Q3 2022 Eliminating Repetition in the Workplace Automation has been around for some time, but over the last couple of years it is becoming increasingly adopted by businesses. Outcome oriented Centelli work with their clients to free up each employee from the repetitive and dull tasks that weigh them down and, ultimately, waste their skills. Here we learn more about Robotic Process Automation as Centelli wins Best Robotic Process Automation Technology Company, 2022 – United Kingdom. Centelli
A note from the Editor... Welcome to the 2022 Q3 edition of SME News Magazine, where we provide you with all of the latest news, announcements, and features about some of the best up-and-coming enterprises around the United Kingdom. This year has been a ride, full of ups and downs, for all of us. We have welcomed change and found new ways of expressing ourselves through our business endeavours. Now that the summer has ended, we take a step back with the change of the season. Autumn is usually about reflection and the reaping of our rewards – and this issue is here to mirror that. Demonstrating resilience, pride, and harnessing many innovative ideas, the businesses featured in this issue give us inspiration and motivation for our own journey. Not only do they encourage us to soar high, but they also offer peace of mind when we are searching for businesses to support and teach us. We want to take a moment to honour and celebrate the entities who have won these prestigious awards. Our cover, Centelli, is a globally renowned Robotic Process Automation business that has created solutions for that change the way we work. Freeing individuals up to take on more complex and diverse tasks, Centelli acts as a buttress for all kinds of businesses. It enables them to manage workloads whilst expanding at an exponential rate. We are proud to present Centelli with the prestigious title of Best UK Robotic Process Automation Technology Company, 2022. We wish you a very prosperous few months ahead and we look forward sharing Q4 with you soon. Sofi Bajor | Editor +44 (0) 203 970 0018 s.bajor@aiglobalmedialtd.com
Contents 4. News 6. Centelli: Eliminating Repetition in the Workplace 8. Law 365 Limited: Best Specialist IT Law Consultants 2022 9. Twenty Twenty Warranty Ltd: Warranty 10. Blended Counselling Practice: Most Dedicated Counselling Service - Brighton & Hove 11. Faith Williams Law: The Personal Touch 12. TAF Catering Consultancy Ltd: Foodservice MD of the Year 2022: Tracey Fairclough 13. 92 Degrees: People, Community, and Coffee at 92 Degrees 14. Hippo Digital: A Contemporary Approach to IT Consultancy 16. Mango Networks: Most Innovative Telecommunications MD 2022: Sawan Dhillon 18. Ajar Technology: Integrated Solutions for the Digital Age 19. AP Photography: Best Emerging Photography and Videography Business 2022 - Midlands Enterprise Awards 20. Keyif Restaurant: The Welsh Town Where Turkish Cuisine Thrives 21. Squiz: Most Inspiring Technology Specialist Director: Nick Condon 22. Trust Premier Property Management: Property Management You Can Trust 23. JM Wholesale Ltd: Wholesaler of the Future 24. Main Course Associates: Centuries of Combined Hospitality Experience: MCA 25. Bright HR: Strong Software For a Solid Future 26. J Stifford Solicitors: Most Trusted Immigration and Asylum Law Firm 2022 – London 27. Allteks Ltd: The Digital Revolution Starts Here 28. HR:4UK: The Importance of Building a Strong Team 29. Eco Parts Wash Ltd: National Sustainable Parts Washing Equipment Supplier of the Year 2022 30. Dormeo: Best Memory Foam & Mattress Specialists Company, 2022 - UK 32. Hire Fitness: Schools Supplier Of The Year 2022: Paul Healey 33. MAZE: Come Rain or Shine 34. Fairytales Day Nursery Too: Best Childcare Provider - West Midlands 36. Concentra Analytics: SaaS Company General Counsel of the Year 2022: Tim Ross 37. Hallam Hills Limited: A Passion For Local Lettings 38. Minors & Brady: Outstanding Service For Outstanding Homes 39. Recruitment Entrepreneur: Best Global Recruitment Private Equity Investors 2022 40. Oworkers: Best Global Data Entry Outsourcing Company 2022 41. ClearView Research: Most Inclusive Minority Research Specialist Company 2022 42. Solar Select Ltd: Solar Energy Systems Installers of the Year - England & Wales 43. ITCS: Best IT Support & Cloud Solutions Provider – Wales 2022 44. Slamtech: Quick, Reliable, Accessible Shopping 45. The Online Property Agency: A Unique Agency Experience 46. Java Property Services: Best Emerging Facilities Management Company 2022 - West Midlands 47. Goodwin Lighting: Let There Be Light! 48. Gurkha Watch Ltd: Wondrous Watches Work Wonders! 49. Stretton Stonemasons: Best Residential & Memorial Masonry Trade Business - Shropshire 50. Top Men Removals: Making Moving Manageable! 51. Mountbatten Homes: Best Residential Property Developer 2022 53. The Royal Mint Experience: Freshly Minted Success 54. GLO - Generate Leads Online: SEO Web Design Agency of the Year 2022 55. Stonehenge Campsite and Glamping Pods: Best Luxury Glampsite - South West 56. Lexnis Group: Best Emerging Security & FM Partner 2022 58. AI Digital: Best IT and Digital Solutions Provider 59. Winners Listings
4 | Q3 2022 • Half (51%) of UK SMEs would prefer two more lockdowns than any more inflationary rises • Three quarters (76%) agree that the economic landscape is killing entrepreneurialism • Only one in ten (11%) is prepared for inflation-related challenges if costs continue to rise • SMEs urgently demand clarity over Government intervention New research from SME funder, Bibby Financial Services (BFS), sheds further light onto the cost of doing business emergency unfolding for the UK’s small and medium sized businesses as they fight for survival. Findings from the latest SME Confidence Tracker survey , which explores the views of 500 SME owners and decision makers, shows many are at breaking point, with almost four in five (79%) stating the current economic landscape is worse than the pandemic and just one in ten (11%) fully prepared to deal with further cost rises expected. Derek Ryan, UK Managing Director of Bibby Financial Services, said: “Two years ago, we thought the Covid-19 pandemic and successive lockdowns were the greatest issue to hit businesses in a generation. However, SMEs are now telling us that the current economic climate is unsustainable. In the face of a near certain economic recession and spiralling costs, it’s life or death for many of the UK’s SMEs.” These findings come as record inflation and soaring energy bills – set to rise by 80% in October – pile pressure on the purse strings of businesses, and SMEs demand action from the UK’s new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. The survey findings are stark; the current economic environment is significantly worse than the pandemic, to the extent that half of SMEs (51%) would prefer two more lockdowns to a further inflationary rise, and the majority (76%) are concerned that the economic climate is killing entrepreneurialism. In addition, as inflation continues to squeeze margins, 41% say they are cutting back on investment due to the cost of doing business, 43% of SMEs are cutting costs overall, and 47% are passing higher costs to customers. In what could be a significant blow to current levels of employment, 12% of SMEs are making redundancies as part of their cost-cutting measures, which could equate to more than 650,000 jobs lost. With inflation expected to climb, worryingly, only about one in ten (11%) businesses surveyed is fully prepared for inflationrelated challenges. And SMEs predict further cost hikes could result in even higher costs for customers (63%), hiring, salary and promotion freezes (26%), and cuts to investment plans (23%). Nearly a fifth (17%) of businesses will consider turning to short term lending. Current economic climate is worse than during the pandemic, say 79% of SMEs
- • Over a third (37%) of Brits have stayed in the UK for their summer holiday, new research from GoDaddy reveals • Concerns about airport disruption (71%) and the cost-of-living crisis (62%) have seen many decide against international trips • Small and micro hospitality firms are expected to make over £2 billion collectively as three fifths (59%) of domestic holidaymakers prioritise spending with small businesses • Lake District, Devon and Cornwall revealed as the most popular destinations • Fairfax Corner, a sustainable guesthouse based in York, has seen sales increase by 42% year-on-year as people flock to the city for short breaks New research* reveals that small and micro hospitality and leisure firms in the UK will have made over £2 billion** this summer from holidaymakers avoiding international travel. The figures, from GoDaddy, come as nearly two in three Brits (62%) say the cost-of-living crisis means they can’t afford to travel abroad so prioritised day trips and ‘staycations’. Meanwhile, almost three quarters (71%) were put off by ongoing issues at UK airports, including flight cancellations, baggage handling mistakes and extensive queues. This means that more than a third of Brits (37%) have already booked or been on a staycation since the start of summer. Among this group, three in five (59%) people say they prefer to spend with locally-owned, independent businesses. GoDaddy’s research found the top five destinations for staycations this summer have been the Lake District, Cornwall, Devon, the Cotswolds and the New Forest whilst the top five city break destinations have been London, Manchester, Bath, Edinburgh and Liverpool. One business that noticed a surge in bookings is GoDaddy customer, Fairfax Corner, an eco-friendly guesthouse based in York. The house uses no electricity, has been retrofitted with energy efficient insulation and is furnished with second-hand furniture exclusively. Owners Shan Oakes and Bill Rigby have seen a 42% increase in turnover compared to last Summer. Their current income is 14% above pre-pandemic levels when taking inflation into account, driven in part by the boom in staycations. The duo say that there has been a move towards shorter breaks rather than longer trips as holidaymakers look to conserve spending. Shan explains: “Historically, we’ve seen people booking for weeks at a time during the summer months as it’s a good Airport chaos leads to £2 billion boost for SMEs from summer staycations base from which to explore York and Yorkshire. However, this year we’ve noticed a definite shift towards shorter breaks. It means we’ve had a higher turnover of guests and a significantly higher level of income overall.” Bill and Shan recently worked with GoDaddy to overhaul the Fairfax Corner website and ensure a strong digital presence for the business. Bill says: “For ages we had a poor, clunky website that didn’t showcase the guesthouse in the best way. We decided a few months ago that if we wanted to continue the growth of the business in the medium-to-long term, we needed to fix that. We chose to work with GoDaddy to create something entirely new that looks great and is easy for prospective guests to navigate. We’re delighted with it.” “Guests are drawn to the property because of its ecocredentials. Our café sells exclusively local produce, and we showcase art from local creators which tourists seem to enjoy.” Ben Law, Head of UK & Ireland, GoDaddy, said: “GoDaddy helps entrepreneurs and small business owners create an online presence, and it’s heartening to see that despite sizeable financial challenges, Brits are still finding ways to go on holiday this Summer and that everyday entrepreneurs like Shan and Bill are benefiting. The willingness of Brits to support independent hospitality firms during the cost-of-living crisis is great to see, and we’re proud to help entrepreneurs and small business owners create an online presence.” To help microbusinesses make the most of the staycation boom in the UK, there are a few simple steps Ben recommends: 1. Use social media “In an increasingly digital world, the more places you’re available online, the more customers you’re likely to attract. Ensuring you have a social media presence means you can direct people straight to your website through the ‘Link in Bio’ feature and engage new and existing customers.” 2. Partner with other local businesses “Our research highlights holidaymakers’ preference to shop with local businesses, so capitalise on this by partnering with other independent businesses to give customers more reasons to shop with you. Shan and Bill have combined a guesthouse with a café and local artwork, and it seems to be doing wonders for their business!” 3. Offer return customers special booking terms “Shoppers increasingly want a personalised experience. If you can offer customers exclusive access to deals via email marketing they are more likely to convert to return customers. Offer them something they wouldn’t get elsewhere.””
6 | Q3 2022 Eliminating Repetition in the Workplace Automation has been around for some time, but over the last couple of years it is becoming increasingly adopted by businesses. Outcome oriented Centelli work with their clients to free up each employee from the repetitive and dull tasks that weigh them down and, ultimately, waste their skills. Here we learn more about Robotic Process Automation as Centelli wins Best Robotic Process Automation Technology Company, 2022 – United Kingdom. Since the early 2000s, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been taking different industries by storm and it shows no sign of slowing down as it reaches more organisations in a variety of sectors. RPA automates everyday processes that were once solely down to humans and promises a new dawn for each company that incorporates it into its process – these processes can be time consuming, uninspiring, and, simply, breed inaccuracies. Globally renowned Centelli liberates employees by lifting repetitive tasks from their hands. The weight that it takes from the employees frees them up to truly explore their skills and more complex tasks that give a feeling of progression, exploration, and creativity. By encouraging the use of RPA in business, Centelli guarantees an excellent and easy move over to more intricate tasks for employees – so that they can feel fulfilled and challenged. This also makes sure that employees have the time to focus on more interesting tasks where they use their brains and on the less repetitive. Centelli believes that quality has to be of the highest standard for all of its customers, this is so that it can support them and build long-term, lasting relationships that mean Centelli is part of something bigger than itself. Centelli’s unique selling point is that its Digital Workers are compatible with any organisation, any business application and it runs smooth like clockwork around the clock. On average, a Digital Worker can complete 5-15 the amount a person can complete in the same amount of time. . Not only does they save time, but it stops mistakes being made. Human error is a common occurrence in all business – for a multitude of reasons – however, with RPA, errors can be eradicated. Centelli’s Digital Assistant works by having a user trigger an automated set of tasks. This sets everything in motion and manually kick-starts the process. This process can then run on a computer to guarantee things get done easily, swiftly, and without errors – Centelli tells us it is similar to running a macro in Excel, but with much more power and capability to run across multiple applications at once. Its Digital Worker can function 24/7, 365 days a year without a break – this means a flawless experience and perfect work carried out at all times, and throughout the years. Ticking along in the background, the Digital Worker looks after everything that is repetitive yet entirely necessary to the success of the business. With its Digital Team Lead, Centelli can organise tasks across all of its Digital Workers. This program is able to track tasks and offers centralised logging of results and performance for data analysis and improved services. These methods nurture business development and secure success for companies looking to utilise RPA for their benefit – and the benefit of their employees. Centelli essentially works on the idea that a problem shared is a problem halved – as it works hard to seamlessly connect with the needs of each business that approaches it. The internal culture reflects the work that it does on a daily basis; Centelli is entirely passionate and driven and its staff members always push for quality. The force of RPA from Centelli Mar22661
Q3 2022 | 7 promises brighter days for businesses looking to grow and expand. Having built a close-knit team of individuals that all have the same goal in mind, Centelli has created a positive atmosphere that is pushing the bar higher with every partnership. Covid-19 has caused a shift from office-based work into remote working, around the world. This has had a huge impact on the need for RPA, and things sped up significantly for Centelli throughout the pandemic. There has been an increase in people realising that their work-life balance could change and deciding not to go back to work or end up reducing their hours– so companies are finding that they need to fill the labour gap. Due to the pandemic, and the effects of Brexit, there are less people working in certain industries. This is where Centelli can help; Centelli can provide RPA methods that can actually fill places for businesses that have a low number of staff members. Not only does Centelli help with business efficiency and alternatives to ensure the company runs smoothly, but it has also recently done this free of charge for businesses affected by Covid-19.For example, if a job is repetitive and tedious, people could find themselves feeling dissatisfied after a day of doing the same thing over and over again. Digital Workers can alleviate any stresses related to monotonous tasks, freeing up the employees mind for more fulfilling activities outside of work. Instead of spending all of their time unwinding before and after a repetitious shift, they could be living their life to the full and find themselves doing more as they have a fresher outlook on life. For 2022 and beyond, Centelli plans on accelerating its growth further as it is seeing an increase in demand and interest surrounding RPA. Centelli is also building deeper AI based logic within it’s solutions to work towards a more cost-effective and effortless future for businesses around the globe. Centelli endeavours to improve business and productivity for the UK economy and has already managed to make a huge difference to businesses within a variety of industries. From hotels and hospitality to construction, automotive, healthcare, financial services and supply chain, and others, Centelli shares its wealth of knowledge with a plethora of organisations – both individual businesses and a chains. By working with a range of mid to large clients, such as Jury’s Inn, GLH Hotels, LUSH, Hampshire Trust Bank, Vistry Group, and more, Centelli improves their employee experiences now and for the future. As Centelli wins Best Robotic Process Automation Technology Company, 2022 – United Kingdom, we are happy to be able to share its Digital Workers to the business world. We wish Centelli the best for the future – long may its list of accomplishments grow. Contact: Aneesh Gupta Company: Centelli Web Address: https://centelli.com/ Eliminating Repetition in the Workplace “ Since the early 2000s, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been taking different industries by storm and it shows no sign of slowing down as it reaches more organisations in a variety of sectors. RPA automates everyday processes that were once solely down to humans and promises a new dawn for each company that incorporates it into its process – these processes can be time consuming, uninspiring, and, simply, breed inaccuracies. ”
8 | Q3 2022 Mar22210 Best Specialist IT Law Consultants 2022 Law 365 is a specialist law firm that supports Microsoft Partners at all stages of their business, from the young to the very established. The firm, headed up by CEO and Founder, Kim Simmonds, prides itself on affordable services and jargon-free communication. We speak to Kim to find out more. When Kim Simmonds’ first child was born in 2014, she looked at the legal profession and it was clear that it was failing parents who wanted to balance their careers with family life. She decided something needed to be done. Founding Law 365, Kim’s mission was not only to provide employees with more balance in their lives but also to support clients by making legal advice more accessible and affordable. “I’m a big advocate for change in the workplace for parents, and especially for women,” says Kim. “I’ve created an environment that attracts incredible senior and experienced female lawyers. Law 365 gives them the right balance in their lives and it works for them. I give my team the tools they need to succeed, in and out of the workplace. It’s my privilege to lead and do everything I can to support them.” Law 365’s award is a testament to Kim’s success. With 27 members of staff, the firm scored 100% in the Great Places to Work 2022 employee survey, being recognised for the 2nd successive year. Kim says, “I’ve proved that you can have it all. You can be a woman, a lawyer and a mother. You can put staff wellbeing before profits and create a successful, great place to work. And you can disrupt one of the oldest industries in the process.” Kim chose to focus on the IT sector to improve the industry and provide opportunities for businesses to prosper. She says, “Currently 1 in 100 VAT registered companies in the UK is a Microsoft Partner. Small IT companies can grow rapidly. They create millions of jobs in the UK. But only 10% of them use a lawyer regularly. They say legal advice is too expensive and it slows down the sales process with legalese. We’re currently the only law firm in the world to specialise in providing our services to Microsoft Partners. It’s a huge market and affects every business in the world, so our work is vital for the UK economy.” In the first instance, Law 365’s efforts were concentrated on developing its ‘Legal as a Service’ (LaaS) offering. Instead of unpredictable and often large legal bills, Law 365 offers small businesses an affordable monthly subscription to access the decades of legal experience in the team. This covers all their legal requirements and enables business owners to budget for what they need. Kim explains, “Our fees cover getting a deal done from start to finish. Clarity and transparency of pricing is pretty unique to us, as no other law firm has quite achieved our LaaS model. It’s a game changer for this oldfashioned industry.” More recently Law 365 has automated the process of reviewing non-disclosure agreements (NDA). The automated service, known as LawyerBot365, uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to speed up this often lengthy process. Kim tells us, “To service technology clients, it made sense to heavily invest in AI tools. LawyerBot365 provides fast, cost-efficient, and accessible legal advice. It’s priced for start-ups (costing about 1/10th of a human lawyer) and available 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s been a great success so far. We’ll be developing it further to support larger contracts in the future.” Law 365’s other innovative service for 2022 is a programme developed by Law 365’s Employment team, led by Megan O’Hara, and Executive Performance Coach and Wellbeing Ambassador, Louise Otton. The HAPPY 365 programme is designed to help employees and leaders to step into their roles with confidence and to find purpose in their work. More critically in this job market, by combining the best of performance coaching with cutting-edge people policies, HAPPY 365 enables clients to attract and retain talent. Contact: Kim Simmonds (CEO) Company: Law 365 Limited Email hello@law365.co Phone 01892 313943 Web Address: www.law365.co “ Founding Law 365, Kim’s mission was not only to provide employees with more balance in their lives but also to support clients by making legal advice more accessible and affordable. ”
Mar22531 Warranty Wonders! In the crowded automotive sector, Twenty Twenty Warranty Ltd stands out for the diversity of clientele who turn to the team for their warranty and value-products needs. Of course, such success is a reflection of strong leadership in all respects. In SME News’ Managing Director of the Year Awards 2022, the firm’s leadership was celebrated with the award for Car Dealership MD of the Year 2022: Simon MiIler. We take a closer look at the firm to see why he was so justly recognised. When looking at the career of Simon Miller, it’s easy to see how he’s risen to the heights of an incredibly competitive industry. At the very heart of how he operates is a deep understanding of the automotive sector as a whole, and what it means to provide a premier service. His growth professionally is what has inspired Twenty Twenty Warranty, but it’s the journey of this growth that interests us most. “I started out selling cars in the early 90s for a Vauxhall main dealer,” Simon explains, “and spent three great years learning something new every day. I moved through the ranks at various dealers, becoming a sales manager business manager and group F&I manager. I was then approached by a supplier for of products to become a BDM for the south of the UK, and after a couple of years was promoted to regional manager.” The demand for Simon’s services reflect the enormous amount of hard work he puts into every project. It also reflects someone who had the ambition to continue growing and evolving, taking on bigger and better responsibilities. “A sales director role then followed,” he tells us. “After being with the last two suppliers, I realised I could do a better job and offer better products with a muchimproved experience for our partners. Twenty Twenty Warranty was borne out this desire.” Since opening its doors, Twenty Twenty Warranty has created policies that fit the needs of their clients, instead of bending their clients to fit them. Those who turn to Simon and his team range from small dealers selling from home to main dealers selling new and used vehicles. They trust Simon to find the package that is ideal for their customers’ needs. By offering excellent services levels to both dealers and policy holders, using a common-sense approach and not looking for loopholes, the business has grown impressively over the last few years. We asked Simon what he would say to someone else looking to rise to the top of a competitive industry. “Maybe don’t wait as long I did to take the plunge,” he says ruefully. “Believe in your ability to achieve your dream. Listen to your team, and remember that every day is a school day. Set you goals out from day one and stick to that plan.” With such impressive success behind him, Simon’s perspective is one which is invaluable. The future seems bright both for him and his business. “We are just back from our first road transport Expo and we are now offering Warranty products on vehicles from motorbikes to HGVs,” he tells us. “Our new B to C online platform is just going live warrantymycar.co.uk this means people can get a quote online for warranty and recovery on cars motorhomes and trucks.” With such exciting plans in the offing, we cannot wait to see what Simon and his intrepid team do next. Their honest and determined attitude is an inspiration to many. “I don’t believe in do as I say but follow my lead,” Simon admits. “Actions I take as a manager are always consultative and most definitely about creating an environment to encourage people to achieve.” Certainly, the legacy is Twenty Twenty Warranty is a business that will succeed no matter what. Company: Twenty Twenty Warranty Ltd Name: Simon Miller Email: simon@2020warranty.co.uk Web Address: www.2020warranty.co.uk
10 | Q3 2022 May22011 Most Dedicated Counselling Service - Brighton & Hove Blended Counselling Practice provides a safe space for professionals who are pressured to perform highly, on a daily (or even hourly) basis. Helping individuals and companies, Blended Counselling Practice provides sessions of 50 minutes at the convenience of the person in need of a listening ear or helping hand in the rearrangement of their thoughts so that they may feel comfortable, happy, and refreshed again. With over 20 years of senior level experience working in the financial markets – covering FX, bonds, stocks, and derivatives – Gary Jessop understands the signs and stages of burnout as well as the importance of mental wellness exercises. “Wellbeing and stress management is a vital component to improved performance, client relationships (internal and external), and business continuity,” Gary shares. His wisdom and experience allows him to inform and transform clients from all over the world. As sessions can be held anywhere, it is entirely possible for him to help someone from the opposite side of the world – so, no matter where you are, there’s always someone to listen. At Blended Counselling Practice, as a Wellbeing Practitioner for financial services, Gary completely appreciates and recognises all of the dangers and risks behind high performance high reward careers. Gary says, “In the financial sector where high performance equates to high reward there is a tremendous weight of pressure on both individuals and businesses.” Being able to clearly spot and define issues within this industry, Gary is able to promote better mental health through coping mechanisms and mental wellbeing monitoring. Gary tells us, “I offer a bespoke, confidential and flexible service in person (close to financial centres on specific days) and via video or phone (or a combination of all). Naturally, with staff often out the office on business trips or working abroad my aim is to be available by whichever means best suits the individual seeking my advice and support. I provide a safe, empathetic space, encouraging open and honest dialogue, where staff are able to freely express any issues that are impacting them personally and affecting their work.” By offering Blended Counselling Practice’s help in this way, Gary guarantees the most accessible service for a better experience, and a greater form of help. Contact: Gary Jessop Company: Blended Counselling Practice Web: www.blendedcounsellingpractice.com Blended Counselling Practice knows that we are all different. It provides a plethora of treatments, from all angles, to ensure the best outcome for everyone. Some people may prefer face to face sessions, online meetings, or telephone appointments – but all people expect a high level of professionalism and empathy from a counsellor. By offering a positive solution to mental health issues, Blended Counselling Practice assures us that its expert nature and deeply rooted experience can help to improve our lives now and for the future.
Q3 2022 | 11 May22178 The Personal Touch The law can seem like a monolith, unchanging and unchangeable, but the impact of its degrees affect people every day of our lives. We take a look at the team from Faith Williams Law to uncover precisely how they’ve been able to achieve such success in the UK Legal Awards where the team were named Best Conveyancing Law Firm - East Midlands. We dig a little deeper to uncover precisely how the team did it. Exceptional legal advice isn’t all you can get from the team at Faith Williams Law. You find within the walls of the team’s offices an approach which is a million miles away from legal jargon and complicated arguments. This is a team that focuses on the unique needs of people and offering the best legal advice to them to ensure they have the best possible outcome. With offices in Plymouth and Lincoln, the team at Faith Williams are proud to provide the services of a traditional law firm with a relaxed approach that is anything but. The approach of Faith Williams Law has always been one which is compassionate and friendly. As far away from the stuffy attitude of the traditional law firm as possible, a major part of the appeal of the Faith Williams Law team is their informal air. Whilst not standing on ceremony, the team are well aware of their craft and take great pride in their ability to deliver stunning legal advice to their clients. This unique vision is part of why Faith Williams founded the firm in the first place. After fifteen years of legal expertise, she felt that there was a gap in the market for those who could speak plainly and clearly to people about issues of family law. The team at her firm are all committed to making clients feel relaxed and comfortable in a system which is often alien to them in every way. Bringing a boutique approach to everyone has been incredibly rewarding for her and her team. Since opening their doors, the Faith Williams team have tackled cases including conveyance, family law, civil dispute resolution, negligence cases and wills and codicils. Their work has been truly exceptional, protecting the rights of many in a no-nonsense way. When someone is in trouble and needs help quickly, this is a team that knows how to act quickly to get the best possible result. Kindness and inclusion starts every discussion at Faith Williams Law, which is why the team offer a free legal consultation to allow the team to understand your case better and for their clients to understand precisely what is expected of them by the legal team. This simple step is key to ensuring that this talented crew of solicitors can assess how strong a case in, how likely it is to succeed and the chance of you gaining compensation if you ask for it. Instead of leaving you to fend for yourself, every consultation ends with a step-by-step guide of what is most likely to happen next. From the very beginning, Faith Williams Law discusses the potential legal fees involved in a case. They operate on a fixed fee basis, offering complete transparency at all times. As a business that is built on ensuring that legal services are accessible to all, it’s little wonder they place such pride on their affordable fees, with no hidden costs at any point. When people turn to Faith Williams Law, they know they can trust the team to deliver precisely what they promise. As the team at Faith Williams Law continue to go from strength to strength, we celebrate the way in which they are broadening the industry. By reaching out to what people need in a calm and friendly manner, they have been able to achieve overwhelming success. We cannot wait to see what they do in the weeks and months yet to come. Company: Faith Williams Law Name: Faith Williams Email: faith@faithwilliamslaw.com
May22485 Foodservice MD of the Year 2022: Tracey Fairclough TAF Catering Consultancy is an innovative foodservice business founded by Tracey Fairclough, an experienced caterer and marketer. Her abundance of knowledge and hard work has driven the company to dizzying heights, enabling it to take on projects for several prestigious businesses. Tracey Fairclough set up TAF Catering Consultancy in October 2018, after identifying a gap in the market for a younger, female MD led, alternative foodservice consultancy. At the time, the market presented as a male-dominated space, occupied by only a handful of female-run businesses. Starting out with a business degree from Cardiff University, she plunged head first into the dynamic fast-paced advertising and marketing worlds. However, after spending 16 years in this space, delivering campaigns and winning awards, she decided to transition into foodservices. Joining one of the top corporate caterers, Elior, Tracey began catering for employees in workplaces across the UK. Her career quickly progressed, and after five years, at a peer’s suggestion, she delved into creating her own unique foodservice company. TAF’s mission is simple: to offer the most relevant, reliable, timely foodservice insights to clients. Three features underpin every project – it listens, collaborates, and delivers bespoke foodservice solutions to corporate clients. Moreover, this mission spans across the company’s seven main services: Catering Audits, Catering Mobilisations, Catering Tenders, Foodservice Feasibility Projects, Stakeholder Engagement Initiatives, Catering Design/Rebranding, and Market Research Projects. In its clients’ words, TAF is today’s ‘fresh, forward-thinking, innovative, app-savvy and sustainability focused’ foodservice consultancy. The company’s growth path, in just three and a half years, has seen it employed across 10 sectors, and has enabled it to run seminars at universities. Such seminars have been designed to inspire a new generation of hospitality graduates and are often presented to leading facilities management committees to illuminate the UK’s most established, pioneering, and illustrious foodservice contracts. Further, TAF’s opinions have been sought and published to promote market-leading ‘thought-leadership’ in industry publications. By October 2020, between lockdowns, TAF ran one of a handful of UK face-to-face conferences, creating the first TAFTALKS event, at which half a dozen clients attended, using hot-off-the-market COVID-19 testing kits, to unlock its unique brand of foodservice insight. 2020 morphed into 2021, the country came off furlough, and TAF commenced a journey along a nationwide path, taking it down a collaborative route to provide more reassurance and confidence to both partners and clients. Much of its approach involved sharing critical insights with partners, improving forecasting, avoiding disruption from variables such as rising food prices which, more recently, has been affected by the Ukraine crisis, driving supply chain resiliency, and more. By Q3, TAF had visited over 21 contract caterers, travelled almost 10,000 miles around the UK, and seen workplaces from 20,000 sq. ft. London office spaces to 4,000,000 sq. m. purpose-built destinationsites. 2021 ended with TAF working for a prestigious high street bank, managing, and completing an unprecedented stakeholder engagement initiative. TAF’s journey would not have been possible without the caterers who’ve recommended it, the clients who’ve re-appointed it, and the collaborative partners who’ve worked with it, as they enable it to provide the best specialist expertise, for unique client solutions. ‘This approach keeps me grounded to know I’m only as good as the people around me and I always want to know WHO’s doing WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW WELL, for HOW MUCH and WHY customers love them,’ notes Tracey. The current year has been TAF’s biggest year yet. In January, Tracey judged the 2022 Contract Catering Awards. In February, she was voted one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Foodservice 2022 by the Association of Catering Excellence (ACE), and by May, she had been awarded the SME NEWS Foodservice MD of the Year 2022. In foodservice consultancy terms, TAF has already completed several significant catering projects for global clients with the rest of 2022/2023. Tracey adds, ‘getting to this position wasn’t luck or simply hard graft. I stayed true to my mission, vision, and values, creating a new standard in the industry.’ What does the future look like for TAF? Continued adapting and evolving solutions, with more collaborations with the very best experts (drawn from specialist areas hit hard by the pandemic in contract catering – culinary, branding, production, digital and food safety); launching the TAF Collective 2022. The aim: to problem solve with corporate clients and caterers, driving best practice foodservice into a new world, around the most relevant, reliable, timely, commercial and freshest consultancy advice, pushing innovation to deliver premium foodservices! Contact: Tracey Fairclough Company: TAF Catering Consultancy Ltd Web Address: tafcateringconsultancy.com
Q3 2022 | 13 Jun22015 People, Community, and Coffee at 92 Degrees Born out of Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter in 2014, 92 Degrees does coffee differently. From its humble beginnings, the company has achieved a loyal following of coffee lovers with its focus on quality products, ethical practices and sustainability. 92 Degrees is our Best Roastery and Coffee Shop Company, 2022 – United Kingdom. From the start, the roastery and coffee shop, 92 Degrees, was on a mission to deliver something good in every cup of coffee. Based on the corner of Hardman and Hope Street, the company quickly decided that sourcing and roasting its own coffee beans would be the best way to ensure quality. In fact, 92 Degrees’ signature blend is named after the famous street – Hope Street Espresso. Starting out with one coffee shop, today 92 Degrees boasts a further three coffee shops in Liverpool and has expanded to Leeds, Southport, Manchester, and London. The company’s mission to do good extends way beyond serving a great cup of coffee. 92 Degrees’ core values are people, community and coffee. Company director, John (Jack) Brewitt, explains, “Everything we do is in the name of our core values. Far and near we’re always looking to make a positive impact. We offer a sense of belonging and opportunity to everyone that crosses our threshold.” Close to home, the company invites local artists, businesses and suppliers to showcase their work and products in its shops. Further afield, 92 Degrees began partnering with Project Waterfall in 2017. The charity provides clean water, sanitation and hygiene for coffee-growing communities around the world. Jack says, “We donate 10% of all bagged coffee sales to the charity. So far we’ve raised over £14,600.” 92 Degrees’ mission is to provide awesome coffee for everyone, everywhere. But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mission was in doubt as the company was forced to close its stores for an extended period. Jack tells us, “We were unsure of how we were going to survive. There was a silver lining though. Our online sales increased considerably. This meant we were able to continue our mission of providing awesome coffee, for everyone, everywhere.” The online popularity of the company’s products continued to grow past the lockdown. So much so, 92 Degrees was able to open five new shops. As well as its increasing loyal base of ‘at home’ coffee fans, 92 Degrees has developed its wholesale offering and currently partners with hotels, churches, bars, and restaurants, coffee shops, garden centres, and universities. So what’s the internal culture like at 92 Degrees? Jack says, “I’d describe our culture as resilient, persistent and ready to take on any challenge. We’re still a small team, especially within our HQ/ Roastery. We’ve had to all wear lots of different hats and work together to achieve our ambitious goals.” “Our in-store and HQ/Roastery teams work at a very high level of performance. Without them striving to offer the best guest experience and quality product every day, we wouldn’t have reached this level of success so quickly.” “As we continue to grow, expanding our teams has come naturally. We look for people who are genuinely good. They’ll have an eagerness to succeed and contribute their unique personality and skillset to the company. You can teach coffee, not personality.” Looking to the future, 92 Degrees plans to expand into more communities. The company is working towards B-corp certifications and mitigating its environmental impact too. Jack explains, “We know we have lots to do, especially as we continue growing. But we’re proud of what we’ve already achieved. This includes using our 92 Degrees electric vans for local deliveries, choosing local suppliers and recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable packaging and materials.” Asked about receiving the award he says, “Thank you for allowing us to share our story. We’re honoured to be recognised for this award. It’s great to know that our hard work and dedication to do good and provide awesome coffee hasn’t gone unnoticed.” Contact: Jack Brewitt Company: 92 Degrees Web: https://92degrees.coffee/
14 | Q3 2022 May22227 A Contemporary Approach to IT Consultancy Hippo Digital is a full-service, digital, and highly empathic digital service consultancy operating in both he public and private sectors. Nominally, its efforts build trusted, effective relationships and combine data, design, and engineering in order to support meaningful transformations, starting with the user in mind and continuing as it means to go on with personalised, evidence-based, and proven organisational builds that support its clients’ futures. Serving them with an unmatched level of customer service that always puts the person at the fore, its end-to-end approach will take a customer from discovery to delivery in a timely, cost effective, and holistic manner. Critically, with this and organisational builds in mind, its delivery methodology has been crafted to support its customers every step of the way. It recognises that good due process is one of the best ways IT consultancy can work, and by using a well established format that contains flexible, adaptable goals and personalised milestones, it can guide a client through a roadmap that will leave them with a rigorous and watertight IT infrastructure. Since 2016 – when Hippo Digital was founded – Critically, with this and organisational builds in mind, its delivery methodology has been crafted to support its customers every step of the way. It recognises that good due process is one of the best ways IT consultancy can work, and by using a well established format that contains flexible, adaptable goals and personalised milestones, it can guide a client through a roadmap that will leave them with a rigorous and watertight IT infrastructure. Since 2016 – when Hippo Digital was founded – it has used this to establish itself as a true leader of data analysis, service design, and delivery expertise, with each of its staff working hard to keep it operating at the top of its game. Its internal culture is therefore one of culture, fit, and value. Fundamentally, each person within Hippo Digital can expect to have their voices heard and their opinions recognised, valuing the diversity amongst its staff for its ability to make its products better fit a wider range of customers. With a wide range of experts within its ranks, all of whom are incredible data analysts, service design teams, and delivery experts, it invites its clients to reach out today to get a comprehensive idea of how each of these people can put provide actionable consultancy that will take their business to the next level. Overcoming challenges, embracing opportunity, and having fun along the way, its team take a selfless, ambitious, human, and pragmatic approach to their work. In essence, this means that they will always strive to put the client ahead of their own ambitions, defining themselves by the success it helps its clients to find and trusting in Hippo Digital to give credit where it is due for hard work, instead of feeling like they must fight for recognition. Thus, the level of ambition it cultivates within its ranks is a healthy one. Hippo Digital’s staff use their ambition to challenge itself, take change in its stride, and transform its clients’ businesses for the better, creating environments of growth and positivity in order to truly earn its title of the most person-focused consultancy in the UK. Indeed, it continually proves its fit for the title time and again, and this is something that its clients have consistently lauded as exemplary as it has been added to and expanding its portfolio, one happy customer at a time. Whether it’s delivering solutions to the public, its clients, or even supporting its own team, each staff member’s human connection to the people around them is a huge part of what has made the impressive collection of glowing reviews and peer referrals that bolster its further success. It, in essence, always strives to ‘treat others how [it] would wish to be treated, taking pride in upholding the reputation it was developed for kind, hardworking, and passionate people who are all working in tandem to achieve the common goals of the company. The pragmatism behind the company also helps to support this. Importantly, it wishes to define the difference between pragmatic and dogmatic: pragmatism refers to the practicality of its work and the actionable nature of its solutions, and its rejection of dogmatic behaviour means that it is unafraid to bend the rules and push the limits in order to create something wholly new. Being lean, agile, and delivery focused, it will only ever take steps when it is sure that the evidence can back up this move. Pivotally, this means that unless it can succinctly and clearly explain to a customer why it is suggesting an action, it will not take that action. This also contributes to the honesty that forms a throughline in the business – one emboldened by an ethos of transparency breeding trust – and applies both within the company proper and in client relations. It cuts through the noise, rejecting bloated traditional IT consultancy practices in exchange for something streamlined, pro-active, and open, getting the answers to difficult questions without making it a difficult process to get to such answers. Moreover, by not taking itself too seriously, it can achieve all these things whilst not putting undue stress on the client or its own staff, working with the NHS, DWP, SEGA, and more in order to commit to its three core organisational goals: research, design, deliver. Therefore, clients can look forward to a genuine partnership when it comes to working with Hippo Digital. A diverse, closely knitted community with a knack for problem solving, common sense, and adaptability, it champions curiosity, allowing its staff to grow during the crisis when public sector bodies invested significantly in the digital process development of various elements. Having grown its workforce exponentially as a result, it is on track to having 400 people in its ranks by 2024, expanding its foothold in the North of England and further afield, looking forward to setting up shop in London, Bristol, and Glasgow in order to maintain its company’s current trajectory. Hippo Digital, being the ‘Most Innovative Digital Service Designs and IT Consultant Company’ in 2022 for United Kingdom, has secured its place at the head of the pack for person-focused and utterly exemplary IT consultancy work. With a diverse team of experts behind it, and a bright future ahead as it continues to expand into different offices up and down the UK, it looks forward to showing yet more clients the success that comes from establishing their very own watertight IT infrastructure with the right support. Company: Hippo Digital Contact: David Wilkinson Website: https://hippodigital.co.uk/
www.sme-news.co.ukRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQxNTg3MQ==