always evolving, responding to what works. We like to think of it as your 'Brand Bumpers'  - as long as they're up, that ball can bounce around anywhere! The Rallying Cry So here's your permission to embrace the 75% Rule . Let's make marketing a little less about pixel-perfect and a lot more about people-perfect. Let's show the raw, the real, the relatable, and the (respectfully) rebellious! Work out what really matters to you, what lights you up, your unique POV that makes you stand out from the crowd, and focus on that. Build it and they will come. Remember, sometimes the magic happens in that 25% of imperfection. It's where your brand gets to shine, human to human, in all its gloriously unpolished splendour. Because when you're bold enough to show up as you are, that's when the real connection happens. And isn't that what it's all about? Find out more about Number 75 Design here Photography: Headshot Toby

Podcasts with Rebecca Heald In a digital world teeming with content, establishing your unique presence can be a daunting task. I had been considering launching a podcast for some time. One day, I decided to seize the moment - which transformed my professional life. In this article, I will walk you through my podcasting journey, and how my robust presence on LinkedIn made me an attractive destination for potential guests. This not only enriched my podcast but also led to an exponential increase in visibility and network growth. The Birth of a Podcast Like many, I had toyed with the idea of starting a podcast, but the apprehension of taking that first step often overpowers the desire to bring a passion project to life. Yet, I decided to stop procrastinating and make my podcast vision a reality. Casting the Net on LinkedIn Once I had my podcast concept, I needed captivating guests. That's where my LinkedIn presence came into play. LinkedIn was a platform I had cultivated for some time, and I realised the immense potential it held for connecting with diverse professionals who could bring their unique insights to my podcast. The journey began with a simple post on LinkedIn, extending an invitation to potential guests. The response was amazing. The post was met with enthusiasm and a barrage of inquiries from individuals interested. This instant resonance reaffirmed the belief I had in the strength of LinkedIn as a platform for sourcing engaging guests. Streamlining My Process With an expanding list of potential guests, I needed to manage scheduling efficiently. Enter Calendly  - a scheduling tool for guests to book interview slots seamlessly. This streamlined the scheduling process, reducing the back-and-forth that often accompanies guest coordination. Moreover, to ensure the podcast’s success, I delved into research to select the right platforms and hosting services. Initiating a podcast and cultivating a robust presence on LinkedIn were the pivotal choices that fundamentally reshaped my professional journey. Seizing the moment, leveraging LinkedIn to connect with potential guests, streamlining the process, and embracing the learning curve had a resounding impact. Not only did my network and confidence flourish, but the increasing visibility of my podcast attracted a steady stream of guest inquiries. Careful consideration led me to choose a platform that aligned with my vision and budget. The stage was now set for broadcasting episodes. Building Confidence and a Network The podcast journey was educational. It involved mastering the art of recording, editing, and promoting episodes. Although the path had its challenges, each obstacle offered a valuable lesson. With time and experience, I have become increasingly proficient in the entire process which has boosted my confidence. In addition to these newfound skills, hosting a podcast had a more far-reaching consequence - it expanded my network and my circle of professional contacts diversified. These relationships extended beyond the podcast itself, culminating in collaborations, partnerships, and enduring connections. The Moral of the Story The moral of the story is clear: don’t wait for the “perfect moment” to embark on your passion project or expand your professional network. Take the leap and seize the opportunities. By proactively establishing your presence, you can inspire others and unleash a wave of professional growth, just as I did through my podcast and LinkedIn presence. Connect with Rebecca Heald on LinkedIn. Photography: Headshot Toby

One of the things we see time and again is a successful business that has overlooked the true value of its people. We get it, you often start by recruiting people you know, like and trust. But as your business grows and more people join the team, the dynamics inevitably change and it becomes more important to have a strategy and a plan in place. So , here are our top tips: 1. Start with the end in mind You don’t have to create a fully developed people strategy on day 1, but you can develop your key principles that will guide you through your growth and provide a scalable platform for the future. After all, if you’re clear from the outset what you’re trying to create, you stand a much better chance of achieving it. So, what are these principles? What do you want your company to stand for and be known for? (e.g. purpose, vision, mission, and values) What are the key behaviours (linked to your values) that will drive ‘the way we do things around here’? Using these as part of your recruitment processes will help ensure you hire  the right type of people and develop the right company culture. Also, think about: How will people who work for you describe your company? What will they say to others about your company culture? What would they say to encourage others to come and work at your company? 2. Set up your team for success Getting the right people in the right roles is the first crucial step in success. When the company is small, it’s much easier to maintain a tight-knit team, all pulling in the same direction. But as the team grows, it’s important to be more structured and thoughtful about how you will do this. Make sure that you: Set clear expectations of success Share your vision and goals Communicate regularly Give and receive feedback Provide opportunities to allow people to grow, develop and shine Reward and recognise your team We believe this is what good HR is all about. Ultimately, HR exists to make better workplaces and what better place to start than at the beginning. Create that solid platform for future growth and start with the end in mind. This is straightforward HR! Click here to find out more about Petaurum HR Photography: Headshot Toby