Category: Articles

Business people with a digital tablet while talking, planning and brainstorming together at work.

CEO’s Top Tips on How to Manage Your Well-Being as a Leader

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

By Jeff Dewing CEO of Cloudfm

Since the pandemic, we have seen 81% of workplaces increase their focus on employee mental health. While many businesses have implemented policies to address mental health, truly prioritising employee well-being requires more than just words. It starts with the CEO and trickles down to the entire organisation. But what about the well-being of the leaders themselves? How can they manage their own mental health while being busy with the stresses of running a business and juggling the concerns of everyone else?  Here are some top tips on how to manage your well-being as a leader.

 

Make sure your cup is full 

First and foremost, it’s essential for leaders to ensure their own cup is full. Whilst it’s important to make employees’ needs a top priority, leaders must recognise that they can’t effectively help others unless they maintain their own well-being. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself is the best way to support others. That’s why it’s key to take the time to regularly check in on yourself. At Cloudfm, we have monthly check-ins with each employee, where we focus on the five strands of resilience: emotional state, social life, physical health, spiritual well-being and mental state. This activity is inclusive of everyone, including management and myself.

 

Practice what you preach 

Leading by example is crucial when it comes to promoting workplace well-being. According to 69% of people, their managers had the greatest impact on their mental health. This highlights the immense influence that leaders possess in shaping well-being within organisations. No one cares what you say, they care what you do. People pay more attention to actions than words, so it’s important for leaders to practice what they preach. That’s why I ensure that I lead by example in promoting workplace well-being and effectively managing stress. I prioritise “Jeff Time,” which involves being undisturbed watching the sunset daily and going for a walk at my local beach. This practice really helps clear my mind. Having experienced its benefits firsthand, I introduced two paid hours per week for my employees to practice mindfulness, giving them time to reflect. While not everyone has clear prompts like the sunset, I encourage my team to ritualise activities that feel peaceful. Regular reflection time can be transformative, as sometimes slowing down helps you go faster.

 

Build healthy habits

Remember there is no such thing as work-life balance – there’s only life. Given that we spend a significant portion of our lives working, it is crucial to prioritise our well-being and incorporate as much enjoyment and fun as we can both in and out of the workplace. It’s not enough to simply encourage employees to leave their desks or go for walks during the day; leaders must lead by example and do so themselves as well.

Since the pandemic, I have made a conscious effort to avoid back-to-back calls and only run them for 40 minutes. I also enforce an hour gap between each meeting for myself and my team and encourage walking meetings to get the blood flowing. Additionally, I add an element of fun to my workday by singing and dancing every day, usually after finishing a call (although it’s clear to all, I cannot sing!) It might seem silly, but it creates a positive atmosphere, uplifts my mood and makes me feel good.

 

Be vulnerable & don’t be afraid to ask for help

Leaders should try to embrace vulnerability and not be afraid to ask for help. I personally have fully embraced vulnerability. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, when our company experienced a drastic 95% drop in revenue, I broke down crying during a company Zoom meeting. By being open and honest, I demonstrated that it’s okay not to have all the answers. This helped create a culture where people feel supported and understood, enabling them to feel comfortable sharing their own stresses and uncertainties. It also relieved the pressure of facing struggles alone and I didn’t need to put up a front. So be transparent and don’t be afraid to ask for help, you are only human and everyone will understand.

Prioritising well-being as a leader is not only essential for your own health and happiness but organisational success.  By taking care of yourself, practising what you preach, building healthy habits and embracing vulnerability, you can create a positive work environment that fosters growth and productivity. Nurturing your own well-being will have a domino effect, leading to a thriving workplace.

The business team is meeting with stress due to operating losses and the economic downturn

“Be prepared for the unexpected: How to deal with unforeseen challenges when running a business.”

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

By Alex Landowski, the founder of Medical Logistics & Medical Laboratories

Whilst planning is key to running a successful business, we can’t always predict the challenges that we will face. That’s why leaders need to be quick on their feet, agile and adapt to the ever-changing landscape around us. From the sudden outbreak of pandemics to financial crises and recessions, unexpected obstacles can arise at any moment, putting your organisation at risk.

Having founded Medical Logistics amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I have learnt valuable lessons on how to tackle unforeseen challenges. As a result, we’ve developed strategies to overcome these setbacks. Here are some of the most important lessons that I have learnt throughout my career to help you be prepared for the unexpected and emerge stronger from the storms that come your way.

The best way to deal with unforeseen challenges is to prepare for these as much as you can in advance.  Whether that means putting contingency plans in place for worst-case scenarios or considering what could go wrong and creating solutions and plans for each situation. This could involve having a backup supplier for critical materials or developing a crisis management plan to address unforeseen events like natural disasters or cyber-attacks. However, these plans are not evergreen you must constantly adapt and review these to remain agile, adjusting to the changing landscape and learning from the issues that arise around you.

 

Stay flexible and adaptable 

Mckinsey’s research shows that adaptability is the critical success factor during periods of transformation and systemic change. Adaptability is the ability to learn flexibly and efficiently and to apply that knowledge across situations. If you are open to change now, you can control uncertainty before it becomes too hard to change course.

The nature of being a 24/7 medical courier service, means we must be speedy to provide quick medical services to our customers no matter where they are. This means we have to be able to adapt to unforeseen challenges such as adverse weather, strikes, traffic and technical difficulties on a day-to-day basis. That’s why we’ve invested significantly into innovations to help overcome these barriers like drone tech. It’s important to embrace technology and those that don’t adapt will undoubtedly fall behind. 

 

See opportunities not obstacles

Instead of viewing obstacles as barriers to progress, consider them as opportunities to innovate and drive meaningful change in your industry. While conventional problem-solving may provide short-term solutions, taking calculated risks and innovating can lead to long-term progression.

The key to the success of Medical Logistics was recognising a need for innovation in my industry and acting on it. After 10 years of working in the field, I observed a lack of progression as companies were unwilling to deviate from the industry norms. Unforeseen challenges can help identify problems that need solving and create opportunities for innovation. Whether you’re addressing small internal issues or tackling larger industry-wide problems, being flexible, adaptable and open-minded is essential. By adopting a growth mindset that views problems as opportunities for innovation and development, you can drive the success of your business forward.

 

Keep calm and carry on 

Finally, if things go wrong don’t give up. Stay calm and focused. Refrain from going into panic mode or overwhelming yourself. Take a deep breath and step back and assess the situation objectively. Provide clarity to your team and don’t be afraid to reach out for help to navigate through challenging times.

Changing your relationship with failure is critical preparation for dealing effectively with unforeseen challenges head-on. Always focus on the positive and see failure as a learning curb and stepping stone to success. Taking this optimistic approach can help you see failure as a friend and an opportunity for growth, ultimately enabling you to bounce back quickly. This will have a positive domino effect on your organisation, your resilience and perseverance will shine through allowing you to be a stronger leader and inspire others to believe in your business.

As a business owner, I have come to realise that facing adversity can be a valuable opportunity to learn, grow, and innovate. In the unpredictable roller-coaster journey of running a business, it’s important to accept that both ups and downs will occur. Embracing a positive mindset towards failure and taking calculated risks can lead to breakthroughs and innovation within an industry. By approaching challenges with an open mind, you can identify problems that need to be solved and learn from each situation. Continuously adapting, growing, and changing is crucial to staying competitive and improving your business. Therefore, it’s essential to view obstacles as opportunities to improve and enhance your business.

7 Critical Leadership Skills For Any Business

Posted on | by root

Successful entrepreneurs think creatively and get the most out of their employees as possible. These leadership abilities are especially useful for new company owners who need to demonstrate the worth of their product or service via branding. Having excellent leadership abilities in the business world may help you attract new investors, pique the attention of key stakeholders, and keep your organisation’s objective on track.

Running a business is a rewarding but difficult endeavour, with surprises and obstacles around every corner. It requires a strong leader to coordinate the many moving pieces of a company to the point where it can survive on its own. Leadership is crucial to the success of any organisation, whether you’re the boss or the boss’s employee. The leadership of a company may either propel it forward or drive it to its demise. You can help your organisation reach its full potential by developing your business and management acumen.

Tips To Improve Your Leadership Capabilities In Business?

You are already showing signs of leadership potential if you are interested in developing your business leadership abilities. To motivate others, natural leaders strive towards peak performance. In order to be a successful leader and businessperson, consider the following advice.

Inspire Your Followers, Don’t Dominate Them

A hallmark of effective leadership is its ability to inspire its followers to give their all at all times. Effective corporate leadership encourages teamwork rather than imposing obligations on employees. When everyone in a team is confident in their place and knows they are contributing, ideas flow freely.

Be An Example To Follow 

You need to set an example as the leader of your company. It’s not always good to order your employees. Rather, you should develop a strong bond with your team members to get the most out of them. When you lead by example, you provide the groundwork for your company’s culture to flourish. Honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness are qualities you should exhibit so they may be associated with your brand.

Ask the Team To Bring Cost-effective Solutions

Cost is a major factor that a true business leader must keep an eye on. Always ask your team to come up with cost-effective solutions to save your company’s finances. Whether it is about technology tools or software, I prefer to use free auto bots. Many successful businesses make use of free auto bots like bitcoin buyer to execute business operations. By cutting costs, you can see a major difference in a company’s progress towards achieving goals. . 

Be An Expert Communicator

Leadership and corporate success depend on leaders’ abilities to effectively communicate with their teams, customers, and other business and community partners. You may better customise your message to your audience and increase the likelihood of it being comprehended if you take the time to identify your team’s and your own communication styles. In addition to raising the bar for everyone else in your company, your verbal and nonverbal communication abilities will benefit every facet of operations.

Develop Your Conflict Resolution Skills

Disputes will arise in the workplace regardless of how effectively its members interact with one another. To be an effective company leader, you must master the art of defusing tension and turning roadblocks into openings. Mastering the art of negotiating is crucial in resolving conflicts. Successful negotiation may prevent any side from walking away from a quarrel feeling like they lost or won. Instead, everyone will feel that they’ve gained insight and settled on a reasonable outcome that may serve as a springboard for better planning in the future.

Celebrate Success

The best teams are those that often celebrate their wins, no matter how big or little. In an effort to make adjustments and progress, it might be tempting to dwell on failed business agreements, underperforming personnel, and team blunders. It would be a mistake, though, if the triumphs weren’t celebrated and the people who went above and beyond weren’t recognised. Using positive reinforcement as a regular part of your leadership repertoire may have a significant impact on your company’s morale and productivity.

Conclusion 

Productive results depend critically on the presence of competent leadership. Considering the importance of organisational efficiency in a global environment, it is essential to examine the challenges in a global economy. Leaders in business take charge of their organisations and are responsible for several different tasks. Organisational leadership is a complex system comprised of several individuals working together to achieve common goals.

Business people in office cooperating at the wall with the stickers. Mixed team of entrepreneurs

Supercharging Your Website’s Success The Magic of Link Building Services

Posted on | by root

Link building is an integral part of SEO that helps improve website visibility and search rankings. At Guest Posting Solution, you can get links from other trusted websites, which builds your website’s authority. Link building is highly beneficial for businesses as it improves organic search visibility, drives targeted traffic, and boosts online authority.

But how this process takes place?

Wait a second,

In this article, we’ll explore link building services and how they benefit your website. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or website administrator, understanding the power of quality backlinks and how link building services can boost your online presence is crucial for success in the digital world.

So, let’s dive in and discover strategies and practices to get valuable backlinks and improve your website’s visibility.

Approaches used for Link Building Services:

When it comes to link building, various strategies and approaches can be employed to secure those coveted backlinks.

Guest Posting:

Guest posting involves creating valuable content and publishing it on other websites within your industry or niche. Offering informative and engaging articles delivers value to your readers and presents an opportunity to include backlinks to your website within the content or author bio.

Content Creation:

Creating exceptional content on your website is a powerful way to attract attention and earn backlinks naturally. Consistently creating high-quality blog posts, articles, infographics, or videos establishes you as an authority in your field.

Other website owners and bloggers are more likely to reference and link to your valuable content, recognizing its relevance and value to their audience.

Outreach:

Outreach is a proactive approach to link building that involves reaching out to relevant websites or bloggers and establishing mutually beneficial relationships. You can launch a customised outreach campaign when you identify websites within your industry that would find value in featuring your content or linking to your resources.

This could include pitching guest posts, suggesting content collaborations, or offering valuable resources that can enhance their existing content. Through successful outreach, you can secure valuable backlinks from authoritative sources while expanding your network within your industry.

Benefits of Using Professional Link Building Services:

Professional link building services can offer numerous advantages for individuals and businesses seeking to enhance their online presence and boost their website’s authority.

Let’s explore some key benefits of leveraging these services:

Professional link building services employ experts who possess in-depth knowledge and experience in the field. They are well-versed in the latest trends, strategies, and best practices of link building.

Link building can be time-consuming and labour-intensive, requiring extensive research, outreach, and relationship building. Professional link building services take this burden off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on other core aspects of your business.

Professional link building services often have established networks and relationships with influential websites and bloggers. They have access to a wide range of industry-specific resources, connections, and opportunities that can facilitate the acquisition of high-quality backlinks.

Professional link building services prioritize the acquisition of high-quality and relevant backlinks. They have the knowledge and tools to assess the authority and relevance of potential linking sources, ensuring that the acquired backlinks contribute positively to your website’s SEO efforts.

Choosing a Professional Link Building Services:

Here are the factors to consider when choosing a reputable and reliable link building service, presented in bullet points for easy reading:

  • Look for services with a proven track record and substantial experience in the field of link building.
  • Evaluate their past performance by reviewing previous clients’ case studies or success stories.
  • Determine if they have helped websites significantly improve search engine rankings and organic traffic.
  • Research the reputation of the link building service by checking customer reviews and testimonials.
  • Ensure the link building service follows ethical practices and follows search engine guidelines.
  • Look for services that take the time to understand your unique needs and develop a customized approach for your website.

Evaluate the communication channels and frequency of updates the link building service provides.

Ensure that they offer regular reports and transparent communication to keep you informed about the progress of your link building campaigns.

Consider the value provided in terms of the quality of backlinks, level of service, and the potential return on investment (ROI) for your business.

man touching a bag on table

This Sporting Life!

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Sportswear is an industry that is rapidly growing, with new ways of making clothes transforming this sector into one which is immensely popular across a host of ages. Establishing a business here is by no means easy, but that’s precisely what Adam Franks of Legacy Sportswear has managed. Now named Most Influential Sportswear CEO 2023 – UK, we thought it time to catch up with Adam and uncover some of the secrets of his success.

When looking at the world of clothing, it’s clear that sportswear has taken on new importance over the last few years. Customers are looking for products that make them look good, feel comfortable and offer a practicality that they often struggle to find from other manufacturers. Sportswear also encompasses celebrity culture, serving customers who want to match icons of the sector. The success of Legacy Sportswear comes from serving both of these needs.

Through Legacy, which sells gym and lifestyle wear and The Locker Room, which allows professional sports clubs and fans to purchase team wear, custom-made jerseys, and official merchandise, Adams Franks has been able to build the team at Legacy Sportswear to new heights of success. This thriving family business achieves because it maintains a closeness at all times that ensures constant support throughout the development of any project.

Adam Franks was a professional sportsman, focused on the world of ice hockey. “I’ve had the opportunity to share the locker room with some incredible leaders on and off the ice, including coaches, captains, and players,” he says with a smile. The discipline of working in this environment with a strong team proved to be the perfect training ground for Adam’s future entrepreneurial success. Not content with playing to the best of his ability, he watched those who led and began to unpick what set them apart.

This part of Adam’s career saw him and his team go on to win the league, playoffs, and playoff finals, but key to this success was not just raw talent. “Effective, clear communication was essential,” Adam explains. “I learned early on that being an individual doesn’t win you games and that everyone has a role to play in creating something bigger, and when everyone plays their part, good things happen.”

The founding of Legacy built on this incredible success, with Adam applying what he had seen to the business of sportswear. “My role as CEO at Legacy consists primarily of working with professional clubs to bring them on board, as well as collaborating with Legacy and working very closely with the development team to help improve the fabrics designs we work with,” Adam tells us. “The majority of the team is made up of athletes or ex-athletes.” Such awareness of the sector has given Adam and his team an incredible boost when compared to the competition. Not only do they know the market, but they know how rapidly it can change over time.

Adam has worked hard to ensure that every member of the team is empowered to make decisions and knows that they have the support of their peers. “Installing that team mentality early on in the business was critical to our early growth and success because it laid the groundwork for how Legacy would grow and what type of clients and employees we would attract,” he explains. For Adam, Legacy is more than just a business that creates sportswear. “I knew that when I started Legacy I wanted it to mean something to our community and to the staff that work there because I wanted them to represent, shop, and most importantly be proud of Legacy.”

The idea of community is one which seeps into every part of the business model that Adam has created. The firm was created during the 2012 Olympic Games, hosted in London. “I had a few friends representing Team GB, so we had them try and test our kit and provide honest feedback,” he tells us. “Each time we made the changes they requested until they were happy, and we knew if professional athletes were happy, our kit would be perfect for our store!” Such care to ensure that those who perform at the highest level of the sporting hierarchy has been key to securing success for the Legacy Sportswear team.

While making sportswear that even the best athletes can work with is important, so too is the need to keep an eye on the future. “We have invested heavily in working with sustainable fabrics for the brand,” Adam tells us, “creating collections that include leggings and bras made from bamboo, hoodies made from recycled polyester and organic cotton. We’ve also begun to produce more items in the UK to reduce our carbon footprint.”

Since opening the doors of Legacy Sportswear, Adam has committed to understanding the basics of each part of his business as far as possible. “To be a good CEO, I believe you should spend at least 3 months in every area of the business, including web development, dispatch, clothing development, creative, and photography to help understand how it works, what issues it faces, and how we can solve them faster,” he tells us. This depth of understanding has ensured that Legacy Sportswear can be as reactive as it needs to be in a challenging market.

The market for sportswear is one which you simultaneously have to seek out, and be sought for. Sports fans can find Legacy Sportswear through their e-commerce, with social media driving a great deal of traffic. Team wear, however, is typically sold through word-of-mouth and clubs seeing our brand on professional sports teams on television as well as at most ice rinks when we have pop-ups. Because Adam understands every part of how the business works, he can adapt to suit the individual markets that he is serving.

One of the challenges that Adam has managed to overcome over the last couple of years has been clothing production oversees. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the factory the team used closed. Fortunately, there was plenty of stock in storage but it did lead to a major change for the business. “Legacy Sportswear was re-invented from top to bottom,” Adam explains. “We looked at suppliers, production, and how we could cut costs. I decided we had no choice but to move to on-site production. This proved to be very beneficial for Legacy because it kept costs down and our work almost tripled as the time frame shrank.”

Because so much is now done in house, it’s easy for the team at Legacy Sportswear to match up precisely to what their clients expect. “Legacy’s in-house design team will create the collection using our cuts, the club’s colours, and heritage to create a team wear collection to be proud of,” Adam tells us. “Our team will then create an e-commerce store for the club, which is housed on our team wear section of our Legacy webpage, so customers and fans can order clothing quickly and easily from the club, and we will provide a quick and easy service for their fans using our print on demand methods.” Aiming items directly at a fanbase is what Legacy Sportswear excels at, primarily because each member of the team comes from a sporting background themselves.

Looking ahead, Adam plans to take significant steps to become a one-stop shop for all of the team’s needs, including those of its players, coaches, and fans. “The most exciting part will be phase three of this plan,” Adam says,  “where kit designer teams will be able to login and design their own kits online, with colours, and personalise them with numbers and names.” Until then, he and the Legacy Sportswear team will continue to develop new products such as the recently released high-quality fabric for ice hockey jerseys and socks, which is now in production. The team have also created a new website for the brand and an easier user experience journey so that ordering for clubs, teams, and the brand is super speedy and effective.

Growth is no easy achievement, but Adam has proven determined to make it a reality. We celebrate his tremendous success and look forward to what Legacy Sportswear manages to achieve in the weeks and months yet to come.

In the meantime, the company will be bringing excitement to Camberley town centre from Monday 15th May after winning the first four-month spot at The Pop-Up Club located on 27 Obelisk Way.

“We’re excited to bring our brand values to life with the launch of our opportunity in The Pop-Up Club,” Adam comments. “We believe that our values of quality, sustainability, and customer service are what sets us apart from our competitors. We’re looking forward to showcasing our products and expertise to the people of Camberley.”

For business enquiries, contact Adam Franks from Legacy Sportswear via email – [email protected] or on their website – www.legacysportswear.co.uk

man and woman speaking together in front of audience

Media Moguls Secure Success

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

The media and advertising ecosystem is one which depends on data to thrive, and that information is precisely what the team at Kantar IBOPE Media. Led by Antonio Wanderley, the business has become a major part of how leading businesses work. Now named Most Influential CEO 2023 – LATAM (Marketing Data & Analytics) in the Most Influential CEO Awards 2023, we take a closer look at precisely how he has brought about such enviable success.

The media industry is one which is constantly changing, and staying ahead relies on being able to predict precisely what the market demands as early on as possible. The team at Kantar IBOPE Media, under the leadership of Antonio Wanderley, have managed to secure a prominent position thanks to a digital transformation in 2014. As CMO, Antonio was able to reinvigorate Kantar IBOPE Media for a whole new generation leading a merger with the leading global company (Kantar Media) to form Kantar IBOPE Media.

Kantar IBOPE Media focuses on the needs of media producers as well as sellers and buyers of advertising. If a company has a touchpoint with media and advertising, they will want the impressive services of Antonio and his team. The team’s data is a vital part of informing all advertising trading transactions the length and breadth of Latin America.

Antonio’s style of leadership has seen him establish a remit that covers not only Latin America, but Spain, Asia and Africa too. Having such reach has meant that his leadership methods have been forced to change when compared to the smaller responsibilities he once held. “I have more and more shifted into more horizontal structures,” he tells us. “We focused on creating and empowering leadership teams, rather than individual leaders. These teams are held accountable for delivering against a small number of high-impact OKRs.” This approach to the sector has worked well indeed creating a business model which is always moving forward but always testing itself to ensure the best path possible.

Key to this success, therefore, is finding the right talent to achieve exceptional results and managing their performances successfully. “To assure focus and consistency, we create management principles that guide our team’s decision-making and behavior. These principles are reviewed and updated annually during our planning process.,” he explains. “these include being impatient with internally focused decisions, putting clients above politics, and holding everyone accountable for delivering to clients, not just their own part of the process..” That everyone is empowered to deliver with such care and attention is why Antonio and his team have been able to secure such tremendous success so far.

Needless to say, however, that the growth of the media landscape has forced Antonio to adjust swiftly to meet changing demands.“It is always very hard to change while winning,” Antonio says wryly, “Developing and solidifying a culture of proactively disrupting ourselves is a major task. This means being willing to challenge the status quo and make changes ahead of the curve.” Needless to say that Antonio and his team have managed to establish their attitude as disrupters at precisely the right time.

Change is hard, but if companies do not change then they will become irrelevant in the rapidly changing world in which we live. “I believe many companies are talking about digital transformation,” he says, “but few companies take any serious steps towards it, and only a handful of those have been successful at it!” In a world where forms of broadcasting have been usurped by streaming, professionally produced content by user generated content and linear mass advertising by targeting, change is vital.

None of this even considers one of the biggest forces for change in the 21st Century, namely the blockchain and AI. The instability of the world today is why the team focuses so much on being experts at adaptation. It means that Kantar IBOPE Media will thrive beyond the limits of what media companies currently demand. “We managed to change,” says Antonio, “and we were able to take an approach which is scalable and could benefit our clients too.”

Despite all this talk of change, however, it’s clear that Antonio does, in fact, value those aspects which will never waver despite the state of the markets. This include, frankly, the incredible team which he has managed to build around him and which has been able to secure such amazing success for Kantar IBOPE Media. “It’s seems counter intuitive but I have focused on what’s constant and not what’s changing,” he says. “I feel most people do the opposite.” In an era where automation is playing a bigger and bigger role, his aim has been to humanise his approach to leadership and interpersonal connections in order to support clients.

One of the key aspects where Antonio has been able to provide incredible support has been through the development and empowerment of a diverse talent base that can bring vital new perspectives to the table.  Kantar IBOPE Media is not just a large media empire that stagnates, but one which depends on a unique set of skills and creativity that will unlock growth for many years to come.

Looking ahead, it’s clear that  Kantar IBOPE Media has a great future ahead. The team have been able to take Brazil to the global forefront of media measurement. “It’s arguably the most developed market globally in terms on media currency data,” Antonio tells us. “In the immediate future, our focus is to scale this solution to the next LATAM markets such as Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru as well as to other continents. Spain and Vietnam should be the next markets that Kantar IBOPE Media aims to penetrate.

We can see that Antonio is an immensely responsible leader, pushing his business to adapt constantly while also supporting his team to thrive in a traditional manner. People come first at all times at Kantar IBOPE Media, and that’s why the team has been able to secure such tremendous growth over the years.

For business enquiries, contact Antonio Wanderley from Kantar IBOPE Media via email – [email protected], on Twitter – @antoniowand, or on their website – https://kantaribopemedia.com/

Leadership

How to Be a Leader Employees Don’t Leave

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

By Suzanne Ogle

There are hundreds of articles written daily on traits of fantastic leaders and toxic leaders; hundreds of buzzwords abound in the media on these topics.   Of course, there is also the age-old debate of whether great leaders are born or made.  When it boils down to being a leader that people want to stick with and not leave, that leader has to create a compelling vision of where they are going and taking their team and communicate it in the same compelling manner.  The leader needs to exhibit alignment between this vision and their values, cultivate a culture of trust and know who they are leading.  Finally, this leader needs to know the people they want to follow them.

Traits that are required to create and communicate this type of vision requires leaders to focus on what is important to their company, their values and their team. The vision has to align with the company’s mission, the leaders values and what matters to their team.  A leader has to be crystal clear on depicting this vision and communicating it in several ways to land with all members of the team.  There must be a laser-like focus on where they are going and how it achieves success – for the company, the leader and their team.   The leader has to ensure this vision has marked progress points, a beginning and an end, and can be understood by the many.  A leader demonstrates their competence by aligning the vision with the mission of the company. They continually build their credibility across the organization by knowing where they are going is directly related to where the company needs to go to be successful.

The alignment of the vision to the leaders values it critical to fostering trust, authenticity and loyalty. People do not follow someone they do not trust.  Trust is built when a leader demonstrates, actually lives their values visibly in their everyday interactions.  A leader must be intentional in their actions and interactions with people.  The focus needed for the vision requires attentiveness so that its alignment with the leader’s values is observable.   How a leader handles themselves when the pressure is on requires thoughtful, deliberate action and response.  A measured approach that is consistent and trust-worthy will make great strides in cultivating the culture of trust in which employees desire to belong.

Finally, we all want to be seen and understood.  In order for a leader to create trust with their team, they must know their team.  Creating an amazing vision is empty air if it does not matter to the people that are working to make the vision a reality.  A leader must take the time to get to know their team, their desires, goals, objectives, and dreams in order to compel them to stay and work hard together for this shared vision.   Demonstrating compassion builds on a leader’s credibility and enables the leader to hold team members accountable.  Most teams want enough structure to know what to do and know when they are off-course.  A leader that knows their team has the capacity to keep people on track in a motivating manner; one that takes into account how joining the leader’s mission to achieve this vision also makes a difference to that team member.

Leaders can cultivate skills and learn traits to make them more equipped to communicate and articulate a great vision.  One can practice communicating in a compelling manner and improve their delivery.  Great leaders may not be born great, it takes being intentional, attentive to others and having the confidence to be authentic.  Regardless, great leaders have to work hard and know how to be successful themselves, they must live their values – everyday, and they have to truly care about their team; then they can cultivate a place where people desire to work to fulfill the vision cast.

Practical Steps for Small Business Advancement

Posted on | by root

You own a small business. You want to help it grow and improve, but you also understand that all effort and positive results stem directly from you. And you’ve pretty much exhausted all your ideas. Hey, it
happens.

The good news is that there are many ways you can advance your business interests further. In this article, we look at accessible ways that small businesses can improve their operations and grow.

Upskill

Upskilling is all about picking up new skills.

You don’t say.

Well,  as a matter of fact, we did say. It’s something that takes place routinely at big companies all over the world. There, management will pay for their employees to refresh and expand their skills in a way that will be advantageous for the business.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t have anyone footing the bill for you. However, you can still take advantage of some of the many affordable online education programs that can teach you about everything from marketing to data implementation.

Social Media

Most businesses understand that they should have a social media presence. However, to have an impact at all, you need to think strategically about how your followers prefer to interact with your page. What time are they online the most? What sort of messaging do they respond to?

What about branding? Are your social media posts telling a consistent story, or are you all over the place with your tone? You don’t need to be a marketing professional to use social media the right way. You can make a big splash simply by getting a little more strategic with your outreach efforts.

Learn About Data

Data implementation is an important factor for businesses of every size. Previously the exclusive tool of big business, it is now available to anyone willing to take the time necessary to learn how to use it.

Most social media platforms come with analytic tools that will help you learn how your messaging is being received. You can use this information to not only expand your reach but also receive keen insights into what your existing customers respond the best to.

And, of course, social media is far from the only place where data is being used. You can also look at sales figures, email engagement rates, and other relevant factors to optimize your business practices.

Hire Smart

It’s exciting getting the opportunity to make new hires. As we mentioned in our last section, you’ll find yourself with a lot of work in the first months of your role as a small business owner. Bringing someone else on means releasing some of that pressure.

Still, it’s important to hire smart. Network and look for people who have skills that you lack. The more diversity of experience you can get, the better your business will be. You will, of course, learn more about all aspects of the job as you go along. However, finding people with the right specialties will be a big leg up.

Once you get a proper staff, you’ll also want to think about team-building opportunities. Creating a strong company culture through employee-centric policies are important elements of retention. You don’t need to be able to afford lavish corporate retreats to keep your employees happy.

Self-care

It’s hard to focus on your own needs when you are trying to get a small business off the ground. While you will need to work on building your skills and get used to logging long hours, you also need to know how to take care of yourself.

Self-care will not only help you stay happy, but it will also keep gas in the tank, allowing you to continue slugging it out for the long haul.

Know when (and how) to bring in the professionals

Even small businesses can and should take advantage of a wide range of professionals who can help advance their interests:

  • Lawyers
  • Accountants
  • Cybersecurity specialists and
  • Analysts

All routinely consult with businesses of every size to help them navigate complicated situations and grow. Some of these professionals are more expensive than others but for the most part, there are affordable and accessible ways to take advantage of all these services.

Get Serious About Cyber Security

You don’t have to be Marriott to get targeted by cybercriminals. In fact, the majority of small business owners experience attempted breaches each year. Some of them are simple, such as phishing emails and dicey website links. Other attempts can be more complex.

The problem with breaches isn’t just that they complicate your life. Although they do. It can take most of a year to recover completely from a serious one.

The even bigger issue, however, is that customer information can get compromised in the process. For big businesses with lots of sensitive customer information on hand, this has led to class action lawsuits.
Even if that isn’t in your future, data compromises can lead to a loss in consumer confidence. And of course, it’s also just your ethical responsibility to handle the data with care.

Get serious about cyber security. Update your software, guard your passwords, and train your employees to do the same.

Believe in Yourself

Ok, we know. This is kind of corny advice, but it comes from a sincere place. Many small business owners struggle with a psychological concept known as “imposter syndrome.” Basically, it means that they tend to fear that they don’t belong where they are and everyone around them does.

Self-validation can be hard because when you own your own business, there is no one there to give you feedback. You are entirely in charge of securing your own fortunes.

Anxiety can have its benefits, encouraging you to continuously put your best foot forward. Still, too much of it, and you’re only holding yourself back.

The Vital Importance Of Healthy Cash Flow For Small Businesses

Posted on | by root

The most common reason for small businesses folding is down to cash flow problems. Failure to carry out proper market research, or overestimating demand for a particular product, also causes businesses to collapse. But, cash flow is usually the biggest reason.

Cash flow and profit – understanding the differences

Cash flow is all the money that moves through a company from sales and expenditures. While profits are the money that is left over once all financial obligations have been paid.

One very important metric for profitability and operating efficiency is the cash flow margin ratio. The cash flow margin shows how efficient a business is. If you take the business’s cash flow operating costs and divide them by net sales, you will get your cash flow margin.

The higher the cash flow margin, the more likely a company will remain profitable. For profitability and operating costs, the best percentage calculator will help with clear results. But, here is a simple explanation of how to calculate cash flow margins.

How does cash flow impact small businesses?

The cash flow margin ratio gives a good indication of how well a business is turning its sales into profits. However, cash flow affects many areas of a business and can impact operations heavily.

  • Late payments to suppliers
  • Unable to restock
  • Unable to pay employees
  • Credit rating damage
  • Additional loans
  • Unable to grow
  • Cutbacks and layoffs

Businesses that suffer from poor cash flow will find that they miss the opportunity for expansion, and may even have to downsize. Late payments to creditors and suppliers lead to poor relationships and possible damage to credit scores.

Being unable to restock products or raw materials will see production and sales grind to a halt. And there will be a negative effect on the workforce and productivity as a whole.

Poor cash flow often leads small business owners to seek further financing and credit. This option may prove worthwhile, but it has the potential to cause far more problems with profitability and cash flow down the line.

How to manage cash flow effectively

The current economic climate is one of high inflation and a possible recession. Businesses must find ways to offset inflation and survive the crisis.

Calculating revenue and going over all expenses is the best place to start improving cash flow. Creating a cash flow budget will give an estimated view of how the business will operate financially in the coming months. Although a cash flow budget only estimates future income and expenditure, it is a useful tool to utilise.

Dips in income due to seasonal changes can be included in a cash flow budget, as can expected rises in expenditure. Increasing stock of low-cost items can offset inflation. Purchasing materials that are expected to go up in price will reduce expenditure later on.

The importance of managing invoices and payments on time

All businesses will have accounts receivable. These are payments outstanding for services rendered, or goods supplied. Commonly, invoices are sent out after a customer receives their goods, and they will be given a set time frame to pay.

It is normal in business to allow a customer anywhere from 14 days to 90 days to settle an invoice. 30 days is a typical time frame for payments to be made. When payments are made on time, businesses will enjoy regular cash flow. In turn, the business can use the money flowing into it to fulfill its own financial obligations. And the cycle continues.

However, when accounts receivable are overdue, then it can hamper cash flow for small businesses. Global enterprises have far more resources at hand than small business owners, and when payments are delayed, it can be fatal.

Fortunately, there are several options for small businesses to improve cash flow.

Options for improving cash flow in small businesses

Cutting costs is certainly an option to reduce expenditure. But, how to save on costs without cutting quality?

A few options for small businesses are these:

  • Renegotiate with suppliers
  • Increase prices- Carry out a promotion
  • Incentivise early payments
  • Introduce extra payment options
  • Automated invoicing and reminders
  • Use factoring
  • Add call to action on digital invoices
  • Carry out credit checks
  • Ensure invoices and delivery notes are all accurate

Launching a promotion or increasing prices may result in a quick cash flow boost. But, promotions are short-lived, and price increases can alienate customers. It may be much better to look at how you are managing invoices and payments and make changes.

Automated invoices

Setting up an automated invoicing system will reduce the chances of manual error, and speed up payments. Automating this area means that invoices will be sent out on time and tracked. If payment isn’t received, then a reminder will be automatically sent out.

Digital invoices and call to action

Sending automated digital invoices to clients allows the option to include a call to action. A clear link on the invoice to ‘pay now’ for instance could result in quick payment. Adding in an incentive such as ‘pay now for a 5% discount’ will help speed up payments and improve cash flow.

Use factoring

If your business is struggling with cash flow problems, and has a number of accounts receivable, then invoice factoring might be an option. A factor is a type of lender who offers to loan money to a business against accounts receivable. In return, the borrower pays a commission and fees.

Because factoring is short-term and set against money owing, it is often seen as a better option than taking out extra loans.

In summary

Some studies indicate that many small businesses would last less than a month on their cash reserves. Cash flow is critical to the survival of small businesses, and their future development.

While many small businesses struggle with cash flow, there are options available to improve liquidity. Offering incentives for faster payment, and renegotiating contracts with suppliers, can help reduce expenses and bring in cash quickly.

Mitigating Risks in 2023: Strategies for Business Leaders

Posted on | by root

The UK’s business landscape has always been a fruitful and diverse one, rich in opportunity. But recent years have brought significant, unique, and unprecedented challenges to the nation – and navigating the business landscape in 2023 has become somewhat difficult for investors and business leaders.

The chief challenge that businesses and investors are having to contend with is the rise in inflation and the corresponding hikes to interest rates. In such a dynamic economic environment, it is nothing short of crucial for businesses to adopt proactive risk management practices, both to safeguard their operations and maintain longer-term financial stability. What strategies can business leaders employ to mitigate the unique risks posed by present times?

The Effects of Rising Inflation and Interest Rates

The UK has been experiencing sustained high levels of inflation for over 18 months, initially brought on by disruption to the international energy market. High wholesale costs, exacerbated by fresh barriers to trade induced by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, rippled into other industries and consumer markets, causing the Bank of England to attempt deflationary measures through rising interest rates.

Rising inflation increases operating costs and reduces profitability for businesses while rising interest rates make borrowing more costly over time. Repayment rates can increase considerably, making cash flow more important than ever.

Prioritising Health and Safety Compliance

In the pursuit of cost savings, there are some businesses that may be tempted to cut corners with regard to health and safety in the form of reduced time and spending on training, for example. However, not only is this kind of approach usually illegal, but the risks it poses can lead to significant costs through civil action. By ensuring they remain compliant with health and safety regulations, businesses maintain safe working environments, reducing the likelihood of incidents and mitigating the potential financial and reputational consequences of such incidents. Going above and beyond with regard to health and safety can also boost productivity, through raising trust between staff and management.

Proactive Risk Mitigation Strategies

Mitigating risk is not something that can be achieved passively – nor is it something that can be achieved reactively. To react means to have endured, which often means the damage is done. Instead, businesses need to adopt a proactive approach that involves identifying potential risks and taking appropriate measures to mitigate them.

One key method to approach this is to conduct risk assessments tailored to specific industry processes, landscapes, or operations. Risk assessments are often thought of as a health and safety measure but can also be extremely useful as a structure for identifying weak points in a department, project or business model – let alone priming a business for future challenges and disruptions.

Turning the drafting of a risk assessment into a wider company culture can also help to fortify it against potential difficulties. Encouraging employees to speak up with their own concerns, whether through a concerted transparency push or an internal whistleblowing system, can be a strong way to build resilience – providing business executives are prepared to listen.

man smiling for camera

Making eCommerce Flow

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Aizad Hussain is the CEO of Sprint Logistics and has been at the helm of the company for 18 years. Before his current role, he was the CEO of Transworld, the business that preceded Sprint Logistics. Below, we profile his team and his leadership style as he is recognised as the Most Influential eCommerce Logistics Solutions CEO 2023 – UK.

Sprint Logistics is a company that specialises in facilitating the e-commerce process by handling the physical aspects of shipping. It provides inbound freight, storage, kitting, picking, packing, and shipping for hundreds of thousands of parcels annually. It works with a diverse customer base across the UK and Europe, offering efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality solutions for direct-to-consumer, business-to-consumer, business-to-business, and marketing fulfilment marketplaces.

Sprint Logistics is committed to providing an excellent customer experience, reflected in the core values of being fast, flexible, innovative, and passionate about serving its clients. The company prides itself on offering value-added solutions to complex challenges and is dedicated to delivering the best possible service to its customers.

Essentially, Sprint Logistics is a reliable and customer-focused logistics company that aims to make e-commerce flow by providing seamless and efficient solutions for its clients.

Before his time at Transworld and Sprint Logistics, Aizad served as a young Group Managing Director of NTL:home, now known as VirginMedia. Before that, he worked as a Senior Associate at Morgan Stanley in the Investment Banking division.

Throughout his career, Aizad has gained extensive experience in product development, sales, marketing, deal-making, and finance. He has used this experience to shape Sprint Logistics into the successful logistics company that it is today.

As CEO, Aizad is responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic direction, ensuring that the company stays at the forefront of the industry, and maintaining the company’s core values. He has been instrumental in driving Sprint Logistics’ growth and expansion, as well as in developing its unique technology platforms, such as BOLT.

Under his leadership, Sprint Logistics has become a leading logistics provider, serving hundreds of thousands of parcels annually across the UK and Europe. Aizad Hussain’s vision and leadership have been crucial in establishing the company’s reputation for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and excellent customer service.

The staff at Sprint Logistics play a critical role in the company’s success. As a logistics company that strongly emphasises delivering excellent customer experiences, the employees are the key to achieving this goal.

Sprint Logistics’ teams are dedicated to providing fast, flexible, innovative, and passionate solutions to complex challenges. They have a wealth of industry experience, enabling them to handle a range of issues that may arise during the e-commerce process. The company strongly emphasises hiring and retaining the best talent and investing in their development, training, and career progression.

The staff’s commitment to delivering high-quality services is evident in Sprint Logistics’ investment in technology and infrastructure. It has developed its bespoke warehouse management and shipping platforms so they are designed to meet the needs of modern multi-channel environments. The team has played a crucial role in developing, implementing, and maintaining these platforms.

Furthermore, Sprint Logistics’ staff operate out of 250,000 sq. ft of warehouses across the UK and EU, which require efficient and organised management to ensure that goods are stored, handled, and shipped correctly. Therefore, the employees’ experience, skills, and attention to detail are essential in ensuring that the company meets its clients’ needs and maintains high customer satisfaction.

Their skills, experience, dedication, and commitment to delivering high-quality services are crucial in providing excellent customer experiences and maintaining the company’s reputation as a reliable and efficient logistics partner.

Regarding what is ahead for the company, Sprint Logistics has ambitious plans for the future, with a primary goal of completing the rollout of their cloud-based WMS, BOLT – Business Operations and Logistics Technology. The company has invested several millions of pounds in developing this platform, which launched in April 2022.

Once fully rolled out, BOLT will provide Sprint Logistics with the most outstanding functionality and operational flexibility to manage all seven facilities through a single platform. The company believes its technology is unique and will be a significant source of competitive advantage over time.

In addition to the BOLT rollout, Sprint Logistics will continue to focus on providing excellent customer experiences through their efficient and cost-effective logistics services. The company plans to expand its client base further, working with both new entrepreneurs and established businesses across various industries in the UK and Europe.

Finally, Sprint Logistics will maintain its commitment to its core values of being fast, flexible, innovative, and passionate to serve and provide solutions to complex challenges. The company will continue to invest in its staff, technology, and infrastructure to remain at the forefront of the e-commerce logistics industry, providing its clients with the highest level of service and support. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sprint Logistics.

For business enquiries, contact Aizad Hussain from Sprint Logistics on their website – sprintlogistics.com

patient and woman counselor talking in session

10 Mental Health Strategies for Employers

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

The days when mental health issues were seen as big ‘no entry’ sign are long gone and employers have got wise to the fact that mental health is just as important as physical health. 

On a practical level people who are suffering with stress, depression or other mental health problems are unlikely to be productive and more likely to make errors.  However, it’s much more than trying to get more from your staff.  An employer that actively addresses mental health issues and makes an effort to promote a positive environment will always get the pick of the best employees and people will actually enjoy coming to work.

We see people suffering from burnout simply because they feel that they have to burn the candle at both ends to keep their jobs.  Ambition can put the blinkers on – until it’s too late and the damage is done.

These are our top tips to help your employees to maintain a good state of mental health.

 

1: Create a positive and supportive work culture

While you can’t force people to behave in a particular way, you can create an environment that is supportive, inclusive, and ensure that the workplace is where employees feel respected, safe and valued.

 

2: Offer mental health resources 

These might include employee assistance programmes, mental health hotlines, online therapy services, or other mental health benefits.  Everyone suffers from stress sometimes – and it may not be that work is the cause.  Being able to access someone to talk to confidentially, whether that’s a counsellor or a therapist is invaluable.  Most people are reluctant to talk to their boss, in case that damages their work relationship, so a third party option makes a significant difference.

 

3: Encourage work-life balance

It’s not the 1980s where working late, coming in early and taking no holidays was a badge of honour.  Today employers know that this just means they get a burst of action before each person burns out, sometimes in a spectacular fashion.  Instead, a good employer will encourage employees to take breaks – because that refreshes them and produces better outcomes.  They expect their team to take time off and establish boundaries between work and personal life.

 

4: Foster open communication

Open and honest communication between employees and their managers is the key to a workplace where everyone feels they have a voice and are valued.  That means that managers need to understand how to create a safe space where employees can discuss their mental health concerns. 

 

5: Train managers to recognise and address mental health concerns

It’s not just about asking ‘How’s it going?’, but about being genuinely interested in the people they manage.  Part of management training should include knowing how to spot signs of mental distress and what they can do to support and empathise with the team member that is suffering.

 

6: Promote healthy habits

Encourage healthy habits such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness practices.  The Japanese have embraced this for decades with the whole company gathering for gentle exercise at the start of their working day.  You don’t have to do that, but there are plenty of things you can do from ensuring that the canteen, staff restaurant or even vending machines offer healthy options to starting a lunchbreak walking group.  Create a healthy company strategy.

 

7: Know what the triggers are

Take a good look at every part of your organisation.  What are the causes of stress?  What can be done to alleviate these?

 

8: Foster a sense of community

Being part of a team or a working group is a great way to help people deal with stress.  Encourage social interaction both at work and outside it to foster a sense of community.  The saying ‘The team that plays together, stays together’ is true – even Harvard Business School supports this!

 

9: Recognise and celebrate achievements

Celebrate employees’ achievements, don’t just assume that they know you’re pleased with their efforts, tell them.  If you recognise their hard work you’ll boost morale and create a positive work environment.

 

10: Get to know individuals

People are all different and what is stressful for one person may be an exciting challenge for another.  If your managers know the individual members of their team well, they’ll know what their goals and aspirations are and be able to provide the support and advice each person needs.

As an employer your employees’ mental health is critical to a sustainable, healthy organisation.  Applying these strategies will help you to create a positive work environment and grow a productive and engaged workforce.

Robin Damhar is CEO of Nest Healthcare, offering a range of therapies, treatments and professional development, both on an outpatient or inpatient basis.  www.nesthealthcare.co.uk.

Robin Damhar