BrumPod

In our final episode of 2022, and before we take our break for Christmas and New Year, we leave you with some thoughts to ponder, about the importance of multiple streams of income.

With so much in the news that’s not altogether positive, we think it’s worth reminding everyone, ourselves included, that the future is very much uncertain, and it’s well worth being in the position where you can earn income via a variety of streams, so you don’t ever have to rely on one sole source.

Easier said that done, perhaps. But there are many things you can do to put yourself in a better position going forward, so you can potentially earn residual income on an ongoing basis, from a few different sources than your usual ones. Especially if you’re a freelancer earning invoice to invoice.

Consider creating content that can be sold many times over in the form of digital downloads. eBooks, courses, coaching material, creative content, videos, guides, consulting, presentations, whatever it might be - there are ways to monetise your knowledge so you can create something once, then sell it many times over.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://thedigitalgeneralist.substack.com/p/the-importance-of-multiple-streams

https://withkoji.com

https://payhip.com

Another resource we talk about is Volley, a website that makes it fairly easy to sell what’s most important to us all - your time. 

https://www.volleyapp.com

And because there’s a dearth of good news stories in the world right now, it’s worth having a look at a newspaper (and social accounts) of one outlet dedicated to good news!

https://thehappynewspaper.com

Iwan’s story of the alternative Xmas advert, very poignant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_KjgSyGhzQ

All that remains is for us to thank you for listening throughout 2022, have a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in January…

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

This week’s episode is just a short burst of news and updates you might not have known about.

First up, Canva.

Canva announces the Canva Visual Worksuite, including Canva Docs at their annual conference. They’re not holding back when it comes to developing their platform even further. They are constantly upping their game!

In this episode, we have a very special guest - and I say special, because our guest, Samantha Fitzgibbons, happens to be Rich’s bestie of some 17 years, and counting!

Sam has recently had her debut novel, Happy State, published, so we decided to have a chat with her about the book, and the path which led her to where she is now.

Having trained as an actress, then subsequently completing a degree in psychology, to being a professional copywriter for businesses, as well as now, a published author. She’s had quite the journey throughout her life, which has also impacted the way Happy State was written, and conceived in the first place.

The book is a dystopian novel set in the not too distant future, in the former United Kingdom, now renamed Happy State under a new totalitarian government which seeks to eradicate all forms of mental illness in favour of creating a nation which is outwardly ‘happy’.

Whilst the issue of mental health is handled in a very sensitive way, it’s been quite jarring for Sam to see so many things that have happened in the UK and the world over the last few years, end up being mirrored in some way in the book; even though the book itself had been conceived before many of these events happened!

Think along the lines of The Hunger Games meets ’24’, with a little Black Mirror thrown in, and you’re in the right ballpark with Happy State - and Sam leads us through how it all came to be, and what might be next. It truly is a fantastic read, and would thoroughly recommend you pick up a copy. If you’re into anything dystopian, you’re going to love Happy State.

At least for as long as The Apprentice has been on air, our lives have been filled with such phrases as ‘smash it!’, ‘knocking it out of the ballpark’, ‘doing it for the team’, ‘absolute home run!’, ‘MVP’ etc.

However there are some legitimate ways running a business is very much like sports psychology; so given the Commonwealth Games are well underway in Birmingham, we thought we’d take a little look into the concept.

Just like in sport, running a business is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll have to train, get your business fit, constantly overcome obstacles, and you may not necessarily win the gold. However, judging business success is different for everyone.

Some see ‘success’ as being multi-award winners, and then proudly showing off the fact via social media etc. But sometimes in business, awards aren’t the be all and end all - especially when some awards are merely ‘bought’, in cynical terms.

So if you’re not an ‘award winner’, does that mean you or your business are ‘failures’? Far from it.

Same goes for business networking - there are common tropes that go along with networking that some people still carry to this day - concepts like having ‘competition’ in the room, and some being put off by that.

Whereas in more cases than not, there will be common ground and complimentary skillsets that will enable collaboration; creating a new ‘team’.

So have a listen, and see what else the Commonwealth Games can teach the business community.

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

With rail strikes looming and petrol prices at record highs - just how much does this kind of disruption affect modern business operations?

With more people continuing to work from home post-pandemic, and the business landscape looking like it’s probably changed for good, are there as many people likely to be as affected with these disruptions as there once were?

If even more people have flexi-working arrangements and work from home continues to be even more commonplace, will these disruptions be problematic for most?

Obviously fuel prices are crippling a lot of people, and so many are struggling to afford to fill their cars in order to get to work. So perhaps even more will work from home?

There are reports of some people requesting mileage allowances from their employers to cover the fuel costs, which of course has some tax relief benefits for the company. Will more companies adopt this mentality? It’s not mandatory, but would help a lot of people. 

There’s currently a petition calling for just that - on Change.org, a petition to get the government to reduce fuel duty by 50%..

Conversely, one disruption that could cripple the country far more would be mass broadband outages and strikes from companies like Virgin Media and BT! That would be horrendous. Which would affect offices and WFH workers!

What can we do as small businesses to defend against these and future disruptions?

Companies may be forced into becoming even more flexible with staff in-office, in favour of WFH arrangements and remote working, and requirements to be in the office only for certain days of the week.

Conducting more meetings through Zoom etc to reduce the need for potentially unnecessary travel.

Ultimately, it’s going to have to be down to all business owners to work out the best options for them to help get their business and staff through a very challenging time.

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

We found an article from Foundation Inc that was all about how to write better headlines from the pros at LinkedIn.

Needless to say, our interest was piqued, as getting better at anything has to be a good thing, and if it helped our combined LinkedIn activity, then that’s always good, no?

But after finding a couple of useful bits, like keeping things succinct etc, the ‘tips’ went on to be more and more….well….ludicrous - to the point that these ‘tips’ were no longer useful, and were encouraging people to write more and more in a clickbait style.

Now, clickbait, as we know, is designed more often than not, to be deceptive in some way. Maybe the article the headline is for isn’t quite what it the article is all about, maybe it’s a ludicrous or sensationalised headline to make the article more appealing, whereas in reality it’s pretty mundane, and/or obvious - leaving the reader distinctly NOT shocked, entertained or informed. Clickbait has become the scourge of the internet, so we’re quite sure that LinkedIn pros SURELY aren’t endorsing such practices?

So we delved a little deeper into the world of clickbait, what it’s for, who does it, and how to combat it so you don’t make the same mistakes in your LinkedIn posts, blogs, articles or indeed any content you produce.

So have a listen, and hopefully it’ll be useful for you in your own business, being able to write enticing headlines, without it sounding like pure, unadulterated clickbait. (Because you won’t BELIEVE what happens next!)

(Joke!)

References mentioned in this episode:

https://foundationinc.co/lab/write-better-headlines-from-the-pros-at-linkedin/

https://bettermarketing.pub/how-to-write-genuine-enticing-headlines-without-clickbaiting-b2728381e26a

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we talk about what it means to start a business in 2022, to take the leap from ‘safe’ employment into the world of the self-employed.

A topic close to our team (and hearts!), as Jason has recently done just that - stepped back from many years service as an employee in a big business, to starting his own journey into the world of self-employment.

We look at the reasons WHY people want to start their own businesses, whether you should go down the Ltd company route, or stay as a Sole Trader.

What are the pitfalls, things to look out for, things you absolutely should be aware of before starting your journey into self-employment. As well as plenty of top tips and advice from some useful sources which will hopefully aid you in your own personal journeys.

However we also discuss the countless benefits of being self-employed and all the freedom, flexibility and work/life balance that it can afford to you as well. Can it be a treacherous journey when you don’t have that ‘comfort blanket’ of being employed with a steady pay check? Of course. But if you’ve done your research, put the hours in, build a strong network around you and put your all into your new business - you have every chance of success.

Sources referred to in this episode:

https://www.inc.com/entrepreneurs-organization/3-tips-for-starting-a-small-business-in-2022.html

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-10321963/How-start-business-2022-Ex-Dragons-Den-star-Piers-Linney-shares-six-tips.html

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

With the meteoric rise that Canva has seen over the last few years, it was inevitable that competitors would rise to get a slice of the action.

Given how Canva has completely changed the game in the world of graphic design, democratising the way graphics (and now of course video) is created by not just graphic design professionals, but by everyone - through the use of templates and pre-made elements that people can incorporate within their designs; a major player had to take notice.

The major player that has now come forward to throw their own hat into the ring? Adobe.

Yes, Adobe, famed for their legacy of graphic design, photo editing and video production heritage, have revamped their ‘Spark’ offering, and have now created and launched ‘Creative Cloud Express’ just before Christmas.

With a platform very similar to Canva, with the ability to create designs from pre-made and pre-sized templates with the ability to bring in elements from the Adobe stock image library and font collection, they have launched it as a freemium model, so there’s a free account, and a premium account.

Pricing is also very similar to that of Canva, so you know for sure that Canva have taken notice. We know just as in other industries, you don’t have to be the first to market to be the best - so will this be a threat to Canva? Quite possibly.

But what we do know for sure, is that competition breeds innovation, so long term, it’ll mean Canva, (and Adobe) will both need to up their game in features, benefits and services, in order to retain their customers. So if both are going to compete against each other to be ‘the best’, then either way, it’s got to be good for the consumer.

Interesting times ahead I think!

Resources referred to in this episode:

In our final episode of 2021, we just wanted to give you a few updates of things you need to know. 

As you know, we had to cancel our December networking event due to the current Omicron spread and the restrictions that are currently in place - we decided to wait until the new year instead of putting on a substandard event, so fingers crossed this is just a very temporary suspension of our events, and we look forward to welcoming you back hopefully early in 2022.

In the meantime, we will continue to run our weekly Twitter Hour, #brummiesbizhour every Tuesday morning at 11am. Our last one of the year will take place on Tuesday 21st Dec, then we’ll be breaking for the holidays, and will return on Tuesday 4th January 2022, to bring you your online networking fix to meet and mingle with other Midlands business folk.

BrumPod will also now be taking some time off for Christmas and New Year, but rest assured we’ll also be back come the new year with lots more great guests throughout 2022 offering some brilliant insights into various industries, imparting knowledge and wisdom and top tips that’ll hopefully spark some ideas for you in your business.

So for now, on behalf of the entire Brummies Networking team, may we wish you the merriest of Christmases, and the healthiest and happiest of New Years, and let’s hope for much better times in 2022 and beyond.

Whatever you’re doing over the festive break, make sure you enjoy yourselves, and come back refreshed and raring to go in January 2022. 

Thank you for listening throughout 2021, we can’t wait to be back in the New Year. 

Merry Christmas everyone.

Sign up to our mailing list: https://brummies-networking.co.uk/mailing-list-sign-up/

Brummies Networking LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brummies-networking

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Well, it’s official, Christmas is fast approaching now from all angles, whether you’re ready or not! The wine is starting to flow, the nibbles are out, and people are gathering at all manner of festive themed networking events at this time of year.

Hopefully your workplace is putting on some kind of Christmas party this year after the tumultuous time we had last year, and now the hospitality industry is so well versed in keeping venues and guests as safe as possible, we hope you enjoy letting your hair down however you want to this year, to celebrate another pretty tough 12 months.

For all those self employed and freelancers, networking events can in many ways feel like the office ‘works do’ you don’t get to normally attend! So it’s always worth having a look through LinkedIn to see what events are happening, as there are often some that are designed especially for freelancers to meet up and have a collective office party for those without offices or colleagues!

Whatever events you attend this year, we hope you enjoy yourselves, as quite frankly, you deserve it. None of us have had the best time this last 20months or so, so THIS Christmas, it needs to be a thoroughly enjoyable time.

But just remember, even though the wine is often flowing and it is tempting to let your hair down, always be mindful that you’re always representing your business, whoever you’re with - make sure people remember you for the right reasons! Don’t even think about going NEAR that photocopier!

So get out there, enjoy the festivities, attend some great events, and meet some great people. We’re all in this together, so let’s get out there and enjoy it.

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we discuss LinkedIn’s latest offering - an in-built freelance services marketplace - an additional function within your LinkedIn profile for adding ‘open to work’ banners to your profile picture, as well as the option to add various keywords about your service offering, so people can find you more readily when they need your skills.

It supersedes the ‘ProFinder’ offering they’d trialled a while back and, after a beta trial in the USA earlier this year, this service is now fully available to every LinkedIn user.

And most importantly - it’s free.

That’s not to say that sometime down the line there may be chargeable elements, but we’ll have to wait and see on that score.

For now, you can enable your profile to be searchable for a variety of keyword service offerings, so when people are searching the marketplace, your profile should then, theoretically at least, have more prominence for people to contact you directly about.

LinkedIn are wanting to offer a service that’s akin to the likes of UpWork, Fiverr, PeoplePerHour etc to add more value to the LinkedIn experience.

However, unlike the competition which will often just be a ‘jobs board’ from people wanting services which then invites freelancers to pitch/propose their wares, which can often lead to a race to the bottom when it comes to pricing; they’re doing things differently. The onus is on the person seeking work to be done to contact the relevant (to them) person to go about offering specs and negotiate pricing client-provider. 

We hope that this will be a positive step forward for LinkedIn, adding more features and relevance to an ever-expanding user base of freelancers and small businesses, edging away from their historical perception of being a job-seeker/recruitment oriented website like it was in its inception, with it being a glorified CV hosting jobs board.

This should mean good news to the small business and freelance community of the UK, and indeed, worldwide.

It’s free (for the moment at least!) so well worth you checking out. Find the relevant buttons in your usual ‘edit profile’ section on LinkedIn.

Reference:

https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/27/linkedin-rolls-out-its-freelance-services-marketplace-globally-after-picking-up-2m-users-in-smaller-us-beta/

https://www.linkedin.com/services

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

Running our businesses, (and indeed lives), old school - does it still have a place in an ever-more digital society?

With so much focus these days on people, and indeed businesses taking advantage of the latest platforms and technologies, i.e. the TikTok generation (something that completely eludes us, I might add) - there doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as much focus on tried and tested marketing methods that would now be considered ‘old school’.

But does old school mean old and futile? 

Not when you consider that so many traditional forms of marketing are seemingly on the rise, whereas you’d think it only the digital platforms could wave such a flag.

Direct mail marketing is dramatically on the rise, and has been on the rise year on year for many years now.

Radio advertising is seeing its biggest growth surge since one company started tracking radio ad spend a decade ago.

And with so many other traditional routes still being completely viable ways to get word about your business out there, from business card drops in cafes, company front desks etc, speaking at events, sending snail mail, cold calling, trade shows, exhibitions, local community level activity through print publications, the list goes on.

It goes to show that just because something’s offline, doesn’t mean it doesn’t still work.

If anything, with fewer people in the offline pond, it could mean that you have a much better advantage of standing out from your competitors.

What about you? Are you mainly online? Offline? Mix of both? In our view, a hybrid approach must work the best to get the optimum results.

Resources:

https://www.nme.com/news/music/uk-vinyl-sales-in-2020-are-the-highest-since-the-early-90s-2846310

https://www.selectabase.co.uk/2021/01/direct-mail-2021-the-rise-in-demand/

https://www.biznessapps.com/blog/10-offline-marketing-strategies-that-still-work-today/

http://www.insideradio.com/free/radio-forecast-to-grow-12-in-banner-year-for-traditional-media/article_03d46046-b872-11eb-ae60-f738756f6466.html

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we talk to Dan Hoff-Rodrigues from CX Squared Talent Solutions based in the Midlands.

Dan’s company focusses on recruitment for the tech industry - but he doesn’t work in the traditional model of recruitment, but favours a ‘Talent As A Service’ model, helping to drive the industry into the 21st century.

You’ll learn about his career path to date bringing him to where he is now, and why he wanted to disrupt the face of recruitment by doing things in a different way. 

Why he’s a ‘Duman’ - a doer that’s a human - someone that doesn’t spend time endlessly planning (see Ep53!) but gets on with it and takes action where it’s necessary, solving problems where he finds them.

Dan additionally explains the ‘why’ to what he does - doing what he can to find solutions to the digital skills gap, digital poverty, tech in education, helping to get kids switched on to the tech industry early; learning skills they wouldn’t have otherwise thought about. As well as how to get those who are massively under-represented into the tech industry, in various roles.

He also dispels a lot of myths and misconceptions about the industry as a whole, gives advice on how you can break into the industry - as it isn’t just about being able to code, or having to have certain qualifications or skills. 

His aim is to level the playing field of the tech industry, and is doing so not just through his business, but via various initiatives he has set up (Diversity In Tech Brum, & The Brum Muse) to help many people learn, connect, and get the career they want in tech.

You can find out more about Dan at the following places.

https://www.cx-squared.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danrodrigues7/

The Recruitment Doctor - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWI_LNkWhdb82O8-zrfgO6w

https://twitter.com/cx2talent

https://twitter.com/brummuse

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

A raw and unplanned episode filled with some topical updates, including the state of the electric vehicle infrastructure, as well as updates on the Birmingham Clean Air Zone and how that’s going.

Electric Vehicles & Infrastructure:

Midlands Connect calls for urgent action needed to speed up the expansion of EV charging points in the midlands. EV use will increase by more than 3000% by the end of the decade, and currently we’re lagging behind.

Around 500 charging points are being installed every month at the moment; but industry bodies say that what’s needed is 700 points a DAY - so lots still to be done to improve our EV infrastructure to make it more appealing to petrol and diesel motorists.

Clean Air Zone:

Since the Clean Air Zone was implemented in Birmingham back in June this year, the latest studies have shown that pollution is down within the zone by nearly 20%. A good start. And good for the health of the people living and working within its boundary.

But so far, there has seemingly been signs of pollution increasing on the ring roads surrounding it. Further plans need to be made to ensure that the pollution problem isn’t just being moved elsewhere. It’s early days, and things might change so no conclusions can be drawn yet, but it’s certainly something the council need to keep monitoring.

We round out the episode with what plans mean to you and your business, and how they should be adaptable. Sometimes by over planning, it leads to procrastination and simply not getting the job done. Like having a meeting to discuss what’s going to happen in the next meeting. Sometimes you just need to get on with it and make things happen. But plan for plans to change!

Resources:

https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/urgent-action-needed-speed-up-21624279

https://inews.co.uk/news/birmingham-clean-air-pollution-charging-driving-city-centre-1185720?ito=twitter_share_article-top

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9982253/Charging-points-electric-cars-preset-turn-NINE-HOURS-day.html

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

LinkedIn now has nearly 740million members, & over 55million registered companies.

Microsoft bought Skype in 2011. They then bought LinkedIn in 2016. They’ve had the ability to bring in video technologies to LinkedIn for years now. 

So why the delay? 

At the beginning of 2020 saw the massive rise of Zoom, from a little heard-of video conference app, to global powerhouse, exponentially increasing their user base in a very short space of time thanks to the pandemic.

With LinkedIn bringing their own version out now, is it too little too late? What new features will they be bringing to the party?

Even with the massive user base LinkedIn has, will it be enough for their own video conferencing platform to thrive when there’s so much other competition out there who may, arguably be doing it better, and easier?

Or are they just playing catchup?

We explore all the above in this episode, and also offer some top tips as to how to get the best out of LinkedIn generally, to maximise your business success on the platform.

Resources:

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/linkedin-launches-native-video-meetings/416388/#close

https://kinsta.com/blog/linkedin-statistics/

https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/31/linkedin-is-scrapping-its-stories-feature-to-work-on-short-form-video/

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When you’re self-employed, a freelancer or solopreneur, it can be difficult to make the time to take time away from your business and go on holiday.

There’s often guilt about not being available to your clients, worries about loss of earnings, pressures of getting someone in to cover for you while you’re away; meaning there are so many people that don’t take annual holidays at all.

This can be extremely damaging to your physical and mental health. We aren’t robots, we’re humans - we can’t work 24/7, 365 days of the year. It’s not possible. Otherwise we’ll burn out and crack up, which is precisely what we don’t want.

A UK study showed that 1 in 4 freelancers take no annual holiday, and of those that do, 45% take their work with them.

In this episode, we delve into strategies that you can implement practically, to make your life easier when planning to take time off. Something that we ALL, regardless of whether you’re self-employed, or an employee, need to do to ensure we relax, switch off, reflect and recharge.

Whether holidaying in the UK or abroad, taking time away from your business doing something completely different is vital, and will reinvigorate you no end. So please make sure you do it!

Resources:

https://www.crunch.co.uk/knowledge-productivity/holiday-when-self-employed-get-away-with-getting-away

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we reflect on the fact we have just hosted our first in-person networking event in over 17 months!

It was a strange feeling being back in our spiritual home of networking - but quickly the strangeness subsided into a feeling of (relative) normality, and absolute familiarity.

We had a (capped) roomful of people eager to get back to business networking, with great, deeper conversations happening throughout. It really was great to see.

We also reflect in this episode about how we can all keep our networks effective, and fresh. Reconnecting with people you haven’t spoken to for a while. Meeting up with people that for so many months have been merely 2D avatars. So much is lost when we’re confined to Zoom meetings; nuance, body language, context.

As good and such a Godsend things like Zoom have been during the pandemic, it’s nice to actually see humans again, and keep the connections going, getting to know people again on a deeper more personal level; something that just isn’t quite so effective online.

We also remind everyone in this episode what we’re up to and how we’re going to be continuing our monthly events ongoing, whilst keeping it as safe as possible for everyone attending. We can’t wait to see you again at the next event. Eventbrite link will be going around very soon, so stay tuned.

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In this episode, Richard and Iwan give a run down of some of their top productivity tools that they simply can’t live without.

(What they did before then, who knows…)

We cover various business tools, apps, software and platforms that simply make life easier in 2021 and beyond - tools that will often save you lots of time and effort, in turn making you a more productive business owner.

There are also mentions in this episode of great free or low cost alternatives to the more well known ‘big boy’ software giants, where alternatives may well fit the bill for you more, without having to spend big money on costly annual subscriptions.

Covering various aspects from office tools to help admin, to social media and the creative industries, there’ll be something for everyone in this. Notable mentions include re-affirming elements that people often forget about that can be highly useful, like Mail Merge in Microsoft Word, Canva for graphic design which also now enables you to create videos, as well as alternatives to Microsoft Office, and Adobe Photoshop.

So if you’re in the market for some new software and tools to help you or your employees be more productive and don’t want to break the bank, this episode is for you!

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

A new (to us) technology has been stumbled upon - the digital business card. An NFC-enabled plastic credit card sized business card that can be scanned on the recipient’s phone, loading up a browser page with all your relevant contact details and web links - with a big shiny button front and centre to allow that person to immediately save your details to their phone’s address book.

The technology isn’t necessarily that new - but it’s the first time we’ve seen it in such a slick easy to use and deploy format.

Will digital business cards replace traditional business cards, or will they still have their place? Will they be strictly the domain of the tech savvy super nerd? Could they be advantageous at networking events in a post-pandemic world where people more than ever are conscious about viruses, germs and touching surfaces that others have also touched?

We delve deeper into this technology to explore how they could be used, as well as their positives and negatives. (And of course, Rich just HAD to buy one to check it out for himself - and so far, positive reviews).

Not an ad/sponsored episode in any way - but in case you were curious, here’s the link to the digital business card he bought:

https://www.tapitag.co

We also reiterate that we’re HOPING to bring our in-person events back in August. Do make sure you’re on the mailing list because as soon as we have concrete info, that’s the first place we’ll be letting people know, as well as posting the same on our socials. So do follow those too.

https://brummies-networking.co.uk/mailing-list-sign-up/

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With the recent announcement from The Government that so called ‘Freedom Day’ being set for June 21st is now being put back by 4 weeks, it means our plans have now had to change too.

We are now planning on bringing back our in-person networking events, hopefully, in August. But of course, watch this space and subscribe to our newsletter and follow our socials for the latest news on that.

It brings with it the renewed thoughts of the importance of being flexible and adaptable, as changes are likely to happen. Whatever we plan for, hope for it to happen, but expect things to change without much notice.

Our hearts go out to the hospitality venues especially with all their plans for reopening fully in June, only for that now to be delayed by another month. There are stories in the press about venue owners having to throw out stock that won’t last, especially given fridges re being turned off to save costs.

And now Matt Hancock the Health Secretary has also now said that people should restrict their movements in and out of Birmingham in order to curb the rise in the Delta variant of Covid19. Essential travel only. Birmingham’s Health Chief further clarifies things, which we talk about. 

References referred to are below.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-health-boss-explains-new-20822514

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/wolverhampton-nightclub-owner-bins-7k-20823906

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

Business is gradually returning to some sense of normality; people are back at work, shops are open, and for the most part, we can more or less return to life as we kind of knew it.

Many companies are transitioning their office buildings to accommodate hybrid working, allowing for people to continue to work from home indefinitely, and scaling down their premises to have spaces to meet and collaborate, but not necessarily every day.

Companies such as HSBC, Lloyds, Standard Chartered are doing so, as are tech giants such as Twitter, Square and Spotify. It’s likely many more will follow suit over the coming months and years.

We also have exciting news in the fact that we’re planning on bringing back our in-person networking events pretty soon!

We’ll obviously keep everything monitored re. Covid and its problematic variants, but if all goes to plan - we will be back to some semblance of normal events in the near future. Have a listen to find out when! More info will be forthcoming on our mailshot and social channels, so stay tuned…

Sign up to our mailshot here:

https://brummies-networking.co.uk/mailing-list-sign-up/

Resources referred to in this episode:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/05/22/if-you-dont-want-to-return-to-the-office-or-stay-at-home-everyday-theres-now-a-third-attractive-way-to-work/?sh=35e775a83a49

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57230018

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57230017

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57226155

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57225856

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-57232728

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we talk to Jenna Lawson and Georgia Beech from Seamless OS, an outsourcing company based in Birmingham.

Throughout this episode, they both highlight the benefits involved in starting your outsourcing journey, the amount of money you might save if you start outsourcing compared to hiring in-house teams of people, or indeed doing various tasks yourself.

And for many small businesses, especially over the tumultuous last year, how outsourcing various tasks can help business owners stop working ‘in’ the business, and get back to focussing ‘on’ their business.

Outsourcing can bring with it a lot more peace of mind for many a business owner, and if you’ve thought about going down this route, then this episode is most certainly for you. Jenna and Georgia offer some brilliant insights into their industry, giving you all the information you need to know.

Seamless OS can be found online at the following locations:

https://www.seamless-os.co.uk

https://twitter.com/SeamlessOS

https://www.linkedin.com/company/seamless-os/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

With more options to network online than ever, especially during Covid where it’s been of utmost importance, we discuss the latest iteration of platforms - Clubhouse; the audio networking platform that’s slowly taking the world by storm.

Used as a platform that’s akin to Zoom, but without the cameras, people are using it in a multitude of ways; general group chat, Q&As with industry experts, panel discussions, the list goes on.

And of course, as soon as something becomes popular, all the other platforms are now following suit! With LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter now getting in on the action with audio chat functionality.

Which platform will prevail? We’ll have to wait and see. But for now, there is no end of ways we can all network online in some way or another.

Will all this continue well into post-pandemic days? Probably so - but possibly with platforms and users adopting it into various niches, mixing it in with in-person networking once again when it’s safe to do so.

Fancy joining us on Twitter Spaces for an audio chat session sometime? Then follow our Brummies Networking twitter (@brummiesnet) for more details.

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we talk to Roger Wood, Director at Midlands based Venture Capital firm Midven.

We discuss the obvious comparison - what does real-world small business investing look like in the real world, and is it anything remotely like what we see on Dragon’s Den? (Or Shark Tank in the USA).

Roger explains all a small business would need to know should they be thinking about seeking investment for their own business.

Key things discussed include; what makes a business investment-ready? What are the main criteria an investor/VC firm looks out for, the absolute musts and must-nots.

What does the application process look like, how long does it take? Plus of course, the all-important how much of a stake a VC will take in return for investment!

So if you have an interest in investment and would like to know more, this episode is for you. Roger explains the process in non-jargon language, and certainly makes the prospect of investment distinctly less scary than the Dragon’s Den!

You can find Roger online here:

https://midven.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-wood-5b3b9a1/?originalSubdomain=uk

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

Covid vaccines have been rolled out at an unprecedented rate. The general mood of the country is gradually improving now we have the roadmap out of lockdowns, with ‘life after lockdown’ being a firm light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

So we ask, how important is hope in business?

Many businesses this last 12 months have innovated their way to staying afloat, and in some cases, success and thriving. Being adaptable to change and uncertain futures has been a key marker in seeing how a business can get through a year of practically no trading, otherwise.

It’s taught us the importance of being resilient to changing times, the drive to continue on, flexibility, and doing everything we can to create a more certain future for ourselves and our businesses despite outside influences.

False hope, going at things blindly, will nearly always end up going badly. Having a realistic, thought-out plan, ensuring you’re planning for the worst but hoping for the best is a healthier mindset to have.

Finding the sweet spot between optimism and pragmatism is key.

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In the technological age we’re living in, we’re now all too used to being reachable by a multitude of communications media - email, text, social media, mobile phones, video conferencing.

When email came around, people proclaimed ‘the letter is dead!’. Of course that’s not true. 

When texting, WhatsApp, social media etc came about - people then proclaimed that ‘email is dead!’. 

Of course, that’s not true either!

It’s more about its importance in our lives, and how we adapt to technology, to make it work for us - often adapting our uses for certain technologies to make our lives easier.

These days, email is less about sending round-robin chain emails with the ‘latest’ (i.e. ANCIENT!) jokes and what would be the precursor to ‘memes’ - that’s now more prevalent in messaging app group chats!

Email is now used more for official, archival, paper-trail processes, when you need to refer back to information at a later stage.

How important is email in your life? Do you send/receive anywhere near the amount as you used to say 15 years ago?

And with the advent of the smartphone, we’re now all too used to being accessible even out of office hours; which for many, can be detrimental to our mental health. 

Do you check emails at 11pm? Does it affect you? Or do you manage to find ways to switch off most of your communication apps after office hours?

Let us know your thoughts! 

References for this episode:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2021/03/02/microsoft-teams-issues-major-blow-to-zoom-with-game-changing-new-security-features/?sh=4d7b58712dfa

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/e-mail-is-making-us-miserable?utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_022721&bxid=5bd66d132ddf9c619437cd69&cndid=16654856&hasha=8dc340b6d9e768535372efc80e93c40e&hashb=3d27264dfb5cd6c3cfa9656854dad99200485ab2&hashc=69a0659a06a33df1ca19330ca460dd7cbaa6b4176fde35d21c5dd2c7698b4491&esrc=AUTO_OTHER

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we look at if it’s possible to run a small business using pretty much entirely free, or low-cost software, as opposed to the ‘big players’ like Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud for instance.

With the notion of ‘buying software outright’ being far less commonplace in this digital age, with subscription models being favoured far more - are the free and low cost options as good for most people? 

What are the downsides?

Do you need software to be up-to-the-minute updated?

Will free/low cost options do much of the same thing?

Will it involve a learning curve? 

Is there a problem with cross-platform compatibility?

We take a look at a few examples, from Adobe Creative Cloud vs Affinity, Microsoft 365 vs OpenOffice/Libre Office/WPS Office, as well as some other software you might not even be aware of.

So ultimately the question is - is using free or low cost software right for your business? Or is it best to stick to the software you know, and just pay the higher costs?

Resources referred to in this episode:

A new wearable technology has been launched, called Moodbeam - a smart bracelet that allows employers to track your mental health.

It consists of 2 buttons, you press yellow for if you’re happy, blue if you’re sad.

It allows employers to check in remotely with home-workers to see big swathes of data to see who is ok and who is demonstrating signs of needing wellbeing support.

We discuss whether this is the natural next step for companies to take in order to track and monitor the mental wellbeing of their staff, or whether this all feels a little too dystopian, like an episode of Black Mirror.

Is it the new smart way in this modern digital age to check on vast numbers of employees by putting it in their hands, literally; or does it remove all sense of ‘personal’ and lack the human touch?

Make up your own mind…

We also check back in with the topic of What3Words, the UK mapping company that’s divided the entire globe up into 3metre squares. They’ve come on leaps and bounds since we last talked about it over a year ago, so we check in with how their mapping service is being integrated in different ways all over the world, from emergency services, e-commerce, drone deliveries, car breakdowns, sat-nav & much more.

Resources referred to in this episode:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55637328

https://what3words.com/news/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we bring you an update as to what’s been happening since our last episode at the end of last year.

We’ve seen massive changes in social media since the ‘insurrection riot’ at the US Capitol buildings a few days ago. Twitter and many other social media platforms have now banned Donald Trump for his involvement in allegedly stoking the violence.

Since then, tens of thousands of other accounts related to QAnon have also been deleted, and we assume, banned. This sparks one of the biggest clean-ups that social media has probably ever seen.

Also, a new bank has launched in Birmingham, called Birmingham Bank - the first bank to bear the Birmingham name for over a century. This bank will have a strong focus on the SME sector. 

Westside BID have also announced a match-funding scheme to help businesses located in the Westside area of Birmingham invest in crucial products & services, offering 50% of funding required. More info in links below.

Covid-19 vaccine continues its rollout, with more and more locations announced for where the public will be able to be vaccinated. Even Asda is opening its first store in Birmingham to create a vaccine clinic within the George dept. More Asda stores likely to follow, but the first ever will be in Birmingham.

AstraZeneca also gearing up to be able to provide 2million vaccine doses a week by mid-February.

Finally, NHS Birmingham & Solihull has launched the Midlands’ first one-stop mental health service to help those with mental health issues, regardless of severity - something everyone should be aware of. More info below.

Resources referred to during this episode:

https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2021/01/12/birmingham-bank-launched-to-serve-sme-businesses-throughout-the-midlands

https://westsidebid.co.uk/2021/01/12/bid-launches-financial-match-funding-safety-net-for-westside-businesses/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55638558

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/special-features/10-million-people-need-mental-19575369

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-astrazeneca-on-track-to-deliver-two-million-vaccine-doses-a-week-by-mid-february-as-it-calls-for-priority-access-12186734

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

As our final episode of 2020, we thought we’d issue an extra little episode before Christmas as a brief roundup of this year, but more looking ahead with positivity and optimism to 2021.

We also make a few predictions about what the world of work, online tools and social media may be like in 2021 and ongoing, hopefully making it more beneficial and positive for all.

Will there be more fact checking on Twitter and Facebook, with them deleting more of the disinformation out there?

Will more and more businesses be more open to the idea of flexible working and rethinking the 9-5 for the employees that could do with such a schedule?

Will more businesses hire more freelancers, creating ‘virtual teams’ rather than having businesses host an array of skills in-house at all times?

And why oh why didn’t LinkedIn get in on the video conferencing game this year, given they have a primed and ready audience for it! Late to the game, LinkedIn, you’re late to the game…

And we look at a good news story about Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott who’s done a massively good deed…

Finally, on behalf of all at Team BrumPod/Brummies Networking, I want to thank you for being a listener of BrumPod throughout 2020 - we very much appreciate you being here. Have a very (as much as possible) Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. And we’ll see you all again in early January 2021!

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

[Apologies for the crackly audio in the early part of the episode - was due to broadband connection interference with our guest. This improves greatly just before 11mins in.]

In this episode, we talk to Councillor Waseem Zaffar from the ‘Brum Breathes’ department at Birmingham City Council who are launching the Clean Air Zone in the city.

Waseem explains what exactly a Clean Air Zone is, who will be affected, who will be charged, and who will be exempt from the charges. 

Will everyone have to pay? Is it the same as a Congestion Charge Zone? Will it affect my business?

There’s been a lot of rumour going around about who will be the most affected, so thankfully Waseem is on hand to explain in detail how it’s all going to work, and dispels a lot of myths along the way!

The Clean Air Zone scheme looks set to enhance the air quality in the city centre greatly, as well as help promote and support alternative transport choices, including electric cars.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of electric cars and where they’re going, with motoring journalist Richard Aucock from MotoringResearch.com.

We take a look at how far electric cars have come on, technology wise, in just a few short years - and what the future of driving electric will be in the NEXT few years; both in terms of the car tech itself, and the infrastructure needed to support it.

From the inception of the 1st Nissan Leaf with its very limited range, we now have electric cars capable of 350+ miles.

How far away are we from having cars that could travel further?

How long until battery technology makes the next leap and bound to be able to fully charge a car in just a few minutes?

What are the best cars to look out for at the moment and in the future?

What’s best to go for now? Full EV? Plug-in Hybrid EV? The choices are mind-boggling.

If you’re someone who is wanting to buy their first electric vehicle and want some rock solid information and advice, then this episode is for you. Richard Aucock explains all, and gives us his top picks of cars to look out for, debunks some common misconceptions, and explains everything you want to know about electric cars - in simple terms!

Where to find Richard Aucock online:

https://www.motoringresearch.com

https://twitter.com/richardaucock

Resources referred to in this episode:

https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/2030-petrol-diesel-car-ban-explained/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/17/boris-johnson-announces-10-point-green-plan-with-250000-jobs

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this special edition episode, we wanted to turn the podcast over to you! So we've invited a handful of folks we know well to submit their own audio promo pitches, as a way of introducing them to you, the wider world.

Since England is in Lockdown 2, we feel it's more important than ever to keep up your marketing and networking, to ensure you've got a good pipeline of work coming in during these uncertain times. And one way to do that is giving folks the opportunity to introduce themselves to a new audience, namely, you! They're a great bunch of people who we feel you should know about, so please do have a listen to their intro speeches during this episode to find out more about them; and then of course do check out their web links too - all links below.

We will undoubtedly be running another  'shoutout episode' again in due course, maybe in the new year. So if you fancy having your promo introduction featured in a future episode, you can submit it easily via our SpeakPipe page: https://www.speakpipe.com/brumpod

Just keep your intro speeches to no more than 30 seconds, and ensure you include all the key info; who you are, what you do, how you can help, where can people find you. (Legal disclaimer: By submitting an audio clip you give us the rights to use it on this podcast).

Here are the people who have featured today:

Leila Smith - https://www.promiseprandcreative.co.uk

Sean Dyer - https://bravenewbeast.co.uk

Sara Tomaszewska - https://littlemediaagency.com

Will Woodhouse - https://www.fixmybrokenmac.co.uk

Luke Burton - https://theconnectionworldwide.com

Maria Goodwin - https://www.birminghamhospice.org.uk

Henrik Court - https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikcourt/

Theo Thompson - https://www.nourishsocial.co.uk

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we’re launching a new initiative, the ‘Brummies Jobs Exchange’ - our way of helping to link up people who are either seeking new employment if they’ve say been made redundant due to COVID19 etc - or indeed if you are a company who have roles available looking to be filled, we want to try and help you fill them.

This isn’t a commercial venture, and we’re not acting as recruiters - we are simply helping provide a platform and an audience via our Brummies Networking LinkedIn Group, website and social media channels. (All links below).

We encourage everyone to be on the lookout for these types of posts, and we’ll be encouraging every post we see to be posted also in our LinkedIn group so it acts as a hub, where you’ll hopefully be able to link yourselves up with each other, to help each other out as best we can.

Create your job seeker/job available posts in the Brummies Networking LinkedIn group, by starting it with ‘CAREER’ at the start, to make it clear and obvious; and hopefully then you’ll get some interest and assistance from fellow members.

Especially important during these trying times, with the impending Lockdown 2 now coming into effect.

(Lockdown 2 was mentioned during the episode, & was only confirmed by Parliament post-recording)

We also encourage you to submit your guest blogs to us which we can promote on the website. A further bit of self-promotion for you.

And please do make use of our Speakpipe page where you can send us your business elevator pitches in audio form, which we can incorporate into future episodes. Max. 30s or so, keep it brief, to the point; who you are, what you do, how you can help, what sort of clients you’re looking for - you know the drill.

And remember, we’re also running our weekly Twitter hour every Tuesday 11am-12 - just use the hashtag #brummiesbizhour to join in; and like the above, post your promos, what you do, how you can help, the types of clients you’re looking for etc.

We’re all in this together folks, so let’s all do whatever we can to help each other out as best we can, especially during these precarious times we’re living in.

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we're offering up more of a slightly shorter and snappier 'updates episode', just to give you the heads up about the latest news re. COVID19 in the Midlands, and what West Midlands Mayor's latest announcement is.

We also talk about the impact the local lockdowns and new Tier system is having on the region as a whole - with hospitality being hit quite hard yet again. 

Apple have also recently announced the new iPhone 12 series of phones, with launch happening Friday 23rd October. Why is this relevant? Because this is Apple's first foray into the realm of 5G - which can only mean that because iPhones are arguably the world's most popular phone, it is now likely that now is the time 5G sees much greater expansion of availability, meaning we will all get to benefit from what 5G can offer. Not just in the sense of faster download speeds for movies and music; but what it means for the bigger picture - i.e. enhanced capabilities for autonomous vehicles, reducing the latency/lag which is prevalent with 3G/4G technologies. Lots of exciting developments are heading our way over the next 12 months or so.

We also give a shoutout to Midlands company BCRS Business Loans, who have launched a LinkedIn challenge to encourage everyone to support local small businesses by taking part in simple challenges - from leaving a SME you've used a great review, or giving them a public shoutout on your social media - and whatever else you can think of to give a leg up to any great small, local and/or family run businesses near you that you love. It's these little things that can make such a positive impact on a small business, and they'll really thank you for it!

References from this episode:

https://twitter.com/andy4wm/status/1318616191997534214

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2020/10/750000-uk-hospitality-jobs-at-risk-survey-reveals/

https://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/collaborate-with-us/5g/how-5g-will-change-birmingham-in-real-time

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=bcrssmechallenge

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we talk to Leila Smith from Promise PR and Creative, a PR agency based in Solihull. 

Leila set up her agency during the pandemic! So we explore how that went, and what brought her to that point.

We explore the world of PR versus marketing - how and why they're different, and how to decipher what a business might need.

Lots of businesses during the pandemic and lockdown period starting cutting back spending on PR and marketing, so Leila explains why it's more important than ever to kick things up a gear to ensure businesses stay communicative and relevant.  She also tells us about her experiences with business networking, and the importance of the human connection.

Plus, we also discuss the scenario of negative PR, and how to combat that effectively; with a good example that came to light on LinkedIn and Twitter in the last couple of days. 

You can find Leila online at the following places:

https://www.promiseprandcreative.co.uk

https://twitter.com/CreativePromise

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-smith-83a67a117/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/promise-pr-and-creative/

https://www.instagram.com/promiseprandcreative/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we speak to special guest Lisa Brown from Lisa B Interior Design, a design agency based at the Custard Factory, Birmingham.

We discuss what the state of the design industry has been like during COVID, as well as hearing her backstory about how she got to where she is now. 

We also pose the question, just HOW creative is the general public when it comes to starting a new project? What to do when there's no forthcoming information from a prospective client! And of course, how to handle the situation when residential clients spar between themselves with competing ideas! 

Lisa also explains what the general design process is, how to go about approaching a designer, & what you need to know to get the best result; as well as detailing the differences between approaching interior design in a residential vs. commercial setting.

You can find Lisa online at the following places:

Website: https://lisabinteriordesign.co.uk

Portfolio: https://lisabinteriordesign.com

https://twitter.com/InfoLisaBDesign

https://www.instagram.com/lbidesign/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we talk to Jordan Patel from Art.Quarter, which will end up being, we think, Birmingham's most adventurous multi-use site yet; currently being built, it will end up housing commercial units, office space, retail outlets and pop-up shops, food and drink outlets, technology centres, AR and VR gaming centre, amongst many other things! All in the heart of Digbeth, the home of Birmingham's creative industries.

We find out how the build and overall project is going, especially with the inevitable setbacks with COVID19, who this venue is for, and how it can be utilised. Jordan also goes on to explain how the Art.Quarter project is going to be able to start supporting young & start-up businesses by offering countless routes of business support, to give the best chances possible of making it a success.

It's an ambitious, gargantuan task! But as you'll hear, with Jordan's passion and determination, we wish him every success with it. We're convinced it certainly will be... So sit back, listen, and enjoy!

You can find out more about Jordan and Art.Quarter online at the following links:

https://www.artquarteruk.co.uk

https://twitter.com/artdotquarter

https://twitter.com/jordanartdot

https://www.instagram.com/jordan.patel/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we take a look at the issue of returning to the office after so long. How different are things going to be now? Is your workplace geared up and ready?  Is it safe? How do you feel about it all? What are the expectations, and your rights as an employee if things don't seem to be up to scratch?

Has all this changed how we work forever? There's certainly been a major environmental impact given a study we touch upon, as well as people's mindsets having changed and been slightly re-evaluated. 

We look at various scenarios, and offer our own thoughts on the situation. But of course, if you're needing advice as an employee or employer and need more information on your rights, please do speak to someone qualified in that field, in law/HR etc, don't take anything in this podcast as official advice! Always speak to a professional.

Resources and information we discuss in this episode:

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-almost-one-in-three-workers-ready-to-keep-working-from-home-after-lockdown-12025311

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53484767

https://www.nelsonslaw.co.uk/returning-work-coronavirus/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

With special guest: Anthony Tattum from Big Cat Agency.

In this episode, we talk to Anthony Tattum, CEO of Birmingham based creative agency, Big Cat.

We discuss how, in a post-COVID world, the hospitality industry needs a radical rethink in how they operate, to optimise earnings and efficiency, given how there will be so many restrictions for months to come.

Many businesses have managed to adapt really well through lockdown, operating in a different capacity to what they're used to, by offering additional or amended services; takeaways, produce boxes, meal kits etc. Something which has been near-essential to survive. Anthony gives some brilliant advice and case studies of successful businesses' transitions, and how YOUR business can replicate some of these ideas to survive and thrive in the months and years to come.

Here's where you can find Anthony:

http://bigcatagency.com

https://twitter.com/anthonytattum

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonytattum/

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, we talk to Daniel O'Brien, an insurance broker from Aston Lark.

We discuss the current state of the insurance industry in the midst of the pandemic, what cover you THINK you have, what cover you NEED, and lots of top tips and advice that all business owners should be aware of to ensure you're fully covered for all eventualities once we reach that golden egg that is 'the new normal'.

We cover areas such as what business owners and facilities managers need to consider when re-opening on July 4th, how the exposure to risk has changed now, how companies are adapting their business models in the wake of COVID19, and where we go from here - what are the things to look out for? 

Thankfully, Dan explains all. Tune in and subscribe to ensure you receive all future episodes automatically. 

You can find Dan at the following places:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-o-brien-dip-cii-a7a91358/

https://twitter.com/EmotionalRug

https://www.astonlark.com

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

We're now in Week 7 of Lockdown here in the UK. We chat about how things have changed, and where things might be going once Lockdown is lifted.

Will businesses still flock on their normal commute into city centres? Or will there continue to be more working from home? Big businesses to scale down their operations to maintain smaller centralised hubs? It would make sense maybe.

Our main topic is about the dangers of businesses not diversifying - with Primark being the prime example in recent days, them having ceased to make any money overnight since Lockdown went into effect. From £650 million in sales per month, to £0. Why? Because they have zero e-commerce or m-commerce systems in place, they are 'bricks and mortar' only.

So what would your business do if ever faced with this again? Have you come up with ways you can diversify? If you haven't, it's well worth taking a look at again. Always better to be prepared for any eventuality. We take a look at some great examples, in the form of some pizza and beer companies. What's not to like?

ALSO - the Government portal for registering and for checking your eligibility for the self-employed income support is now live. We chat briefly about that, about how nice and easy it is to do. If you're self employed, please do check it out and see if you're eligible. They will then contact you in due course when it's time to make your claim. Here's where to see for yourself:

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/self-employment-support/enter-unique-taxpayer-reference

Resource referred to in the episode re. Primark:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52365191?at_custom4=D2E9F15C-83BC-11EA-A11C-41974744363C&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_campaign=64&at_custom3=%40BBCNews&at_medium=custom7

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode, our special guest is Martin 'The Warrior' Warrillow, a stroke awareness campaigner, blogger and podcaster. 

Martin suffered a stroke in 2013 after dealing with a tremendous amount of job related stress. After collapsing whilst crossing a road & nearly being hit by an oncoming bus, he managed to drag himself to safety, with half his body paralysed, with only a foot between him and the passing bus. 

During this period of global lockdown, stress is going to be playing an ever-increasing role in many people's lives. Hopefully this episode will help in some way, giving you the tools to try and combat it.

Stress has played a significant role in Martin's life, turning it upside down. He talks about the dangers of stress, the warning signs, and how to cope with it. 

This is his story.

Find Martin online:

https://www.askthewarrior.com

https://twitter.com/warrior_martin

https://www.facebook.com/groups/askthewarrior/

http://thewarriorpodcast.libsyn.com

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

This episode's guest - Greta Geoghegan from Digital Glue - https://digitalglue.agency

With the continuing coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis dominating every headline and website, we try to cut through things to offer some help and support for small businesses. 

In this episode, we're talking to Greta about how small businesses can utilise marketing and social media to their advantage to help get them through this period of uncertainty. What platforms might be useful for you. What tools she recommends for various tasks. And the importance of building community at this time of nationwide lockdown. How can businesses create and maintain a sense of community and togetherness when social distancing is the new normal?

Plus, we look at the 'new fangled' social media platforms like TikTok - should your business be on them? Some say so. Greta explains all.

Finally, we get Greta's take on marketing trends that will be likely throughout the remainder of what will be a very odd year all round.

Tune in and subscribe now....

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

In this episode we're (unsurprisingly) looking at Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it's currently affecting small businesses. With so much fear and worry in the world right now, small businesses are having to think on their feet, adapt quickly, and do what they can to survive through this period of uncertainty.

The hospitality industry is a particular worry, as the government tell the public we should be refraining from visiting bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants. So many are now turning to offer takeaways and collection/delivery services, in order to get through this period of otherwise having very few customers through their doors.

We also look at the government's advice and support plans to aid businesses through this, and look at how some businesses may not be insured for this crisis - check your policies now to see if you may be affected should you need to claim for business disruption etc. 

Plus we're looking at the concept of much of the UK working from home in self-isolation and for many what feels like quarantine. We mention a whole load of tools and platforms that might be of use in order to maintain business continuity and communication with your team members and customers, via methods like Zoom, UberConfererence, Slack, Skype, Microsoft Teams etc.

If you're affected by COVID-19, our thoughts are with you - hope you feel better soon, and that you can get back to a normal life and business routine. 

We're all in this together folks; so let's be kind and help each other.

Links to items we discuss during this episode:

https://www.creativebloq.com/advice/coronavirus-remote-working?utm_source=Selligent&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=15321&utm_content=170320_JM+&utm_term=698507&m_i=Imr0%2B%2BUEkj2hdPHZJiSgAytjmUyqsuZDWuXsVTfHfX9kT%2BYtxV9u_QTpXgZGaNtY4FHPjAgPsSrvHfxgwawys2TjZW%2BBnuIIIz&M_BT=244063946052

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/03/16/bt_broadband_network_wfh/

https://www.ft.com/content/ff00ec96-6481-11ea-b3f3-fe4680ea68b5

https://smallbusiness.co.uk/how-do-i-get-the-government-3000-coronavirus-grant-2549866/

https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2020/03/abi-comment-on-coronavirus-and-commercial-insurance/

http://bit.ly/3dcubPc

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.

We're back from hiatus! In this episode we're going a bit self-reflective, talking about how Brummies Networking has recently turned 5yrs old! But as many will know, we've been going even longer than that, just under a different guise. 

We discuss how it all came about, the changes we've seen along the way, how networking attitudes have changed, how technologies have evolved for us to continue the networking far easier online, forging even closer relationships thanks to tools like LinkedIn; and how our group wouldn't be anything like it is now without our fantastic members.

We even give a shoutout to some of our members personally, using them as amazing examples of brilliant & effective networking in action! We've witnessed the birth of the Birmingham Sales Squad and how they've utilised business networking to ensure that customer service is at the forefront of everything. It really is a fantastic example of how effective networking and creating a positive supportive community can really benefit everyone, especially in the service industries. 

Are you mentioned? You'll have to listen to find out!

We also touch on some practicalities of networking and overall health. We're not trying to ring any alarm bells, but we do give a mention of Coronavirus and general illnesses that could affect how & when people should network, and if you're feeling ill (just generally), how it's better to NOT go networking. 

Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking.