We are delighted to announce the launch of Mum’s The Boss Leicestershire, which will be run and hosted by Rebekah Harriman of R&R VA Services.

The first meeting will be held on 19th February at Soar Valley Leisure Centre, Mountsorrel, from 10.00-12.00. There will be no formal speaker at the first event – instead Rebekah will be talking about the Mum’s The Boss ethos and her plans for the group, and encouraging her visitors to chat and get to know one another over tea and cake!

The cost of attending the meeting is £5 per person.  Creche places are available and must be booked with Soar Valley Reception and paid for directly by the parents 1 week in advance (i.e.today!).  

Mum’s The Boss Leicestershire is kindly being sponsored (in cupcakes!) by Rakhee Townsend of Fashion Cake and by Emma Moore from Print Monkey.

A full schedule of speakers for the year will be posted shortly at www.mumstheboss.co.uk or you can follow Rebekah’s updates on Twitter at @MTBLeicester .

We are delighted to have Rebekah on board and wish her lots of luck with the new Leicestershire group – we’re certain she will make it a huge success!

Popularity: 5% [?]

As part of the Building Enterprising Communities project, Exemplas are running some workshops for people who are interested in starting their own business.

If you’re interested in seeing whether self employment if right for you or if you can turn your skills into a hobby their Business Experts are covering the key business basics – from finance to planning, market research to attracting customers – to help you make an informed decision.

Location: Family Groups Training Room, Southways Nursery, Raleigh Centre
Time: 9:30 – 14:30
Date: Friday 26^th February
Refreshments: Lunch included
Creche: Free childcare provided

You will also have the opportunity to speak to their Business Advisers who are on hand to answer your questions.

The workshop is open to anyone living in Bedford Borough and who is economically inactive (i.e. unemployed, stay at home mum etc) 

To book a place on this workshop, please call 01707 398290 or email your full name, telephone number and email address to annes@exemplas.com

Popularity: 5% [?]

Green and Brown’s ‘Style Council’, run by Image Consultant Elaine Boddy, is a new regular free image, shopping and money saving advice service open to everyone.

Throughout the year they will be holding lunchtime and early evening hour long events in Midsummer Place shopping centre, Milton Keynes, to share…

• Tips and ideas about what to wear;
• What’s good for different shapes and budgets;
• Plus general image ideas;
• Clothes will have been chosen from around the centre to show particular examples;
• Q&A time to be able to answer any questions that you may have;
• Refreshments will be available so that you can enjoy some lunch or after work nibbles;
• These events will be free and places will need to be booked;
• The venue will be the top floor of Café Italia by the Frog clock near Debenhams.

You can choose from 2 sessions in January- 12.30pm for a lunch time session on the 13th January or after work at 5.30pm on the 21st January.

To book your place for January’s Style Council, entitled ’What’s worth buying in the sales’ please email elaine@greenandbrown.eu

For more details about the services Green and Brown offers, please visit  www.greenandbrown.eu

Popularity: 5% [?]

Basepoint Innovation Centre and Business Base in Luton are hosting a free workshop entitled Speed Planning for New Business on Thursday 3rd December 2009 – 1.45pm – 4pm. The workshop is being presented by Patricia Wilson, Director of Frozen Ps

Patricia has developed a business improvement consultancy, specifically focused on implementation – because great ideas need to be converted into action! She has a background of practical operational management, typically clients range from Start Ups to existing business that have just got stuck, from one man bands to large organisations, including commercial business, schools and charities.  The process of planning for your business has a value in its own right and can sometimes be overlooked whilst coping with the day to day activity. A sound plan can help keep you focused on your goals and be used to manage your business effectively.

This session is designed to give you a set of guidelines to develop a framework for that plan if you are thinking of starting your own business, are already en route or wanting to ensure that you are on the right track!

Frozen Ps practical workshops for Start up Businesses provides an essential tool kit and Business Health check that you might not be aware of:

• Create a one page plan for your business
• An action plan ready for implementation
• Learn what steps to take and identify your priorities
• Learn how to define what makes your product or service different
• Learn simple, cost effective and realistic methods to market your business
• Take time to network with each other

To book your FREE seat please email heatherpedder@basepoint.co.uk or telephone  01582 434200

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Popularity: 5% [?]

As part of the Building Enterprising Communities project, Exemplas in partnership with EEDA (East of England Development Agency) is running a workshop to support local people in overcoming their barriers to succeeding in self employment.

Exemplas is a non-profit distribution organisation with a deep fund of expertise in a range of disciplines that enhance performance and influence success. These include corporate development, leadership, skills and training, change management, enterprise, diversity and many more. They also jointly run Business Link East.

The workshop, entitled Removing Barriers To Progression, is aimed at anyone currently not working (either unemployed, redundant or parents wanting to return to work) and is free to attend.

Location: Houghton Regis Library, Bedford Square, LU5 5ES
Time: 9:30 – 16:30
Date: Tuesday 1st December

Whether you are being held back through lack of confidence, are worried by gaps in your knowledge or you just don’t know in which direction you are heading, then this cognitive based workshop supports you in identifying the things that are holding you back – and accessing the skills and capabilities that will get you moving towards your personal goals.

To book a place on this workshop, please call 01707 398384 or email your full name, telephone number and email address to bookings@exemplas.com

Popularity: 10% [?]

Lesley Singleton has been working in consumer PR and the media for more than a decade. In that time, she’s worked for big London PR agencies (including PR Week’s “Agency of the Year”) as well as in-house for a major airline and a high street bank. She managed press office functions whilst also devising and implementing strategic PR campaigns for a wide range of brands including Blockbuster Video, P&O’s Ocean Village and KLM. Lesley’s diverse career has seen her handle the publicity for a Michael Ball Christmas album, oversee a press conference for the DVD release of ‘Joseph’ starring Donny Osmond and Joan Collins and launch a cruise ship with help from Ulrika Jonsson.

Leaving the bright lights of London behind, Lesley moved to Cranfield in 2004 and took up a PR role with Monarch Airlines, based at Luton. However, after having her son in November 2005, she decided to ‘go it alone’ and LS Media Ltd was born in May 2006. Specialising in business-to-consumer PR and media relations, Lesley has continued to work with a diverse range of clients in the travel, mother/baby, beauty, food, literary and self-help sectors. She’s worked with start-ups and mumpreneur businesses – including Mums Who Bake, Sporty Bump and Smallprint – as well as established brands such as The Open University.

Lesley gave birth to a daughter in September 2008 and LS Media Ltd has continued to go from strength to strength. 2009 has seen Lesley vastly expand her portfolio by generating extensive national print and broadcast coverage for travel companies, organic beauty brands and a number of new self-help books. October sees her co-host a PR Secrets seminar at the UK’s first Mumpreneur Conference in Birmingham.

What inspired you to start your own business
Getting a call on my mobile from an irate travel journalist at 3am, demanding to know why his plane was delayed. I was six months pregnant, working in the PR department of a major airline at the time and it hit me that being on-call 24 hours a day in case of a crisis just wouldn’t be compatible with a small baby in need of night-feeds.

What has been your biggest challenge
I think, like most people starting out on their own, trusting in yourself is a huge step. Even though I’d been working in PR and the media for a decade and had a solid proven track record, it was nerve-wracking trying to do it alone without the support of a team – I really had to learn to trust my own instincts, believe in myself and what I was capable of. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without a very strong group of friends behind me, many of whom I’d worked with in the past… any time I was doubting myself or a tough decision I’d made, I’d pick up the phone for that extra reassurance.

What have you learnt about yourself since you became self-employed
I’ve learnt that I’m more confident than I thought I was! I think when you’re working as part of a team of big characters, it’s easy to hide in the shadows sometimes, but now I have no choice but to put myself out there – whether in terms of pitching a client story or drumming up new business. I miss the banter that comes with an office full of creative types, but Twitter seems to be helping on that front and I now have my ‘water-cooler’ chats there instead…!

What has been the best thing about being your own boss
Being my own boss has given me the opportunity to work with brands I truly have a passion for – I’m not forced to take on clients or projects I don’t connect with or believe in. I’ve found clients in completely different sectors to those I’d worked in historically and I’ve invested in educating myself in new technologies and media sectors, ensuring that my business moves with the times and isn’t stuck with a limited skillset. Above all though, being my own boss has allowed me to experiment with my own working practices and I’ve finally been able to create a work/life balance which suits me, my family and my clients perfectly. My clients understand that I work part-time and aren’t shocked to receive emails from me late at night when I’m catching up on the admin!

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring ‘mumpreneur’ what would it be?
When I look back to the very beginning, I do think I went into this with my eyes closed a little to the financial side. I had a very naive idea of start-up and running costs and this has been a tough obstacle to overcome. So my biggest piece of advice would be to really, really do your research: look at what you’ll need to lay out in your first year, what assistance is available, if there are any grants you’re entitled to.

For find out how Lesley can help you with your PR, please visit www.lsmedia.co.uk or email Lesley@lsmedia.co.uk

Popularity: 3% [?]

At Amy Taylor Accountancy, you will find a friendly, personal service where children are welcome.  Having been a chartered accountant and analyst for over 10 years, Amy Taylor recognised there was a need for local business people who are juggling a business and childcare to have somewhere they can meet their accountant and bring the kids without feeling intimidated. 

But it’s not just all about providing flexibility.  Having been an analyst for part of her career, Amy can assess your personal circumstances to make sure you get all possible tax reliefs available as well as help you with tax planning for the future.  “I won’t wait for people to ask me a question about their finances, but will go above and beyond to analyse their circumstances as a matter of course.  For me the enjoyment is legitimately saving my clients money.”

And on the subject of saving money, Amy offers clarity over pricing and will give you a competitive quote within 24 hours.  “I know as an accountant how important it is to budget.  How can you plan your finances effectively if you don’t even know what you will be paying your own accountant?”

What inspired you to start your own business
Being a Mum to 2 children, I felt that commuting into London and full time work just wasn’t going to be do-able anymore.  I thought about setting up on my own and friends and family were so positive about it, I just thought “Go for it Girl”!!

What has been your biggest challenge
Learning how to use twitter and other social networking sites.  My etiquette to begin with was terrible, but now I enjoy the tweets, tips from other business gurus and generating leads that twitter can offer.

What have you learnt about yourself since you became self-employed
I have learnt that it’s important to keep yourself up to date in your knowledge area, for your self-esteem, your employability and to keep your brain working – not always easy when you’re a mum!

What has been the best thing about being your own boss
Not having to ask anyone for time off, or worry when your little one is ill that everyone in the office will be moaning about you taking time off.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring ‘mumpreneur’ what would it be?
Join a wonderful supportive networking group like Mums the Boss for fabulous business tips and to meet other people like you, and No they didn’t pay me to say that!!

Amy  is happy to welcome new clients across Bedfordshire.  She cares about the environment and in response to client demands, sends out as much documentation as she can by electronic means.  “For each page saved, I keep a tally and at the end of the year make a donation to the Woodland Trust which has woodland all over the UK including Bedfordshire.”

Call Amy now on 01767 260282, or email amy@tayloraccountancy.net. www.tayloraccountancy.net

Popularity: 4% [?]

Since leaving her ‘previous life’ career as a Buyer for a high street chain, Sarah Barnes has been working as an Interior Designer, setting up her company Ivy House Interiors in 2006. Ivy House Interiors aims to offer complete interior design solutions for everything from entire show-houses to the smallest downstairs loo!

Based on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire boarder, Sarah has a background of show-house and rental property design and project management. Whether you are looking to refresh the style of your bedroom or ‘start from scratch’ with your kitchen Sarah has the contacts and know-how to help – and if she doesn’t she will go out of her way to find it! Through relaxed and informal discussions Sarah can provide you with the solution to your specific requirements.

If you are looking to sell your current property, Sarah also offers a Home Staging Service, transforming your home to “Show House Standard” maximising the sales potential of your property by setting it apart from the competition and offering discounted storage rates. Sarah has also undertaken work for landlords who are looking to transform rental properties from un-furnished to furnished to provide a greater return on their investment. This type of work is often budget led – but with Sarah’s negotiation and fi nancial background combined with design experience, Sarah has furnished properties to a high standard whilst keeping costs minimal.

What inspired you to start your own business
Sitting in the back of an ambulance at 3am on a December morning being transferred to Banbury Children’s Hospital as Milton Keynes General was full with my 11 month old baby who needed oxygen and nebulisers for the 3^rd time in 6 weeks after getting pneumonia the week I returned to work. I applied to go part-time but was turned down, so I resigned. I realised that life is too fragile and precious to spend time worrying about how I was going to get my day job done when I have my family to look after. Our parents are 3 hours away, we have no ‘back-up’ support, so I needed to be able to do a job that was flexible around the children.

What has been your biggest challenge
Getting clients in the current economic climate. Also trying to dispel the myth that interior design is only for the rich and famous, and can in fact have a medium term saving. I’m currently thinking of myself as the Trinny and Susannah of houses – get rid of the stuff that doesn’t suit it and stop wasting money on a bit here and a bit there and buy, as an investment, schemes and accessories that are going to last.

What have you learnt about yourself since you became self-employed
Lots of things! I enjoy people’s company, so Radio 1 is a god send after leaving behind an office of 800 people. I miss a good slanging match – I haven’t had to ‘get angry’ like I occasionally did in my ‘previous life’ so my poor husband gets it taken out on him instead!  I’ve also learnt that Starbucks is addictive, John in Aubergine (my local deli) makes a lush sandwich, and we have a great community in my village that I was oblivious to before and I now feel part of. Also, running your own car is bloody expensive and you have to take it to the garage yourself and pay when something goes wrong rather than handing it back to the transport department! I’ve also learnt that I’m very determined and work crosses over into life more now because there is no drive home ,so it can sometimes get me down when things aren’t going to plan.

What has been the best thing about being your own boss
Flexibility, without a second thought ! If the small people are ill – I juggle my hours. If we need to take delivery of something – I can be here. Its endless, and you just can’t put a price on it.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring ‘mumpreneur’ what would it be?
Go for it but its not going to be easy and its not going to happen overnight. My plan was an 8 year one, taking me up until both children were well into Lower School – but I still expected it to happen sooner and I have to keep reminding myself there is still time. Plan your daily schedule and try to stick to it – if you have childcare, as I’m lucky to have, it’s very tempting to drop them off then spend the next few hours tidying up after them rather than doing the day job – sorry that was 2 pieces advice, wasn’t it?!

For more details or to see examples of previous works, call Sarah on 07711 293320 or drop an e-mail to sarah@ivyhouseinteriors.co.uk. You can also follow Ivy_House on twitter

Popularity: 5% [?]

In our first year in business we have spent the princely sum of £30 + VAT on promotional activity, paying for an insert service which interestingly had a zero return on investment! However we have managed to appear in the local press 3 times, the national press once, and have been interviewed on our local radio station. We have had a double page spread in a local parenting magazine distributed to over 10,000 mums through the school book bags, been featured on numerous websites and been promoted by several business agencies. We have also secured free venue use, free business advice, free business books and had over 20 prizes donated to a recent raffle. And we’ve done all this without ever having to resort to bribery or blackmail. So, how have we done it?

We are proud to unveil the Mum’s The Boss Guide to free (or very cheap) publicity!

1.  Be Friendly – if you are approachable and friendly when you meet people, chances are people will remember you and be more willing to help you out in the future. A warm smile and taking an interest in people costs nothing at all.

2.  Barter – if you can’t afford to pay the going rate for a service, barter some of your product or a service of your own in return.   

3.  Think Outside The Box – publicity doesn’t have to be paying for advertsing space. Think creatively about what is newsworthy about your business – or make something newsworthy happen – and submit it as editorial to the press. And think about all your contacts, and whether they could promote you to their client base, spreading the word through word of mouth.

4.  Know your audience – if you know exactly who your audience is it will be much easier to reach them by targetting your promotion accordingly. That way, if you do end up having to pay for advertising, you will save a fortune by reaching the right people first time.

5.  Use the Internet – take full advantage of the many sites and forums that you can list your business or event on for free. All it will cost you is your time. Make good use of all the social networking sites you belong to, such as Twitter or Facebook – they are perfect for spreading a message ‘virally’ as well as a fantastic way to make invaluable business connections and pick up free business advice.

6.  Blog! – if you haven’t already done so, start a blog. If you can attract a good level of readership your blog can become a fantastic medium for you to barter with, offering to promote businesses or review products in return for a favour.

7.  Be Different – the press likes good news stories or things that are quirky or unusual. If there is something unusual about you or your business then capitalise on this. If not, can you engineer a story with added interest, by linking your business to an event, charity or something topical?

8.  Add Value – if you are asking someone to do you a good turn you must be able to show them what’s in it for them. This may be something tangible like a complimentary product, or it could be as simple as giving them access to your contact network or promoting them on your website or blog.

9.  Be Cheeky – if you don’t ask you don’t get, and sometimes if you just have the confidence/brass neck to ask for a freebie or a discount people are surprisingly happy to oblige

10. Pay People in Cake! – This one NEVER fails. When bartering for people’s time, expertise or use of a venue always offer to bring homemade cake. Works every time!!

We are by no means PR Gurus and these tips are non industry-standard – they are just things that have worked for us and allowed us to enjoy a certain level of publicity for free! Do you have any creative ideas or tips for getting free publicity? We’d love to hear all about them (mainly so we can try them out ourselves)!

Popularity: 12% [?]

The Knowledge Hub is the gateway for business support at the University of Bedford, offering organisations of all sizes the chance to develop via access to a number of initiatives. We have a variety of tools available to businesses, a wealth of experience in delivering business support and we are dedicated to helping companies become more innovative leading to sustainable growth. 

The Knowledge Hub is hosting a FREE lecture series aimed at those wanting to find out more about starting up a business. They are open to the local community and new businesses, as well as the students and staff. Each lecture is presented by successful leaders in businesses who have been through the process of starting up their own company, or have been involved at the start-up stage of new businesses.

The lectures;

• Explore the practicalities involved in starting up, in a relaxed and friendly environment
• Are uniquely delivered by successful entrepreneurs
• Provide an invaluable insight into building a business from people who are ‘doing it’, rather than just talking about it!

The series of lectures are specifically designed and targeted at those who want to:

• Find out about entrepreneurship and determine if it’s for them
• Learn how to start a business by developing basic business skills
• Gain practical experience of turning an idea into a business

Doors open at 6.15pm and the lectures start at 6.30pm and last for approximately an hour. They are totally FREE to attend, and you can pick and chose which ones you want to go to. Most are based at the Luton Campus, but 2 will be at the Polhill Campus in Bedford.

For a full schedule of the lectures, speakers, directions and registration form please visit www.beds.ac.uk

Popularity: 100% [?]