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DQ 3

ITS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW

ITS WHO WE KNOW

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WELCOME

Hello and welcome to the first DQ of 2012.

If you like reading about entrepreneurs and enterprise then you will love this issue.

There is a growing recognition that if the UK is to emerge from the recession anytime soon, then we need to see a resurgence of private sector companies who are growing and creating jobs. But what initiatives are taking place to create an environment where business can thrive?

We feature the forthcoming Global Entrepreneurship Congress, we find out what quality business support will look like in the twenty first century and the entrepreneur of entrepreneurs Steve Jobs is our DQ Icon.

We also celebrate the many success stories that the North West region currently boasts, looking back at the Lancashire Business Awards and the ‘Livercool’ Awards; and we have the third in our DQ30 series, focussing on Greater Manchester.

All your usual features are here too, including the DQ Cool List, Frank McKenna’s column and details of Downtown’s fabulous events programme for 2012.

Here’s hoping that this year will be a positive and rewarding one for you. Enjoy our latest offering, and don’t do anything Frank wouldn’t do....

Best WishesChris WilcoxEditor

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TOTALLY FRANK

DOWNTOWN LIVE

FOCUS ONSupporting Businesses and Entrepreneurs in the 21st Century

TOP TIPS

DQ FEATUREThe Global Entrepreneurship Congress

DQ ROUNDUPThe Livercool Awards 2011

DQ ROUNDUPIt’s Liverpool: The Business Conference

DQ 30The Manchester 10

DQ ICONSteve Jobs

DQ ROUNDUPThe Lancashire Business Awards 2011

THE COOL LIST

JUST JONAS

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DQ 5

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Drivewise have significant existing corporate clients, typically within the legal, medical and finance sectors – countrywide, including prestigious names as

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CUt tO the ChaseOnce we have a clear understanding of your vehicle needs our one aim is to deliver a realistic, fast and efficient service that puts you, our customer, into the driving seat of your chosen vehicle(s) – at a very affordable price.Drivewise offer –• One stop shop for all your motoring needs• Sales and After-sales servicing• Flexible finance packages• Asset Finance – including new start businesses• Leasing and Contract Hire Specialists• Excellent Value For Money

With special packages available to members of Downtown, Drivewise really does offer exceptional service and superb value.....try us, you will not be disappointed!

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Drivewise – we’re here to help!MORE CHOICE BEST SERVICE SPECIALISTS MAKING IT EASIER

This is a remarkable opportunity to help lead one of the country’s top colleges from strength to strength. Rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and with a turnover of £45m annually, the College serves c.16,000 learners each year from a diverse variety of backgrounds. With state-of-the-art facilities, Beacon status, five National Skills Academies, Gold IIP status, and an investment of £100m in an excellent purpose built estate across the city, the College is home to ground-breaking innovation and looking to continue its success at a commercial level.

We are seeking a dynamic and committed individual with significant experience of seeking out and building upon business development opportunities, and a track record of commercial success. You will have excellent stakeholder management skills, a solid financial background and a flair for innovation and partnerships.

Further details and application pack can be accessed under ‘working at the college’ ‘vacancies’ at www.liv-coll.ac.uk where you can complete your application on line.

The closing date for receipt of applications is midnight on Sunday 19 February 2012 with interviews expected to take place during week commencing 27 February; shortlisted applicants will be advised accordingly.

We are actively seeking to reflect the richness and diversity of our communities in the makeup of our leadership team. If you are excited by the challenge, you are welcome to contact the college for an informal discussion about the post with Elaine Bowker, Principal and Chief Executive. Please call Nicola Kumar on (0151) 252 3745 to arrange.

Be part of something OutstandingFurther Education is entering a new era.

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Words: Frank McKenna, Downtown in Business

DQ 7

TOTALLY FRANK

BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

What can be done to create an enterprise culture? That is the question that has been exercising the minds of policy makers and

politicians for many years now, but none more so than at this time when we face an unprecedented austerity programme that will hit the public sector particularly hard.

For without the public sector jobs that places like Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire have relied upon to prop their local economies up for a generation, it is essential that we see an influx of private sector investment and support and encourage businesses to grow so that they may offer new employment opportunities.

I sometimes think that we are so obsessed with ‘inward Investment’ that we forget about the indigenous talent that exists in our regions business community. Whilst it is right that we continue to market and promote our respective cities to the international and wider UK market, I do believe that there is a case in putting more energy and resource into the SME’s that have high growth potential and have already committed to this area.

The new business support programme announced earlier this year, which will be delivered by a range of private sector specialists in the coming months, including Downtown sponsors Winning Pitch, will undoubtedly help in this regard. So too will the forthcoming Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) which will be hosted in Liverpool in March. Both projects are given good coverage elsewhere in this publication, but I would urge all business owners who read this to engage with both the business growth project, and the GEC.

The refreshing thing about these initiatives is, it isn’t the ‘same old, same old’. It is an example of how we can deliver business support in a dynamic way; and have debate and discussion relating to entrepreneurship that is practical, relevant and not hijacked by academics. If Carlsberg did business...

21ST CENTURY POLITICS

The New Year has also seen some exciting developments on the political scene, not least in Liverpool, where the ‘elected mayor’ model has been adopted by the City Council. The first core city mayor will be elected by Liverpudlians in May, and along with the new badge will come new resources, powers and responsibilities. Some £150m of money for schools, housing and regeneration initiatives has been negotiated by council leader Joe Anderson for the new mayor, along with the opportunity to create mayoral enterprise zones. In essence, looking at the proposals, the entire city centre becomes an enterprise zone and a significant chunk of the rest of Liverpool too. ‘Enterprise City’ has a nice ring to it. In the short term, the additional resources will make this deal seem worthwhile to the city’s residents and an attractive proposition to all except those with a political

axe to grind. In the medium term it offers a more inclusive governance model, one that ought to deliver less bureaucracy and much smarter decision making processes. In the longer term, the hope will be to progress to a city region model that enables a mayor to enjoy strategic powers over economic development, planning and transport.

That is something that, through the Combined Authority, Manchester already has, making the need for a mayor a less enticing option. The fact

that Sir Richard Leese and Sir Howard Bernstein have provided Manchester with the vision and leadership that has enabled Manchester to reap the fantastic success we have all witnessed for the past twenty years, also dilutes the attractiveness of a model that promotes ‘strong and clear’ leadership as one of its key advantages.

Nonetheless, the decision of Liverpool to adopt a mayor and, less significantly for now, Salford’s successful campaign to elect a mayor in May too, could see attitudes in Manchester change. The other given is that Sir Richard and Sir Howard can’t go on forever. Maybe a mayoral model offers more sense when the time for those two giants to leave the stage does inevitably come.

20TH CENTURY FOOTBALL

The ugly face of racism has returned to football, on and off the pitch. I don’t want to finger point at any individual players or clubs, but the fact is that the recent incidents surrounding allegations of racist abuse have been handled appallingly by all concerned.

Most worrying for me has been the reaction of so-called fans who have seen the attempts of clubs to defend the behaviour of their ‘stars’ as a green light to go back to the bad old days when you could chant racist remarks and make offensive gestures simply because it was in support of your football team.

Anyone who read the barrage of abuse received by Stan Collymore on Twitter will know that an issue that I, and many others, had hoped had been successfully tackled is, sadly, alive and very much kicking.

We are not yet back to the disgraceful barrage of racial hatred that we witnessed in the 80’s and 90’s, but unless clubs start to get a grip on their fans, and more importantly their players, and react responsibly to this issue, then that is where we are heading.

BUSINESS,POLITICSand FOOTBALL...

‘ ’ has a nice ring to it

Frank McKenna is the chairman of Downtown in Business. You can hear his business programme on City Talk 105.9fm every Sunday at 10am.

DOWNTOWN LIVE

8 DQ

The Business CluB wiTh influenCe!

DOWNTOWNDOWNTOWNLIVE

During recent months Downtown in Business has continued to demonstrate itself as the ‘business club with influence’ as senior local

and national political leaders have addressed our members across the region.

Just before Christmas Downtown LANCASHIRE hosted an event at Daisy Communications HQ in Nelson with the leader of the Labour Party David Miliband MP.

Mr Miliband addressed around 50 Downtown members and took part in a Q&A session that covered a range of issues including tax, education and training, bureaucracy and red tape and the Euro crisis.

Daisy owner Matt Riley commented: “We were delighted to be able to work with Downtown and bring the leader of the opposition to our Headquarters. It is always good to see politicians getting out and about, and listening to what businesses at the coal face have to say.”

In February, we launched our BIG CONVERSATION initiative with the leader of Preston City Council, Peter Rankin. This series of debates and conversations will feature high profile personalities from the worlds of politics and business, and we are looking for our Lancashire members to get involved and tell us what ideas they have for the future of the Red Rose County. Look out for details of all forthcoming events in your regular TFI bulletins and on the Lancashire website: www.downtownlancashire.com

Downtown LIVERPOOL welcomed employment Minister Chris Grayling to the city in December who shared a platform with the Chief Executive of

property giant Bruntwood Chris Oglesby. The general economic outlook for 2012 dominated the discussion, with the Minister promoting the coalitions new welfare reform agenda, but also encouraging businesses to take on apprentices during the next twelve months.

Joe Anderson chose Downtown as the business forum to launch his elected mayor proposal for the city. He and City Council Chief Executive Ged Fitzgerald consulted with 40 business leaders about the new arrangements that will see Liverpool elect a mayor in May.

Downtown Liverpool is also an official partner for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress which takes place in March. We expect our fringe event ‘Global brands, Global People’ to be among the highlights of what promises to be a fabulous week. See www.downtownliverpool.com for further information.

The Leader of the city council Sir Richard Leese was at the launch of the Downtown MANCHESTER Business

Survey in January, which is being sponsored by Lombard. Sir Richard spoke about Airport City, planned regeneration projects across Manchester and the work of the Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership. To take part in the survey visit www.manchesterbusinesssurvey.co.uk

The second annual ‘City of Manchester Business Awards’ takes place at the Cathedral on the evening of Thursday 29th March. If you haven’t booked your ticket yet for what is going to be a fantastic Downtown occasion please contact James Topping on 0161 228 0680.

FOCUS ON

10 DQ

LOOKINg BACKWARDS BEFORE WE gO FORWARD

Over the past 18 months we have a seen a dramatic demise in the number of public sector agencies supporting SMEs. The

most significant was Business Link, a brand that suffered much negative feedback from the entrepreneurial community. Whilst many could question the impact of the organisation had on growth, we should not forget that for many organisations it did act as a valuable signpost to basic information and business advice. The real issue is that Business Link could have been delivered far most cost effectively and without the massive overhead and cost base it created. One of the most notable achievements of Business Link was the website, a key resource but very much light touch. The missing link in the service was intensive tailored advice for owners and teams trying to build their business, but to be fair it was never the intention to provide such a level of in depth support. However, this is what the market was crying out for.

Business support becomes effective and has impact when an expert provides entrepreneurs advice on a face-to-face basis. Founders and their team learn best when they are given the opportunity to enter into conversations with others who had been there and done it, those who have lived the rollercoaster journey of setting up and growing a business. This

is where Business Link and other public sector agencies failed to deliver. Unfortunately an inefficient and costly infrastructure was built around individuals who had not weathered the storms of growth – but still they were out there signposting and brokering help.

Budgets spiralled out of control and an army of brokers and supporting bureaucracy was built, one that could never be sustained or justified over the long term. Whilst many of the staff were well meaning, a large proportion did not have the much needed empathy ambitious individuals craved for - those who had risked family money to become self-employed were left short changed. Many of Business Link’s staff came from corporate life and whilst this experience has value the reality of running a business is very different. The daily grind of running the shop often under the pressures and fears of losing the family home is a part of the challenge brokers could neither appreciate or empathise with. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, the management of cash, maintaining staff moral, shareholder expectations, customers and suppliers expectations, entrepreneurs must access trusted wisdom. Cultures, experience and needs were massively misaligned and very often this ended up with the entrepreneur experiencing a negative outcome. As Mark Prisk, Minister for Business and Enterprise so rightly pointed out, the real help and support for entrepreneurs must come from those who have been there and done it, from the private sector

Supporting Businesses and Entrepreneurs in the 21st Century

FOCUS ON

DQ 11

gROWTH COMPANIES WILL DELIVER THE JOBS

In the future, business support should focus on job creation and on those businesses with potential to grow. The research clearly shows that a small number of ambitious businesses create a large proportion of new jobs. Vibrant economies are built on a foundation of high growth businesses, those set up by individuals with great ideas, passion and a desire to fulfil their potential – we need more of them because they are the job generators of tomorrow! Also referred to as gazelles because of the speed at which they grow, these companies achieve growth rates of a minimum of 20% per annum over a three-year period. They emerge from both hi technology and mature sectors, can be small or large and they exist in all parts of the country.

Doing things differently is the thread that

runs throughout the fabric of high growth businesses; typically they innovate and create new experiences in the market place. They stand out from the crowd and enjoy the enviable position of a differentiated business model not totally dependent on being the cheapest. They focus on the needs of staff, customers and shareholders in this order. Founders and teams are driven by making a personal and professional difference – this is what makes high growth companies so special.

If we are going to create more jobs then energy, effort and resources must be directed into supporting gazelle minded entrepreneurs, this means:

Providing tailored advice to meet their •demanding and specific needs Speaking to them in language they •understand, free from jargon and action orientatedFast tracking them to trusted commercial •networks, ones that have a direct impact on commercial performance

Getting these conditions right will to allow more entrepreneurs to flourish. More jobs means more high growth businesses. The new Business Coaching for Growth programme supported by BIS will play a pivotal role in unearthing and accelerating the performance of ambitious forward thinking companies. These businesses need higher level expertise and support that the public sector cannot provide. This is where the private sector needs to step in.

UNDERSTANDINg THE NEEDS OF ENTREPRENEURS

Understanding what it takes to set up and build a growth business requires public sector policy makers to get closer to the how to questions – ambitious entrepreneurs need help on very, very specific matters such as:

1. Creating and crafting differentiated

propositions that stand out from the crowd2. Developing an effective vision, strategy and execution of a practical game plan3. Embracing and driving innovation into the processes and functions of the business4. Leading and driving change5. Building a great team – thinkers, sellers, doers and controllers6. Embracing the right mindset – coping with the challenges that come with growth7. Living in the customers world and delivering services and products that capture need8. Embedding disciplined systems & processes including managing and raising finance as well as getting investment ready9. Becoming great at selling and getting the sales engine in place10. Finding connectors that can provide the answers – getting experienced mentors, coaches and non executive directors working to raise the bar of performance

More private sector providers with the licence to deliver such assistance to ambitious

entrepreneurs will get the economy moving. We must do away with positioning and politics that public sector organisations continue to engage in and get down to business. Unless we begin to answer the real issues and get the services and support in place at grass roots we will end up at best managing business as usual.

THE PUBLIC SECTORS ROLE gOINg FORWARD – A TIME FOR CHANgE

The lessons of the past five years should help to set a clear direction for the future. In a time where budgets are going to get tighter, scarce public resources allocated to business support need to be carefully accounted for. We must do away with top heavy public sector business support organisations that aim to maintain hefty infrastructure costs and use ERDF funds as a vehicle to keep going. We must also avoid the use of such instruments to fund ineffective programmes have little or no impact on growth and the enterprising culture we desperately need. There are still too many organisations hanging on to the past, dreaming up initiatives that fall short of connecting with the needs of the entrepreneur’s world. Every public sector organisation should be accountable for what they do in terms of job creation and company growth.

There should be greater public and private partnership going forward. This means public sector designing and creating policy with private sector concentrating on delivery. One word of caution is that private sector organisation must also be held accountable, more important is that they share risk. Severe financial penalties must be imposed on those private sector organisations that fail to deliver, this means a large part of the reward should come with the proof that results have been delivered. These are the fundamentals and basics of commercial and business practice.

Getting more of the budget to the coalface to help entrepreneurs grow is vital, we must avoid at all cost the use of these funds to maintain the status quo of stale public quango’s who have failed to reinvent what they do. The tick box mentality that drove a sheep dip approach to the customer experience of business support must be a place we never go again. Its down to provision of high quality services that create remarkable feedback. Business support needs to reinvent, public sector organisations that can’t pay their own way should stand back and let it go to those who can. There are thankfully some signs that this movement has started to happen.

Supporting Businesses and Entrepreneurs in the 21st Century

Doing things is the threaD that runs throughout the fabric of high growth businesses; typically they

anD new experiences in the market place

TOP TIPS

12 DQ

TOP TIPS

DQ 13

DQ FEATURE

14 DQ

In December last year, the PrIme mInIster, DavID cameron, PraIseD lIverPool for Its ambItIon to become the UK’s cIty of enterPrIse

havIng become the fIrst eUroPean host cIty of the PrestIgIoUs global entrePreneUrshIP congress (gec) 2012 - the largest global gatherIng of startUP chamPIons.

On March 13, entrepreneurs and aspiring business leaders will experience an inspiring journey through three sessions of speeches, panel discussions and debates centred on three themes that explore the concept of winning in business:

•Who Dares Wins – a celebration of the best in business•Who cares Wins – nurturing talent to unleash ideas•Who shares Wins – inspiration to accelerate your business

How do you get involved in global Entrepreneurship Congress?

There are a series of opportunities to get involved in Global Entrepreneurship Congress which include:

Sponsorship:

•Sponsorshippackagesexistfororganisations looking to showcase their brand, productsor services to this unique audience of high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs and the enterprise media.•SponsorshippackagesincludePlatinum,Gold, Silver, Bronze and Enterprise options, as well as a range of corporate hospitality and individual partnership opportunities. Our sponsorship team are ready to talk to you to create bespoke packages that will satisfy your organisation’s

Exhibitors – The Ideas Village:

•TheIdeasVillagewillofferauniqueplatform for ‘Best of British’ businesses and organisations to and enterprise community. If you are interested in exhibiting in the foyer of the Arena and Convention Centre, please contact us on [email protected]

Corporate Hospitality:

•Arangeofcorporatehospitalitypackagesare available for organisations looking to impress clients and prospects at one of the premier events in the enterprise calendar.

Tickets:

•Ticketpricesstartat£150,withpremierpackages available that also include the gala dinner. Special group discounts for all tickets are available for bookings of 10 or more tickets. To book tickets please visit www.gec2012.com or email [email protected]

For further enquiries or information please contact Liverpool Vision on:

•01516002906•[email protected]•www.gec2012.com

needs you!your city

He said: “[Liverpool] is a city of great creativity and innovation and a city with renewed confidence and ambition, committed to sparking enterprise in the young and helping others to unleash their ideas.

“The Congress in Liverpool will attract some of the world’s leading economists and entrepreneurs who are a key part of our strategy for growth and enterprise. The public and private sectors are collaborating in a unique way to ensure it will encourage debate, inspire talent and create a real legacy for Liverpool and the UK for many years to come.”

2012 is set to be one of the toughest economic environments in recent history and it has never been clearer that the multinational corporations alone cannot be relied upon to create new jobs and opportunities.

It is the year to champion and develop the entrepreneurs, the small and young companies which are the wealth and job creators that will change the current economic climate.

Liverpool Vision, the city’s economic development company, who won the right from the Kauffman Foundation to hold the GEC (9- 16 March) in the UK for the first time has created a compelling programme of events and speakers designed to unleash potential and the will to win, and inspire people to realise their ambitions.

Virgin boss, Sir Richard Branson heads a list of some the country’s highest profile business heavyweights and he is clear that Liverpool is the place to be this March: “Liverpool has delivered a real coup in winning the right to host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.

“At Virgin, my mantra is “screw it, let’s do it”- Liverpool has shown the same get up and go to make this bid to be a global capital for enterprise.”

The line up of confirmed speakers includes the former CEO of Tesco, Sir Terry Leahy; the founder of Lastminute.com, Martha Lane Fox; the founder of the Haymarket publishing group and former Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Heseltine; Doug Richard, former ‘Dragon’ and founder of School for Startups; Lara Morgan, Founder of Pacific Direct and Company Shortcuts; Steve Felice, President of consumer, small and medium business at Dell Inc; Paul Lindley, Orange entrepreneur of the year 2011 and founder of Ella’s Kitchen; Ashok Rao, chairman of TiE Global Board of Trustees.

DQ FEATURE

DQ 15

At the same time Liverpool will hold a world-first Festival of Entrepreneurship with more than 40 ‘fringe’ events happening across the city beginning on March 9, with the Start Up weekend – an intense business hot-house with mentors and advisors helping anyone with a business brainwave to develop their idea and launch it within 52 hours.

Other events include the Lloyds TSB Entrepreneur Awards, the Academy of Entrepreneurship with Liverpool John Moores University, Technology in Health with Liverpool Community Health, the world’s first Zero Carbon meal with Arup, Liverpool Business Breakfast and Fair at Anfield, Consumer Futures with The Future Lab (the first time it has been outside of London), LGBT entrepreneurship, International Software City, and the Your Big Year Global Finals to name but a few.

Liverpool has also been running an enterprise competition for schools, the first of its kind in the UK, challenging pupils to come up with compelling business ideas with the final round during the GEC itself and a trip to Washington DC as the first prize.

Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, said: “This is a global event in an international outward looking city called Liverpool, a city of firsts, of creativity and innovation.

“We want the effects of the GEC to ripple for years to come so our people and our communities can thrive. The Congress will help us achieve these goals while learning new lessons on how we can best stimulate and grow our economy.

“Those we have approached, from Lloyds TSB as our headline sponsor, to all sectors of the Liverpool business community have understood the opportunity here and are supporting us.

“Liverpool’s GEC and Festival already looks sensational and we have yet to announce some huge names in business and enterprise. There will be nowhere in the UK this year that will present such a range of powerful and inspirational speakers and provide the best advice and exchange of ideas for starting and growing a business than Liverpool this March.

“This Congress will celebrate enterprise and inspire those with the ‘can-do’ spirit to turn their dreams into an ambitious reality - a powerhouse of business brilliance that inspires people, excites potential and celebrates

passion with the aim of ‘unleashing the will to win’ “.Another major part of the GEC is the significance of women’s

entrepreneurship. As Jonathan Ortmans, Chair of GEC, said: “During these tough economic times, when entrepreneurship is so important to adding dynamism and jobs to the economy, women hold a key to economic growth.

“The untapped potential of women as entrepreneurs, mentors and investors is a missed opportunity not just for women, but for entire economies.”

Accordingly, the city’s Women’s Organisation (WO) has launched its own GEC programme for women’s enterprise during GEC week, working with Liverpool Vision and the Kauffman Foundation.

It includes a Global Research Symposium on Female Entrepreneurship bringing together leading figures from across the world; a Female Business Mastermind showcasing successful women in business streamed live to a global audience; A European Educators Programme focusing discussion on the next generation of enterprise educators to drive up the numbers of women in business; and a female Entrepreneurship Policy Roundtable discussing the needs of women in business and global policy.

Maggie O’Carroll, chief executive of the WO said: “I am delighted that this programme of events, happening right here in Liverpool, has a global reach and is connecting women in business with each other.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by another key GEC participant, Deb Leary OBE, the award-winning entrepreneur who runs Forensic Pathways and is also the President of the British Association of Female Entrepreneurs: “Success doesn’t come from just having a great idea,” she said, “It also comes from being connected. The GEC brings a wealth of resources and investors and an invaluable network of start-ups, small and medium

enterprises and global players to Liverpool.”

And as Sir Terry Leahy said at the time of the Kauffman Foundations’ announcement that Liverpool would be the focus of world’s entrepreneurial community in 2012: “[The GEC] is another opportunity [for Liverpool] to make its mark. I believe the Congress is coming at the right time for Liverpool.”

WHAT’S ON?THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING INFORMATION WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS

Information is the lifeblood of any business and access, collaboration and simple data processes are key

to the efficient operation of your organisation.

With the ever increasing amounts of documentation companies are having to deal with comes addi-

tional pressure to add value by increasing the speed of access and delivery of this information.

Organisations must now consider whether physical storage alone is sufficient enough to bear the weight

of this pressure or introduce digital document management to help the company adapt to new

information channels, most significantly e-mail, social media and the internet.

LEGAL ADMISSIBILITIES OF ELECTRONIC COPIES

Clients are often concerned about the legal admissibility of scanned documents, but the reality is that virtually all documents can be stored in electronic format, providing that the document management system incorporates the correct ‘checks and measures’, such as:

Original documents must be ‘locked’ and tamper proof

Any amendments to a document must create a new version, preserving the original.

The document store must be fully auditable

The current British standard for Legal Admissibility is BSI BIP008.

DO’S & DON’TS

DO NOT use self store, it’s always more expensive. Using a dedicated service provider reduces risk, labour and storage costs whilst giving you peace of mind that your information is being managed by experts.

DO seek advice from industry experts, many firms offer free consultancy.

DO NOT accumulate large volumes of paper on site, average cost per work space in Manchester on average is in excess of £4000 per annum.

DO have a business policy for guidance on keeping information (for all for-mats)

DO NOT use your own facility unless you have invested in a dedicated document storage area. Property cost, maintenance and unseen labour costs to manage all add up to a very expensive option.

By adopting an intelligent scanning approach,

organisations can cost effectively progress from hard

copy to digital storage by starting with what you

consider to be business critical documentation

Review Regularly Rapid Developments & changes

can mean more cost effective & efficient solutions

become available

[email protected]

0161 654 3780

www.archive-solutions.co.uk

According to industry analysts, businesses are experiencing a

doubling in the volume of documents that they handle

every two years

DEEP STORE Whilst off site storage solutions can greatly improve efficiency within your business and be more cost effective than in-house options, you can make further savings by taking advantage of a document management firm’s ‘deep storage’ service. Review the legislative and access requirements of your documentation and put less active or non critical documents into

72%

of organisations believe it is harder

to obtain information they own than

information they do not Source: AIIM (Association for Information and Image Management)

DEALING WITH EMAIL

In today’s working environment much of our communication with colleagues and cli-

ents is accomplished via email.

Often, e-mails can form part of a transaction or contract but are rarely managed in

accordance with a defined business process.

E-mail discovery and archiving are often overlooked, leaving businesses vulnerable.

Using document management

technology, including the integration of e-mails, provides a secure and traceable solu-

SHREDDING THE RISK

There is an increasing amount of pressure being placed on organisations to become compliant with the data protection act. With fines of up to £500,000 for a breach of legislation it is in your best interests to ensure that your company is compliant in how it protects the information of the business, clients and employees and disposes of all documentation.

A ‘Shred All’ policy can eliminate the potential risk of commercially sensitive and personal information being inadvertently disclosed. On site shredding options can be costly in terms of staff time and equipment so outsourcing the management of your office waste is not only cost effective but, due to the flexibility of many shredding companies, more efficient.

Minimal cost, maximum protection. Shred the risk.

Process Automation

Process automation is a critical factor in the progression of any business and must scale maturely with your organisation to maintain work flow and operation procedures.

As your organisation expands so must your efficiency in the handling of information. It is extremely easy to rely on your original processing methods without considering the effect that increasing pressure can have on them. Integrating advanced information management systems will optimise efficiency and auditabil-ity within your business.



every two years

APPROPRIATE ACCESS

Nothing will ever be quite as quick or convenient as having the box or file sat on your desk, but off-site document storage with a scan on demand plan means you could have the information you require within minutes.

With a comprehensive range of physical and digital retrieval methods, you could be surprised with just how available your information can be.

100% success rate in convictions against

those breaching data protection legislation

Source: ICO (Information Commissioner's Office

[email protected]

0161 654 3782

www.infostream.co.uk

THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING INFORMATION WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS














DO’S & DON’TS












become available

[email protected]

0161 654 3780




every two years


72%




DEALING WITH EMAIL








SHREDDING THE RISK




Process Automation





every two years

APPROPRIATE ACCESS






[email protected]

0161 654 3782


WORK HARDPLAY HARDTHE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING INFORMATION WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS














DO’S & DON’TS












become available

[email protected]

0161 654 3780




every two years


72%




DEALING WITH EMAIL








SHREDDING THE RISK




Process Automation





every two years

APPROPRIATE ACCESS






[email protected]

0161 654 3782


THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING INFORMATION WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS














DO’S & DON’TS












become available

[email protected]

0161 654 3780




every two years


72%




DEALING WITH EMAIL








SHREDDING THE RISK




Process Automation





every two years

APPROPRIATE ACCESS






[email protected]

0161 654 3782


Liverpool Community Health is planning to become an NHS Foundation Trust, and we want you to take part in our consultation.

Have your say between 6th Feb to 13th April and become a member of your community health Trust.

Become the Foundation of our Trust.

Find out more at: [email protected]

We’re passionate about community health services. We think you are too.

GPs Treatment Rooms Follow us on Twitter Skin Care@NHSLiverpoolCH Radio logy Walk- in Cent res CareM e d i c i n e M a n a g e m e n t C o m m u n i t y F o o d Wo r k e r sSpeech and Language Therapy I NHS Immunisations Courage Distr ict Nurses Dental Wheelchair ServiceGPs Community Health Visitors Dental Collaboration Podiatry Abacus Care Lifehouse Unplanned Care Direct Courage Dieticians Occupational Therapy Radiology Commitment Abacus Phys iotherapy Courage Sexual Health

Continence Blood Tests Vaccinations Armistead Radiography Liveability Safe Place Merseyside

Community Equipment Pr ison Health Courage Speech and Language Therapy

Qual i ty Safeguarding Denta lWalk-in Centres Community

Unplanned Care Direct Health Visitors

School Nurses Care

GPs Blood Tests

Community Matrons Skin Care Immuni sations

Care Quality Safe

Place MerseysideCommunity Intermediate Care

Put Health at the Top of Your To-Do List!

Do you have health issues you are not addressing because of long working hours? Are you too busy balancing work and childcare to make a GP or hospital appointment?

Liverpool Community Health delivers NHS services in Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton.

Our services include NHS walk-in centres, including the children’s walk-in on Smithdown Road, and sexual health clinics, where no appointments are necessary.

We also run stop smoking, alcohol awareness and healthy lifestyle services.

Our community staff are there for people at all stages of life – from health visitors and community matrons to district nurses who provide end-of-life-care.

Find out more at: liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk

IHeartLCH_DLIB_A4.indd 1 2/2/12 20:43:38

DQ ROUNDUP

THE LIVERCOOL AWARDS 2011

Over 400 leading businessmen and women attended last year’s ninth annual

'Livercool' awards, hosted by Downtown Liverpool in Business and sponsored by Horizon. Held at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Liverpool city centre, which had been transformed into a spectacular ‘Winter Wonderland’ by The Christmas Decorators, the evening saw Natalie Haywood of Leaf win the 'Chairman’s Award', Paul Bolton and Simon Matthews Williams picked up the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' gong and Max Steinberg and his team at Liverpool Vision won the 'Services to Liverpool' award.

WINNERSSexy Networker Male 2011Dan Reilly (Epic New Media)

Sexy Networker Female 2011Charlotte Hoare (Geniene Reese Business Development)

Social Media guru 2011Gavin Sherratt (Mashbo)

Best Marketer 2011Richard Kenyon (Kenyon Fraser)

Lifestyle Award 2011Amanda Moss (Lifestyle Magazine)

Office Manager 2011Jaqueline Hughes (Sutcliffe)

Professional of the Year 2011Sean Beach (Deloitte)

Property Professional of the Year 2011Peter Linford (Nobles Construction)

Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011Victoria Brown (High Performance Consultancy)

Man of the Year 2011 Mike Carr (NSG UK)

Woman of the Year 2011 Maggie O’Carroll (The Women’s Organisation)

Services to Liverpool 2011 Liverpool Vision, Max Steinberg

Entrepreneur of the Year 2011Paul Bolton and Simon Matthews Williams

Chairman’s Award 2011Natalie Haywood (Leaf)

1

1. Livercool guests strike their best ‘Frank McKenna’ pose

2. Tony Caldeira, Caldeira Ltd; Natalie Haywood, Leaf; Frank McKenna, Downtown in Business

3. Paul Thomas entertains the crowd

4. Zara, who performed later in the evening, poses for the camera

5. The Crowne Plaza hotel was transformed into a ‘Winter Wonderland’

2

4

5

3

DQ 19

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enri

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Ken

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Liverpool Community Health is planning to become an NHS Foundation Trust, and we want you to take part in our consultation.

Have your say between 6th Feb to 13th April and become a member of your community health Trust.

Become the Foundation of our Trust.

Find out more at: [email protected]

We’re passionate about community health services. We think you are too.

GPs Treatment Rooms Follow us on Twitter Skin Care@NHSLiverpoolCH Radio logy Walk- in Cent res CareM e d i c i n e M a n a g e m e n t C o m m u n i t y F o o d Wo r k e r sSpeech and Language Therapy I NHS Immunisations Courage Distr ict Nurses Dental Wheelchair ServiceGPs Community Health Visitors Dental Collaboration Podiatry Abacus Care Lifehouse Unplanned Care Direct Courage Dieticians Occupational Therapy Radiology Commitment Abacus Phys iotherapy Courage Sexual Health

Continence Blood Tests Vaccinations Armistead Radiography Liveability Safe Place Merseyside

Community Equipment Pr ison Health Courage Speech and Language Therapy

Qual i ty Safeguarding Denta lWalk-in Centres Community

Unplanned Care Direct Health Visitors

School Nurses Care

GPs Blood Tests

Community Matrons Skin Care Immuni sations

Care Quality Safe

Place MerseysideCommunity Intermediate Care

Put Health at the Top of Your To-Do List!

Do you have health issues you are not addressing because of long working hours? Are you too busy balancing work and childcare to make a GP or hospital appointment?

Liverpool Community Health delivers NHS services in Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton.

Our services include NHS walk-in centres, including the children’s walk-in on Smithdown Road, and sexual health clinics, where no appointments are necessary.

We also run stop smoking, alcohol awareness and healthy lifestyle services.

Our community staff are there for people at all stages of life – from health visitors and community matrons to district nurses who provide end-of-life-care.

Find out more at: liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk

IHeartLCH_DLIB_A4.indd 1 2/2/12 20:43:38

DQ ROUNDUP

20 DQ

6. David Guest, Bruntwood; Jim Hancock

7. Dan Reilly, Epic New Media; Lorraine Rogers, The Mersey Partnership

8. Frank McKenna, Downtown in Business; Ben Hatton, Rippleffect; Martyn Best, Paver Smith

9. Andrea Wilson-Brown, BCH Digital; Siân Peak, Chatterbox Consultancy

10. Andreas Panayiotou, The Ability Group; Paul Bolton, Sanguine Hospitality

11. Max Steinberg, Liverpool Vision; Charlotte Hoare, Geniene Reese Business Development Consultancy

12. Victoria McKenna, High Performance Consultancy; Richard Kenyon, Kenyon Fraser

13. Livercool hostesses

14. Frank McKenna takes on hosting duties

15. ‘Man of the Year’ award winner Mike Carr delivers a passionate and moving speech14

9

6

10

7

12

DQ ROUNDUP

DQ 21

6. David Guest, Bruntwood; Jim Hancock

7. Dan Reilly, Epic New Media; Lorraine Rogers, The Mersey Partnership

8. Frank McKenna, Downtown in Business; Ben Hatton, Rippleffect; Martyn Best, Paver Smith

9. Andrea Wilson-Brown, BCH Digital; Siân Peak, Chatterbox Consultancy

10. Andreas Panayiotou, The Ability Group; Paul Bolton, Sanguine Hospitality

11. Max Steinberg, Liverpool Vision; Charlotte Hoare, Geniene Reese Business Development Consultancy

12. Victoria McKenna, High Performance Consultancy; Richard Kenyon, Kenyon Fraser

13. Livercool hostesses

14. Frank McKenna takes on hosting duties

15. ‘Man of the Year’ award winner Mike Carr delivers a passionate and moving speech

11

8

the lIvercool aWarDs 2011 Were sUPPorteD by:

13

15

DQ ROUNDUP

22 DQ

THE BUSINESS CONFERENCE

A fascinating day of contributions, discussion and debate took place at Downtown’s inaugural ‘It’s Liverpool – The Business Conference’ in November, with international, national and regional speakers addressing

200 plus delegates at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Leading decision makers from the world of politics were joined by business leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss the turbulent economy, whilst identifying the opportunities that exist for business growth, despite the current challenging environment.

From keynote addresses and three well presented workshops, some key points were made throughout a day that proved to be another great Downtown success.

Rachel Reeves MP, shadow secRetaRy to the tReasuRy

Key points:

1. Government had blamed poor Winter, then the Royal Wedding and now Euro Zone crisis for UK’s lack of growth – not credible

2. Cuts in public expenditure were too quick and too deep

3. Unacceptable and unnecessary to have levels of unemployment that would be over 3 million, including one million youth unemployed for first time ever

4. High energy prices and lack of support from banks to business among areas that needed to be addressed, with better regulation of bigger companies

5.Cuts in education would hurt the economy short term and long term

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DQ ROUNDUP

DQ 23

siR howaRd BeRnstein, chief executive ManchesteR city council

Key Points:

1. Business support had been poor in the past and was in need of renewal

2. Investment in people was vital if cities like Manchester and Liverpool are to have a skills base to compete in the future

3. International trade, exporting is a huge priority for North West business

4. The knowledge economy and science had to be a focus for both cities, hence the joint bid for an Enterprise Zone at Daresbury

5. Important for local authorities to work with business to deliver economic growth. Council’s must have ‘can do’ attitude

“I WAS SO PLEASED TO BE PART OF A THOUGHT PROVOKING DAY, WHICH FEATURED GREAT SPEAKERS. I FOUND THE DAY TO CAPTURE WHERE WE ARE AS CITY RIGHT NOW AND FOUND WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PUSH FORWARD IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION BY TAKING HELP AND ADVICE FROM OTHER WORLDWIDE CITIES SUCH AS PHILIDELPHIA. VERY INSPIRING DAY AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, I MET WITH MY IDOL MR STEVEN MORGAN. I WOULD HAVE NO HESITATION IN ATTENDING

THE NExT ONE”

HELEN BOOTH, BLUEROW LETTINgS

24 DQ

toBy young, authoR and Political coMMentatoR foR the daily telegRaPh

Key Points:

1. Coalition approach to deficit reduction absolutely right

2. Even with the cuts that are taking place the UK’s deficit will still be huge in five years, and an alternative course would see us have our triple AAA status removed and become the next Greece

3. Liverpool was wrong to withdraw as a ‘vanguard’ city for ‘Big Society’

4. ‘Free Schools’ a good example of ‘Big Society’ success

5. Bureaucracy and procurement procedures get in the way of progressive, innovative ideas at every level of society

Joe andeRson, ged fitzgeRald, Max steinBeRg, liveRPool leadeRs

Key Points:

1. Liverpool was working hard to become genuinely ‘business friendly’ and adopt a ‘can do’ approach to decision making, particularly in areas such as planning

2. The Global Entrepreneurship Congress in March a great coup for the city

3. Encouraging enterprise in schools a priority for city council

4. An elected mayor for the city a positive thing, so long as the mayor would enjoy similar powers as those enjoyed by London elected mayor

5. Apprenticeships seen as an important issue, and council working with private sector to increase number of apprentices in Liverpool

“AS ALWAYS, A FABULOUS, WELL ORGANISED DOWNTOWN EVENT”

JOE ANDERSON, LEADER LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL

DQ ROUNDUP

DQ 25

steve MoRgan, chaiRMan RedRow, owneR wolveRhaMPton wandeReRs fc

Key Points:

1. The UK can ‘build’ its way out of recession

2. Government must relax planning laws and do something that breaks the mortgage ‘log jam’

3. Attitude to business ‘failure’ in UK must change. US culture of admiring people who have a go healthier than ours

4. Manchester the most business friendly city in the UK

5. Football chairman are aware that players salaries are out of control, but not enough of a consensus to tackle the issue – yet!

“FANTASTIC AND STIMULATING DAY OF DEBATE AND DISCUSSION. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DOWNTOWN MANCHESTER CONFERENCE!”

gARY CHAPLIN, COMMUNICATE RECRUITMENT*

“THE CONFERENCE WAS AN ExCELLENT SHOWCASE FOR LIVERPOOL, AND ExPERTLY ORGANISED AND DELIVERED BY DOWNTOWN. THE SPEAKER FROM PHILADELPHIA WAS OUTSTANDING, AND IT WAS USEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM OUR CITY LEADERS ABOUT THEIR VISION FOR THE FUTURE. SIR HOWARD

BERNSTEIN’S CONTRIBUTION WAS ExCELLENT TOO”

MICHELLE HELSBY, EVOLVE

DQ ROUNDUP

26 DQ

fRank Mckenna, chaiRMan downtown in Business

Key Points:

1. Government must seriously tackle red tape issue, particularly in the employment law arena

2. Top rate of tax should be cut

3. SME’s should benefit from National Insurance ‘holiday’ for new staff they employ

4. If exports are so crucial to UK recovery, why no tax breaks for exporting businesses

5. Business owners need to raise awareness regarding alternative funding to bank finance

“GREAT SPEAKERS, GREAT VENUE, GREAT DELEGATES, GREAT EVENT”

DAVID gUEST, BRUNTWOOD

“AN ENGAGING AND INTERESTING DAY. I WAS DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISCUSSION ON

ENTREPRENEURS”

VICTORIA MCKENNA, HIgH PERFORMANCE CONSULTANCY

“ONE OF THE BEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR”

BRYAN ADAMS PH CREATIVE

DQ ROUNDUP

DQ 27

WORKSHOPSThe afternoon saw a series of workshops led by entrepreneurs, business experts and leaders in field. Tackling current issues such as the women’s agenda and how women in enterprise are helping to drive the region’s

economy; how culture can help to deliver economic benefit; and advances in social media and marketing, the afternoon was an opportunity for insight, interaction and reflection on the morning’s unveilings.

it liveRPool

Jonathan Williams, GoogleBryan Adams, Ph.Creative Graham Billsborough, Hudson Hillfacilitator: Peter gaunt, Winning Pitch

entRePReneuRs: BoRn oR Made?

Tony Caldeira, Caldeira LtdVictoria McKenna, High Performance Consultancy Natalie Haywood, LeafGavin Wheeldon, Applied Language Solutionsfacilitator: maggie o’carroll, the Women’s organisation

leading the way - how Bids can dRive Business gRowth

Paul Levy, Philadelphia BIDPaul Rice, Liverpool Commercial District BIDCllr Nick Small, Liverpool City CouncilGed Gibbons, City Central BIDfacilitator: elaine bowker, liverpool community college

DQ ROUNDUP

DQ 30

28 DQ

In our latest DQ 30 feature, we concentrate on 10 of the most

important & influential business leaders in manchester. We have highlighted just some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs and decision makers in the manchester region.

Our featured ‘10’ for this issue have demonstrated a talent, innovation and the ability to succeed. We are sure that these leading business men and women, along with many others, will help to create a successful and prosperous business legacy that will only enhance Manchester’s reputation as a leading business city.

So here they are, the ‘Manchester 10’...

RAY EVANS

A customer-focused retail expert and lifelong football enthusiast, Ray Evans has a clear understanding of what it takes to deliver an exceptional online and in store retail experience for consumers.

Recently appointed Director of football for JJB Sports, Evans started his new role in January and is tasked with reversing the fortunes of the retailer’s football offering and achieving the brand’s ambitious aspirations to for the category. With his reputation as the football industry’s retail doctor, it’s a challenge he has the right experience for.

Prior to joining JJB, Evans spent 12 years with online sports specialist Kitbag, overseeing its growth from inception to a major player with an annual turnover of £60 million annually.

SCOTT FLETCHER

Scott Fletcher is one of the country’s leading entrepreneurs, heading up companies with a total valuation in excess of £60m. Scott

founded what is now his largest business, ANS Group, from his back bedroom in 1996 at the young age of 22.

Operating in the data centre and managed services environment, ANS Group now has 150 members of staff and an annual turnover of £40m; recently Scott was responsible for a £4.85m purchase of Alpha Business Computing Limited, which won the Plus Markets Transaction of the Year award.

Scott sits on the board of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, a body designed to support business and local authorities to grow the local private sector, tackle major barriers to growth and develop shared strategies for the local economy to increase job creation in Greater Manchester.

LAURA WOLFE

Laura Wolfe is the Managing Director of Journey9 UK.

In less than two years under Laura’s leadership, multi-award winning Journey9 has built up an impressive client list and has made

quite a name for itself across the region and beyond.

Before setting up the business Laura was Regional Director of the IoD.

When not working (rarely), Laura’s passions are her family (she is married with two young sons) and football (she is a season ticket holder at MCFC).

TIm BACON

Tim came to England from Tasmania in 1987 working at TGI Friday’s in London before progressing into bar consultancy until 1993.

He headed to the North West (and never looked back!) purchasing and running the extremely popular JW Johnson’s Bar and Restaurant in Manchester city centre from 1993 – 1995.

In 1996 Tim met long term business partner, Jeremy Roberts and established the first in a string of highly successful ventures starting with Via Vita Café Bar and Restaurant opening 7 around the country.

The Living Room opened in 1999 in Manchester and became a

bit of an institution! Over the next 7 years 12 further Living Rooms were opened and the brand became possibly one of the most successful and influential bar restaurants of this era. During this period in 2005 19 restaurants were added from Est Est Est and the Prohibition Bar brand was developed taking Living Ventures to a 34 unit multi-concept business with a turnover of £50million per year employing well over 1500 people.

The Est estate was then developed into the current highly successful restaurant brands under the Living Ventures banner - 9 GUSTO Italian restaurants and 8 BLACKHOUSE seafood and steak house restaurants.

In the last 12 months stunning new concepts have appeared in Manchester stamped with Tim’s unique style and entrepreneurial flair. The Alchemist, Australasia, The Oast House and Peppermint Bay deli style café.

BARBARA SPICER

Following an early admission into local government at the tender age of 17, Barbara Spicer

THE MANCHESTER 10DQ

sPonsoreD by:

Scott Fletcher, ANS Group

gavin Wheeldon, Applied Language Solutions

Laura Wolfe, Journey9

Sir Howard Bernstein, Manchester City Council

DQ 30

DQ 29

has a well-established footing in the North West political agenda. With a progressive and confident approach to regeneration, this has ensured Barbara is one of the most influential businesswomen in the UK.

Advocating a genuine belief in the collaborative efforts of the North West regions’ private and public sector, Barbara has rallied for continued change locally, regionally and nationally and her drive, determination and positive impact have earned her the title of Chief Executive of Salford City Council.

Other accomplishments include obtaining the lead role on economic development, employment and skills, adopting the Chief Executive Lead on the Multi-Area Agreement (MAA), taking responsibility for the corporate management of the City Council as well as being the Council’s chief policy adviser, in addition to embracing the role of Chief Executive for Greater Manchester Police Authority. To name but a few!

More recent events have seen Barbara lead Manchester city’s successful bid to relocate the BBC to Salford Quays as part of MediaCityUK, the final phase of significant development for the area.

SIR HOWARD BERNSTEIN

Sir Howard Bernstein joined Manchester City Council as junior

clerk in the legal department, rising to become the Council’s Chief Executive in 1998.

Following the terrorist bombing of the City Centre in 1996 he was appointed Chief Executive of Manchester Millennium Limited, the public/private sector taskforce set up by the Government and the Council to oversee the redesign and rebuilding of the city centre, a task successfully delivered to critical acclaim on time and on budget.

Since the mid 1980’s, he has been Clerk to Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and took a lead in introducing Metrolink, the UK’s first on-street public transport system which is hoped to be expanded further across the conurbation shortly.

He was involved in the establishment of Manchester Airport as a plc in the mid-1980’s and has driven the expansion of the company into the next stage of commercial and physical development.

Sir Howard was instrumental in securing Manchester as Host City for the xVII Commonwealth Games in 2002, which was the largest multi-sport event ever hosted by the UK and the most successful Games ever.

He took up appointment as Chair of ReBlackpool, the town’s urban regeneration company, in July 2008, producing a strategic review, dubbed the Bernstein Report, a year later.

Sir Howard is also an honorary

president of Manchester City Football Club.

CHRIS OGLESBY

The Chief Executive of property giant Bruntwood, Chris plays an active part in the city and often a leading role in many public-private sector initiatives and partnerships. He has been involved with CityCo, The Piccadilly Partnership, Corridor Manchester and the Irwell City Park project. He has lived in Manchester since he was 4 years old, is an ardent Manchester City fan, and he plays a leading role as a Trustee of The Oglesby Charitable Trust.

JOHN LEACH

John Leach has over 20 years experience in motivating people to achieve success, from individuals to large corporations. Throughout his career he has designed and produced a number of management tools and philosophies that are relevant to both personal and business development. John’s main areas of expertise are personal excellence and motivation, entrepreneurial growth, sales skills improvement, strategy and innovation. With a focus on building high performing individuals and companies, he started the company Winning Pitch plc, helping thousands of entrepreneurs develop further. Aside from that John is a published authour, focussing on mastering

the mindset for success.

TONY WILSON

Tony Wilson is Chairman and Principle Shareholder of Klarius Group Ltd. He is a private investor who acquired the Light Vehicle Aftermarket Europe division (LVA) from Arvin Meritor in 2007. Tony has worked in the automotive aftermarket for 20+ years and is passionate about creating a sustainable value-added aftermarket supply chain with European manufactured product.

GAVIN WHEELDON

Gavin Wheeldon founded translation company, Applied Language Solutions, in 2003. In the last eight years the business has grown to a turnover of £10.6 million and employs more than 135 people across 11 global offices, including the UK, US, Bulgaria, Guatemala and India. Today, the business provides a wide range of language solutions including website localisation, face to face interpreting, multilingual keyword research and marketing collateral translation to global customers such as Google, Sony, Caterpillar and Vodafone to help them communicate in multiple languages. Earlier this year, Gavin did a deal with Capita that has seen the company acquired for a price that is expected to exceed £60M.

Barbara Spicer, Salford City Council

Tony Wilson, Klarius GroupChris Oglesby, Bruntwood Tim Bacon, Living Ventures

Ray Evans, JJB Sports John Leach, Winning Pitch

Did you know? An employment tribunal could cost your business up to £729,347*. However, the really bad news is this does not include the detrimental effect.

To protect your business from vexatiousclaims and to ensure best practice, giveHigh Performance Consultancy a call.

From as little as £50 per month, HPC can provide the following range of outsourced HR services:-

•Unlimitedemploymentlawadviceand supportline•ContractsofEmployment•StaffHandbooks•Legalupdates•Expertsupportatdisciplinary,grievance, performancemanagementmeetingsetc•LegalExpensesInsurancetocover EmploymentTribunalcosts

…and introducing our NewOneHROnlineService.

One HR is a unique, easy-to-use online platform that allows you to handle your entire HR process at the push of a button.

Businesses can manage holiday entitlements, staff absence and personnel files online, improving productivity, reducing risk and saving money.

Forfurtherinformation,pleasecontactVictoriaBrownatvictoria@highperformanceconsultancy.comorcall

01517080009

Help!I need someone

*ThispayoutwasawardedtoMattDriscoll,asportswriteratNewsoftheWorld,whowassubjecttobullyingandwassackedinApril2007whileonlong-termsickleaveforstress-relateddepression.

0800 294 4409For an informal discussion call:

www.marsdenrawsthorn.com

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PRESERVE,PROTECT AND GROW.

CBG for Business.

We can’t be all things to all people. But we can be

all things to people who share our down-to-earth

ideals and straightforward approach to business.

People who want to get things done, and done

right. (People like you, we hope.)

Over the years, we’ve honed and refined a pretty

comprehensive range of services for businesses

of all sizes, across all sectors. And if we don’t do it

ourselves, we’ll recommend someone we trust who

can.

You may only need one element of our service. You

may need all. But however far our relationship with

you extends, our service promise is unshakeable.

We’re thorough, professional, reliable, efficient and,

best of all, we’re nice people to deal with.

Our expertise covers:

h Business Insurance

h Employee Benefits

h Healthcare

h Insurance & Employee Benefits Due-dilligence

CBG Insurance Brokers Ltd and CBG Financial Services Ltd are both Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority and form a part of the CBG Group of companies.

t: 0161 920 [email protected]

CBG for You.

Decisions that should be made with the head are

often swayed by the heart, because you like the

people involved.

We plan to keep both head and heart happy, so

you get the best products from people you actually

enjoy dealing with.

Our range of services for private clients covers

everything from financial planning to specialist

insurance for sports professionals. Whether we’re

sorting out your pension or your private health

cover, you’ll find we’re thorough, switched on and

personable.

The best way to start is with a cuppa and a chat,

so we can really get to grips with your individual

circumstances and understand how best to tailor

things specifically for you. So, give us a call, and

we’ll get the kettle on.

Our expertise covers:

h Personal Insurance including combining

House, Motor and Travel Insurance Policies

h Personal Healthcare

h Personal Financial Planning

h Small Self-Administered Schemes

DMIB Full Page.indd 1 09/03/2011 16:47

Words: Craig Sergeant

INSPIRING ENTREPRENEURS

Yan ZhangGlamorous Travel

Founder of a bespoke tour operator that targets Chinese nationals visiting Britain and continental Europe.

Rob ConnellMed ePad

Developer of an interactive, touch screen device for the healthcare sector with a potential market of over 15 million sufferers.

Nick MunroNSM Trading

Award-winning British designer on the shelves of John Lewis, Heal’s and Fortnum & Mason.

Amanda Lyne ACAL Energy

Fuel cell system developer with plans to commercialise its technology in off-grid power for telecommunications and automotive power.

Every one of the entrepreneurs we have supported with investment capital has a compelling tale to tell. Read more about them or see their video case studies at www.thenorthwestfund.co.uk.

In the meantime, here are just some of our success stories...

/ SUPPORTED BY

DQ ICON

DQ 33

HOME COMPUTER INDUSTRY

We begin on 24th January 1984, with Jobs' Apple Computers Inc. by now a global superpower attempting to surpass IBM as market leader in the home computing sector. On this day Jobs unveiled the Apple Macintosh describing it as "the proudest, happiest moment of my life". The Macintosh plan was to blow all rivals away with a computer that was innovative, powerful, stylish and simple. The Macintosh's aesthetics employed Jobs' "beauty in simplicity" philosophy and as Jobs stated, great products are a "triumph of taste" - the basis of Apple ever since.

As well as simplifying the PC, Apple's new model would change computers forever. Jobs was a master at jumping on innovations by tweaking and refining, ultimately building a successful company from them; and when he encountered xerox PARC's mouse-driven user interface he immediately saw its potential: "You're sitting on a goldmine!" he exclaimed. Instinctively, he knew that this was the future of the home computer and unlike xerox, Jobs acted quickly. Re-designing the mouse for the home, with the brief to cost less than $15 and the ability to "use it on my Levis", the Apple Macintosh was the very first PC with a mouse and on-screen icons.

The Macintosh was a great hit at first because as the first intuitive computer, it encouraged creativity rather than just the soulless collation of data, and in turn started the Desk Top Publishing scene. However, sales soon slowed. Rather expensive at $2500 ($1000 more than the closest matched IBM), there just wasn't enough software available straight away. Yes, it was a friendlier computer but it was essentially useless. Sales reached half of expectations (at best) and a lot of money was lost but still, Jobs wasn't phased. These were lessons learnt. The hard way.

As Apple had grown, Jobs' personality began to change. Whilst still a charismatic director, his tyrannical methods were also coming to the fore and in 1985 an internal struggle for power between Jobs and then-CEO John Sculley resulted in Jobs being fired from the company he'd started - something he still remained bitter about eleven years later: "[Sculley] destroyed everything I spent ten years creating".

As the curtain falls on

Apple Part One we can see that Jobs' mouse and icons had revolutionised the home computer industry, a by-product of which was to create the DTP industry. He was still only thirty years old.

THE HIgH-END COMPUTER & ANIMATION INDUSTRIES: THE VISION & THE HOBBY

Instead of walking away from his sour Apple experience, in 1985 Jobs founded the NexT computer company for $7million. The brief was to make high-end, expensive "interpersonal" computers - a plan that was way ahead of its time. Billionaire Ross Perot invested heavily as their designs targeted the educational sector despite the cost-prohibitive $10K price tag. Struggling to survive, a NexT-saving deal with IBM was struck so that in future their software would work on any IBM compatible PC. In 1990, the NexTcube was released aimed at the financial, scientific and academic community but was another failure, again due to the extreme cost. This wasn't helped by Jobs' ever continuing minute detail to his products' aesthetic perfection (he'd insisted on the NexTcube's costly magnesium casing). As NexT lumbered forth, it soon became clear that giving away its software to IBM was akin to commercial suicide - they were giving away NexT's most valuable asset.

By 1993, NexT was dying and Jobs barely turned up to work. However, in hindsight two great things happened: first the release of the NexTSTEP operating system, later to prove very

valuable to Jobs' former company Apple. Then, the big one happened: at CERN, Englishman Tim Berners-Lee invented the worldwide web using Jobs' interpersonal NexT computer thus changing the world forever.

Parallel to NexT, Jobs kept an expensive hobby running. Back in 1986, Jobs had bought The Graphics Group (later to be renamed Pixar) from Lucasfilm for $10million. After several years of rupturing money, Pixar were saved when Disney invested to co-finance and distribute a CGI animated movie franchise.

The first movie would be called Toy Story and instinctively realising what a banker the movie was, Jobs stripped the company's presidency from Ed Catmull and installed himself as CEO. The film made $28million on its release over the Thanksgiving weekend alone and upwards of $160million in total. Phenomenal returns

considering the $27million production costs. When Pixar went public on 29th November 1995 Steve Jobs became a billionaire worth $1.5b.

It's ironic that Jobs' "hobby" produced greater returns than his "vision", but both NexT and Pixar changed the world: his high end computers gave us the internet and in Pixar he changed the face of the animation forever... for fun.

MAC-TO-FRONT

Post-Jobs, Apple's decline had precipitated so much that by the '90s they were set to lose $1billion. Apple, it appeared, had no future. But a shrewd move was made in December 1996 as Apple purchased NexT for $429million, and in particular NexTSTEP which was to replace Apple's own bloated operating system. However, most important was the return of Steve Jobs.

Each and every day the world loses many people of importance: Inventors, innovators and pioneers; tyrants, capitalists and entrepreneurs; husbands, fathers

and sons. At 3pm on the 5th October 2011 in California, the world lost all of these at once under the 56 year old umbrella of genius that was one man. Creator of Apple Inc. and its former CEO: Steve Jobs.

DQ celebrates the man that changed and revolutionised our world through many different industries - we'll take a look at eight of them to see how Jobs moulded his vision onto the world around us and into our lives.

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To cut costs and get the company back on track, Jobs attacked the company like a tyrant culling staff numbers. The Mac clone business was killed thus preventing the continuing devastation of Apple's hardware sales and Jobs had every Apple product pitched to him to convince him that it was essential to their business strategy. Stripping the deadwood, he whittled fifty products down to ten, then finally ten down to four. By 1997, it was clear that Jobs was operating as Apple's new de facto leader reassuring the company that "we'll do more if we do less".

NexTSTEP became Mac OS x 1 and was available in the new line of four products. At the top end there was the PowerMac desktop and PowerBook notebook, and at consumer level, there was the iMac and the iBook. The latter two in the range revolutionised the design of computers. Designed by Jonathan Ive, the translucent-cased prototype impressed Jobs so much that he insisted on using it as the final product. The mistakes made with the Macintosh were not to be repeated and the new line of Macs were released with a myriad of software available. The hardware included quick and easy connection to the internet and the now ubiquitous USB ports, and smartly did not include a floppy disk drive. Floppy disks were dead within two years. Jobs would recount a quote from a sporting hero, ice hockey player Wayne Gretsky, that highlights why he and Apple undertook such bold strategies:

"I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it's been', and we've always tried

to do that at Apple. And we always will"

MARKETINg INDUSTRY

Even during Jobs' first tenure with Apple, his marketing genius was at work. Notably in the Macintosh's classic Orwellian-inspired "1984" Super Bowl TV advert where Apple painted themselves as the plucky underdog, the outsiders, the revolutionaries challenging Big Brother's omnipresent IBM. The company image projected was the birth of the Apple brand.

With Jobs' return in the '90s and Apple

reinvigorated, Jobs delved into this rebellious past to create a siege mentality and make a call to arms to the company. In doing so he renewed Apple's sense of identity. The "Think Different" campaign was unleashed, again placing Apple in the role of underdogs - and justifiably so. Adverts were released consisting of black and white pictures of great, iconic, world-changing creatives such as Bob Dylan. The plan was more obtuse than that of NexT, the plan was to make computers for people who "believe they can change the world".

This phenomenal marketing strategy combined with the pioneering design was an astonishing success and catapulted Apple back into profit. The whole package was so successful that around a third of all sold went to

people that had never even owned a computer before. Apple's simplicity had triumphed again, but it was fashionable, it made sense, it was personal. It may have been expensive but it was exceptionally designed. But it was no empty vessel. There was great substance beneath the style. It was a great computer. And the cyclical nature it bred was that the better it looked, the more you used it; and the more its used then the more functionality you got out of it. And people, have a great affinity with functionality.

It was after this success that Jobs and Apple developed a new gameplan - the Digital Hub Strategy. Many forecasted the demise of the desktop PC and its replacement by newer technologies, but Jobs predicted a new stage where it would become the centre of a new digital lifestyle. The home computer would glue music, photos, movies contacts and data

together - all because of internet connectivity. This would be the realisation of the dream to create the interpersonal NexT computer, albeit with Apple, his Apple.

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS & RETAIL INDUSTRIES

As part of this strategy came the release of the all-conquering iPod in late 2001. Although not a completely new invention, again Jobs and co. refined, streamlined and tweaked the idea to create a pure white design of perfection. With technology getting smaller yet more powerful, Apple led at the forefront of cutting-edge electronics. Unlike the fate of the Macintosh in the '80s, this time Apple purposely

underestimated the demand for the iPod (again putting valuable lessons learnt into effect) and the demand in European cities was stratospheric. The Digital Hub Strategy was in full swing with the iPod's release and the key element was that it required Apple hardware and software to run - the perfect plan to increase the dollars rolling in.

Success from the iPod set Apple on a new course. No longer merely a computer business, it became a consumer electronics company. Jobs realised content was key with these releases but there was a growing requirement

for people to "try out" their products. Using Sony as their blueprint, Apple entered the retail market with the opening of the Apple Store worldwide in 2001. "Think Different" had clearly become a valuable business ethos.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Beginning with the Napster craze of the late '90s and early '00s, major record labels became worried about the increasing amount of online music file-sharing. Their first response was to punish illegal downloading severely. Jobs knew this was an impractical and unsustainable method of tackling piracy and spotting the gap in the market, Apple began discussions with all major labels the world over.

Realising the potential number of consumers they could reach via the medium

MAny fOrECAStEd thE dEMISE Of thE dESktOp pC And ItS rEplACEMEnt by nEwEr tEChnOlOgIES, but JObS prEdICtEd A nEw StAgE whErE It wOuld become the centre of a new digital lifestyle. thE hOME COMputEr wOuld gluE MuSIC, phOtOS, MOvIES COntACtS And dAtA tOgEthEr

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of music (and the money that would generate), Jobs and Apple created iTunes, the digital marketplace for purchasing music. Very soon, all major labels were on board as iTunes sold a billion songs in its first week. Jobs had given the world the devices to consume audio and videos. Then Jobs gave the consumer the audio and video themselves.

MOBILE PHONE INDUSTRY

Further developments were afoot. In January 2007, Jobs announced the release of the iPhone. The project had begun in 2003 when Jobs contacted all major phone networks promising them a device "light years ahead of anything else". Striking a deal with America's number one provider Cingular and aiming to increase profits not by competing on price but by charging users for increased online data usage, the plan for a mobile-phone-meets-computer-meets-ipod with online access began in strict secrecy.

The iPhone used the same Mac OS x found in all other Apple products meaning that it had the potential to use any Mac software on the market - but Mac software only. The touch screen design was groundbreaking - actually a trimmed down version of what was used on a prototype tablet computer idea of Apple's... something that would only see the light of day three years later on the iPad.

Jobs knew the iPhone would succeed. He knew that whilst their competitors saw themselves as hardware companies, Apple had morphed into primarily a software business. Thousands of apps were available from the Appstore. The iPhone may have been - and still is - rather expensive but you are paying for the best in its field. It is the best phone, the best computer and the best iPod. It has the best Apps, features and bespoke support. A new Apple had emerged and on 9th January 2007 'Apple Computers Inc.' became the succinct 'Apple Inc'. Beauty in simplicity again.

igENIUS

So there we have it. Eight industries in which Steve Jobs changed the world. But that only scratches the surface. He is listed as the primary or co-inventor of 342 US patents, most of which are for design whilst 43 are inventions - quite an incredible feat - and market-leading Apple products continue to improve on each release. Furthermore, Jobs' many awards are not over as he's due to receive a posthumous Grammy in 2012.

Steve Jobs succeeded by joining the creative with the logical as he knew that "Technology is not enough... it should be married to the liberal arts and humanities". His vision for Apple has defined cultural consumerism for the worldwide tribe and for this, he is quite rightly considered a genius and the greatest CEO of our generation.

We have dedicated experts in Employment, Business Law, Dispute Resolution, Debt Recovery and Commercial Property. Ensuring you always have a strong team on your side.

North West Business Insider Magazine. Lancashire Dealmaker Award Winners 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012

For legal advice that is straight to the point:Preston office t: 01772 220022Blackburn office t: 01254 54374www.forbessolicitors.co.uk

Congratulations from RSM Tenon to all the finalists in the Lancashire Business Awards.

RSM Tenon offers a wide range of services, including:

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RSM Tenon Group PLC is an independent member of the RSM International network. The RSM International network is a network of independent accounting and consulting firms each of which practices in its own right. RSM International is the brand used by the network which is not itself a separate legal entity in any jurisdiction. RSM Tenon Limited (No 4066924) is registered in England and Wales. Registered Office 66 Chiltern Street, London W1U 4GB. England. M21780811

For further information on our services please contact: Jon Pinder, Office Managing Director, Lancashire Tel: 07800 617 373 Email: [email protected]

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Selecting the bestwww.shepherd-construction.co.uk

A thinking business

Construction at its best

DQ ROUNDUP

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180 people attended the 2011 Lancashire Business Awards in the spectacular Stanley House. Celebrating the best business successes of the year the ‘Rat Pack’ themed gala dinner saw

Euravia win ‘Business of the Year’, UCLan win ‘Services to Lancashire’ and Kirsty Henshaw picked up the ‘Personality of the Year’ award.

Networker of the Year Female: Vikkie Bamber, Legacy Hotel

Networker of the Year Male:Mark Alexander, Marsden Rawsthorn

Professional of the Year:Pauline Rigby, Forbes

Property Professional of the Year:Jody Lauder, Petty

Social Media guru:Shelley Refern, Northern Exposure

Young Entrepreneur of the Year:Nikki Hesford, Miss Fit UK

Best Financial Advisors:CBG Group

Best Lancashire Venue:Mitton Hall

Best Legal Firm:Brabners Chaffe Street

Best Marketing Campaign:Marsden Rawsthorn

Best New Business:Love to Brand

Business of the Year:Euravia

Services to Lancashire:UCLan

Personality of the Year:Kirsty Henshaw, Worthenshaws

WINNERS1

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1. Award winners gather for group photograph

2. Frank McKenna delivers his introduction speech

3. Andrew Barke from Google addresses the audience

4. The amazing Eva Fox provided the evenings entertainment

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BUILDING PLUMBING HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY WORKWEAR

the lancashIre bUsIness aWarDs 2011 Were sUPPorteD by:

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5. Dan Shaw; Walmsley Design, Lisa Bowden; Shepherds, Andy Walmsley; Walmsley Design

6. Jim Hancock took on hosting duties for the evening

7. Kirsty Henshaw, Worthenshaws

8. The Marsden Rawsthorn team

9. Bede Mullen from UCLan addresses the audience

10. Lynn Sedgwick; Clayton-Legal, Deborah Robinson; The Perfect Polish, Abigail Hunt; Heckford Advertising

11. Guests of The Write Angle and Shepherds Construction

12. Jim Hanock, Jody Lauder; Petty, Norman Tenray; Obas Group

13. Angela Smith presents the best Lancashire Venue Award

14. Panoramic view of the Lancashire Business Awards 20119

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the DoWntoWn gUIDe to the coolest stUff In the DoWntoWn UnIverse

COLBA 2012

CITY OF MANCHESTER BUSINESS AWARDS 2012

THE STONE ROSES

THE COOL LIST

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This black tie dinner will be held in one of Manchester’s most spectacular venues, Manchester Cathedral. A three course meal will be served, entertainment provided, and you will have the opportunity to network with some of the region’s leading movers & shakers.

THE STONES ROSESHEATON PARK, MANCHESTERJUNE 29TH – 1ST JULY

Towards the end of last year, The Stone Roses announced the end of a 15 year split for a series of gigs starting in Manchester. The Stone Roses will play three dates at Heaton Park, with the band selling 220,000 tickets in just over an hour. The ‘Will they; Won’t they?’ debate has gone on for many years but now fans can look forward to what is set to be one of the greatest gigs Manchester has ever seen.

EUROPEAN CITY OF SPORT 2012

Preston has been awarded the UK European City of Sport tile for 2012. The title was designated by the European Capital of Sport Association (ACES).

European City of Sport designation and its connection with Preston Guild will enable a wealth of activity to take place in 2012 encouraging greater participation and ultimately a more healthy population leaving a lasting legacy.

European City of Sport is led by four Principal Partners: Preston City Council, UCLan, Preston College and NHS Central Lancashire. They are supported by Preston North End FC as an official partner and by sportswear manufacturer Surridge as official kit supplier.

For further information on European City of Sport visit http://www.preston.gov.uk/yourservices/sport-and-leisure-centres/european-city-of-sport-2012

This black tie dinner will be held in the spectacular setting of the Sefton Park, Palm House. A three course meal will be served, entertainment provided, and you will have the opportunity to network with some of the region’s leading movers & shakers.

As always the City of Liverpool Business Awards, will reward the best businesses in the Liverpool city region.

Look out for further details in the coming weeks and months.

SALFORD CITY STADIUM

MELBOURNE SERVER HOSTINg OFFICES

THE OPEN gOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

PlayGround launched in December at the Hilton Liverpool hotel in spectacular style, bringing with it a big slice of 6-star luxury to Merseyside.

No expense was spared on this £2m super-club, designed by the team behind Whisky Mist, and this is evident immediately as you enter. PlayGround oozes style, with its sumptuous décor, eye-catching LCD wall that projects pin-sharp videos, and sound responsive lighting that pulses to the rhythm of the state-of-the-art sound system.

PlayGround is the creation of George Panayiotou of the Ability Group, whose vision was to bring some Las Vegas-inspired luxury to the deserving people of Liverpool. George then enlisted some of the best people from the north-west to really bring the wow factor. Liverpool fashion designer Kirsty Doyle designed the staff uniforms, Justine Mills from Cricket is running the membership scheme, and Alex Gerrard designed the membership cards.

Memberships to PlayGround cost £500-a-year, and offer a number of fabulous perks that make it great value. Members get their own separate entrance and complimentary entry for themselves and one guest. They have their own private area within the venue, a separate waitress service, and invites to all the VIP events and after-show parties.

For membership please contact [email protected]

PlayGround at the Hilton Liverpool hotel, 3 Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool L1 8LW – 01517084200 - www.Playgroundliverpool.com

PLAYgROUND

THE COOL LIST

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2012 OPEN gOLF CHAMPIONSHIPROYAL LYTHAM & ST ANNES gOLF CLUB19TH – 22ND JULY

The 141st British Open Golf Championship 2012 will be held at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire between 19th-22nd July 2012. An expected 250,000 spectators will heading for the Lancashire coast for the duration of the 2012 Championship. Former winners include Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods and last year’s winner, Darren Clarke. There are some fantastic hospitality packages available for what would make a great corporate day out. More info can be found at www.britishopengolf.co.uk

Salford City Stadium: your new home for sport, events, conferences and celebrations in the city.

The stadium is an inspirational new landmark for Salford and is set to become the go-to destination for high quality and excellent value events, with state-of-the-art facilities and unrivalled service, whether for a wedding with a difference, a unique conference or business venue or as an impressive setting for concerts and entertainment.

The Salford City Stadium will also truly be at

the heart of the local community, with a range of professional standard sporting pitches and facilities on offer for local teams and groups in surroundings guaranteed to inspire and motivate.

The stadium of course is also the place to go for Engage Super League rugby in the city, as it is the home ground for Salford City Reds.

So whether for sporting glory, business success, unforgettable celebrations or just a night out to remember, make the Salford City Stadium your destination of choice.

Melbourne Server Hosting is a family-run business that puts their staff at the heart of everything they do. Melbourne knows that their team is their most important asset, which is why they’ve created a home for the Melbourne family that reflects their ethos.

After a visit by DQ, we were overawed by the quirkiness of the office; we just had to bring it to our reader’s attention. For more pictures and a tour of the Melbourne office visit http://www.melbourne.co.uk/about-melbourne/we-have-moved

KUCKOO ROCK UP gOOD BUSINESS

Playing rock music until the early hours whilst serving an array of delicious cocktails, the team at Kuckoo have made a successful start to their business since they opened in 2010.

Director of Kuckoo, Richard Powell, said they use a ‘flat’ management approach where ‘boss’ and ‘manager’ are classed as taboo words.

He added: “By sticking to our core values, we have created a bar like no other. What differentiates us from every other bar is the passion and drive that all the team have to ensure that Kuckoo is the best bar in the area.”

Kuckoo bar is open from 5pm seven days a week on 16-17 Fox Street, Preston. www.kuckoorocks.com

JUST JONAS

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Individuals’ love of art is as diverse as the definitions of art itself. What we might

regard as art today may not necessarily have been perceived as art when it was originally created. During the middle ages certain creative activities that we would consider as crafts were translated as art and it was only during the renaissance period that the social status of artists as individuals became more defined and recognised.

Like many, I personally struggle to accept that Tracey Emin’s “tent”, appliquéd with the names of everyone she has bedded, is art. What I do recognise is that Tracey Emin is revered by many of her peers from within, therefore proof of the scope of diversity.

Love her or hate her, Emin has achieved a certain high profile celebrity status and, because of this has managed to turn her creative skills into a successful and sustainable business, creating art (or is it craft?) that people will pay good money for.

Stephen Collett is a 28 year old artist living and working in Liverpool. His work, in my opinion, is quite remarkable, and in that I am not alone. Stephen has exhibited in the UK as well as Paris, Berlin, New York and Shanghai, and as he recently explained to me, business is looking good with some quite amazing opportunities in the pipeline. I am convinced that, like Tracey Emin, Stephen has the capacity to become a globally acclaimed artist.

He initially trained as an architect, but his passion for painting overwhelmed his desire to become a draftsman and engineer. With the support of his friends and family, who universally recognised his immense talent and no pressure to go out and get a “real job”, he embarked on six months of seclusion in his home studio, waiting for Charles Saatchi to knock on his door. When he accepted that this tactic was not working, he swapped his paint splattered jeans for a suit, to pursue the journey that has now become his business.

Last year Stephen worked with Downtown on a project called High Fliers, a series of commissioned portraits of significant business leaders in the city and exhibited at the Radisson Hotel during the launch week of the commercial districts BID initiative. The audience response as each portrait was revealed was testament enough to his remarkable talent..... and the commissions rolled in!

His business is to sell his work, simple as! I asked him why buying original art is a good investment.

“I think of original pieces of art as investments that you can benefit from every day. A good piece of original, collectable art will increase in value; some only marginally yet some exponentially depending on the artist and the quality of the work. Therefore, like any other investment it requires research, knowledge of the market and a bit of luck to make a large amount of money. But the benefit of an artistic investment over others is that you get to enjoy the art on your wall for as long as you have it. People buy art for different reasons, in my experience people have bought my work purely because they like it, it's only in the last few years people have been considering it a good investment”.

Stephen now regards business and passion in equal measures. Finding his feet in the art world has involved a lot of trial and error, with plenty of knock backs. However, he already has four exhibitions confirmed for 2012 and is currently working on a commission for Iliad, which is “Challenging, but a great deal of fun... watch this space!”

I myself am now the proud owner of a “Collett”, a sizeable portrait of Richard Branson, one of my business hero’s and soon to visit Liverpool for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress. Maybe I have a selfish reason for wanting Stephen to reach the dizzy heights of success, but I genuinely consider that he has the skill, the passion and the potential opportunity to be considered one of the modern day greats.

Judge for yourself www.stephencollett.com

Arts or crAfts,business or pleAsure?

Words: Roger Jonas, Downtown in Business

a ROGER JONaS OWNED ‘COLLETT’

WORK HARDPLAY HARD

LIVERPOOL

ACC LiverpoolTel: 0151 703 7268Fax: 0151 475 7777Email: [email protected]: www.accliverpool.com

Alma De Cuba Tel: 0151 702 7394Email: [email protected] Web: www.alma-de-cuba.com

Bem BrasilTel: 0151 709 0044E-mail: [email protected]: bembrasilrestaurants.com

Bluecoat ChambersTel: 0151 702 5324E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.thebluecoat.org.uk

Crowne Plaza LiverpoolTel: 0151 243 8000Web: www.cpliverpool.com

Everyman Playhouse Tel: 0151 706 9115 Email: [email protected] Web: www.everymanplayhouse.com

Franklins DeliTel: 0151 227 5976E-mail: [email protected]: www.franklinsdeli.com

gustoTel: 0151 708 6969 Web: www.gustorestaurants.uk.com

Hilton Liverpool Tel: 0151 708 4200Email: [email protected]: www.hilton.co.uk/liverpool

Il FornoTel: 0151 709 4002Email: [email protected]: www.ilforno.co.uk

Liverpool Empire TheatreTel: 0151 708 3200Email: [email protected] Web: www.liverpoolempire.org.uk

Malmaison LiverpoolTel: 0151 229 5000Email: [email protected]: www.malmaison-liverpool.com

Merchants Bar & RestaurantTel: 0151 702 7897Email: [email protected]: www.62castlest.com/merchants-restaurant.php

Novotel HotelTel: 0151 702 5100Fax: 0151 7025110Email: [email protected]: www.novotel.com

Restaurant Bar & grillTel: 0151 236 6703Email: [email protected]: www.therestaurantbarandgrill.co.uk

Radisson BLU LiverpoolTel: 0151 966 1500Email: [email protected] Web: www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-liverpool

Royal Liverpool PhilharmonicTel: 0151 210 2921Email: [email protected] Web: www.liverpoolphil.com

Sapporo TeppanyakiTel: 0151 705 3005Email: [email protected]: www.sapporo.co.uk

Sir Thomas HotelTel: 0151 236 1366Email: [email protected]: www.sirthomashotel.co.uk

The Living RoomTel: 0151 236 1999Web: www.thelivingroom.co.uk

The Noble HouseTel: 0151 236 5346Email: [email protected]: www.thenoblehouse.co.uk

mANCHESTER

ABode ManchesterTel: 0161 247 7744Email: [email protected]: www.abodehotels.co.uk /manchester

Bem Brasil - DeansgateTel: 0161 839 2525Email: [email protected]: www.bembrasilrestaurants.com

Bem Brasil – Northern QuarterTel: 0161 923 6888E-mail: [email protected]: www.bembrasilrestaurants.com

East Z East - RiversideTel: 0161 834 3500Email: [email protected]: www.eastzeast.com

East Z East – Ibis HotelTel: 0161 244 5353Email: [email protected]: www.eastzeast.com

grill on The AlleyTel: 0161 833 3465Web: www.blackhouse.uk.com

Living RoomTel: 0161 832 0083Fax: 0161 8320082Web: www.thelivingroom.co.uk/venues/manchester

PiccolinosTel: 0161 835 9860Fax: 0161 834 9563E-mail: [email protected]: www.piccolinorestaurants.co.uk

Restaurant Bar & grillTel: 0161 8320082Email: [email protected]: www.therestaurantbarandgrill.co.uk

Royal Exchange TheatreTel: 0161 833 9833Email: [email protected]: www.royalexchangetheatre.org.uk

RossoTel: 0161 832 1400Email: [email protected]: www.rossorestaurants.com

Sapporo TeppanyakiTel: 0161 831 9888Fax: 0161 839 4030Email: [email protected]: www.sapporo.co.uk

LANCASHIRE

Angelo’sTel: 01772 257 133Email: [email protected]: www.angelospreston.com

East Z EastTel: 01772 200084Email: [email protected]: www.eastzeast.com

Fusion RoomTel: 01772 880180Email: [email protected]: www.fusionroom.co.uk

glovers BarTel: 01772 561410Email: www.facebook.com/gloversbarWeb: www.gloversbar.com

Holiday InnTel: 01772 567 000Email: [email protected]: www.hipreston.com

Invincibiles - PNETel: 01772 759 900E-mail: [email protected]: www.invincibles-pne.com

Legacy International HotelTel: 0844 411 9028 E-mail: [email protected]: www.legacy-hotels.co.uk/legacy-preston

Marriott HotelTel: 01772 864087Fax: 01772 861728Web: www.marriott.co.uk/preston

The Whalley Wine ShopTel: 01254 822581Web: www.thewhalleywineshop.com

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Photograph courtesy of Adam Kenrick Photography

THE CITY OF MANCHESTER BUSINESS AWARDS

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, THURSDAY 29TH MARCH, 6.30PM

For further information visit www.downtownmanchester.co.uk

2012

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