leap magazine march-april issue

March – April 2012leapmagazine.co.uk

The Leap of Faith One Step at a Time

Norfolk Knowledge: If Only Norfolk Knew What Norfolk Knows

Tips From Research Plus+ for Conducting Door to Door Market Research

Bright Yellow Marketing Shining a Light on Social Media Marketing

Business Networking

Entrepreneur, Author, Columnist, Motivational Speaker and the UK’s top Sales Mentor...!

GUEST SPEAKER

STEVE CLARKE

www.all-about-business.co.uk

ExhibitionThursday April 26th 2012

Top of the TerraceNorwich City Football ClubCarrow Road, Norwich10.00am - 4.00pm

Free Entry & Free Parking2 Free Keynote SpeechesBar & Food Available

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Business Networking

We are thrilled to have Steve Clarke as our guest speaker. Steve is one of the UK’s leading experts on grassroots sales and marketing strategies. Not a theorist or a guru, but a doer.

Steve is also a member of an elite team of business mentors chosen by The Entrepreneurs Business Academy. Steve lives by his mantra . . . “It’s your attitude that determines your altitude”.

SPEAKER : STEVE CLARKE

Exhibition

WHY VISIT?

THURSDAY APRIL 26 10am-4pmFree Entry • Free Parking • Bar & Food

All About Business is a relaxed yet vibrant Business Exhibition, where many of the best local businesses display their products, skills and offers. Be part of it . . .

10.00am Official Opening11.00am Speaker, Steve Clarke15.00pm Speaker, Steve Clarke16.00pm Exhibition Closes

It’s a great chance to meet local businesses, make lucrative new contacts and enjoy relaxed networking.There’s no need to register and the event is entirely free - including entry, parking and two Keynote speeches.

WHAT IS IT?

EXHIBIT!This is a fantastic opportunity to promoteyour business, network and make profitable new leads at an established, well organisedand very popular business event.

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LEAP magazine: contents

Norfolk KnowledgeOutset NorfolkCalendar

The Good and the Bad in a Renault CampaignThe Attention AdvantageTips For Conducting Door to Door Market ResearchStarting-Up as a Social EnterpriseQuestions and Answers

Page 8Page 109

Page 16

Page 24Page 36

Page 14Page 22Page 30Page 44Page 46

Welcome to the first issue of LEAP magazine, a start-up finding its way and helping others find theirs. We aim to help start-ups and small businesses get access to advice, potential business partners and a list of useful events in the city.

This month we talk to Norfolk Knowledge about their excellent mentoring scheme and have a look back at what Outset Norfolk accomplished in the short time when it had funding. We also explore what you need to take into account when conducting door to door market research and when

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Bright Yellow Marketing Shining a Light on Social Media Marketing in NorfolkEden’s Heavenly Fine FoodsFrank’s Bar No Half Measures

The Good and the Bad in a Renault CampaignThe Attention AdvantageTips For Conducting Door to Door Market ResearchStarting-Up as a Social EnterpriseQuestions and Answers

Page 16

Page 24Page 36

planning a video campaign, what a social enterprise is, and how to position yourself on the market.

Most importantly, we have an in-depth look at Bright Yellow Marketing, Frank’s Bar and Eden’s, three recent and successful start-ups and find out how they got where they are today, what hoops they had to jump through and the lessons they learned along the way.

This magazine is very much a work in progress so if you find it useful or see ways it could be better, please let us know.

LEAP magazine: mentoring

is a project — backed by Norfolk County Council and led by the UEA Norwich Business School — that set out to answer one very important question: how can we prevent the skills of Norfolk’s retirees from being lost to the business world? The answer is a mentoring scheme that pairs up these highly trained former managers, directors and business owners with local businesses.

They started in January 2009 with 24 voluntary members and have now grown to 90, covering a wide range of backgrounds from marketing for very large companies, to investment banking, to running small and medium Norfolk-based businesses. Some members have even been previously involved with Business Link and so are very familiar with the start-up process. Overall, through their careers they have experienced mixed degrees of success and this has taught them how to identify the warning signs.

They are now retired or semi-retired and looking to keep active within the local business community. Norfolk Knowledge

Norfolk Knowledge www.norfolkknowledge.co.uk

01603 597 202

flips the concept of offering support to older people on its head, letting them be the ones that give help where it is needed, without putting them under pressure to commit to a certain number of hours, or to alter their lifestyles.

If you are looking for objective advice and help for your business, the process of joining is very simple. Visit the Norfolk Knowledge website, click on the Request Help button and then fill in the short form asking you about your business. You will then get a phone call that will go into more detail and work out if a mentor is right for you at this point. After this, the mentors will be able to view your request and contact you to set up a meeting.

Expect to learn a lot from this process: the commercial realities behind business concepts, examples of

how similar situations were dealt with on other occasions, how to become more competitive

and more efficient, where to access funds, or even that your business plan, as it stands now, might not work and you will have to rethink it.How much will this cost you? Nothing,

except proof of your passion for your project.

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LEAP magazine: business skills

The Outset® programme is the best practice for engaging with disadvantaged groups in society, and supporting people into self-employment as a means of becoming financially independent. It changes cultures, increases skills, stimulates the economy via the creation of new businesses and jobs, and reduces the cost of benefits.

Having completed 18 months of delivery in Norfolk, Outset has created a real impact in the county, which we are proud to evidence here. We’ve unleashed Norfolk’s appetite for entrepreneurship – exemplified by the 1000+ people who sought our help to explore enterprise, and the creation of nearly 90 business start-ups.

“We are grateful to the generosity of Norfolk’s business people who came forward to ‘give something back’ by way of

Outset Norfolk Retrospective

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Outset Norfolkwww.outsetnorfolk.co.uk

0800 032 7851

allocating their valuable time to help another. These genuine acts of altruism quickly filled up our Mentor Time Bank, which reached 3000 hours!”

The number and variety of clients who we’ve supported demonstrate Outset’s unique ability to reach demographics that mainstream business support simply cannot. It provides the right type of flexible, tailored and high quality support at

the right time, with the right ethos, and in the right place.

Our focus on sustainability requires that clients have realistic expectations, a passion for what they do, a firm understanding of key business skills to ensure they remain competitive and, most of all, survive the high-risk first 12 months. We are delighted to announce that our first few new businesses from 2011 are now celebrating one year of trading.

Outset Norfolk is a real success story, meeting and exceeding targets right through two projects. “We’d like to extend

LEAP magazine: business skills

our thanks to all of our partners, whose referrals and close working relationships have enabled the provision of seamless support for the county’s new entrepreneurs; and to all of our mentors for helping us achieve a significant impact on the Norfolk economy in such a short space of time.”

SMEs now account for 99.9% of all enterprise and 59.8% of all private sector employment across the UK. In rural areas such as Norfolk, this figure is often higher because of the tendency for larger commercial employers to develop in urban locations where resources, labour and logistics are more accessible.

Over recent years, the National Indicator for enterprise (171) reported a continuing decline in Norfolk’s business birth rate, despite the expenditure of significant public sector funds. Recognising that Norfolk’s towns and villages rely on successful and sustainable enterprise for wealth creation and employment opportunities, Norfolk County Council were seeking a different, innovative approach. They commissioned this programme from YTKO Ltd through open public tender to make a real impact on the county’s economic outputs. EEDA’s Investing in Communities (IIC) funding stream added

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Outset Norfolkwww.outsetnorfolk.co.uk

0800 032 7851

another element to the programme’s agenda. The success of the first 12 months enabled the injection of further funding from Norfolk County Council.

The Outset Norfolk project will be suspended on 30th March 2012 pending further funding. However we hope to be operational again soon.

LEAP magazine: video

I love studying adverts and talking about them (often to the detriment of people around me!). Sometimes I will even get to watch an advert that I quite enjoy, and then I will point out all the elements that could have made it even better.

Today, I am talking about the recent Renault advert for their new range of electric cars. Yes, it may not float everyone’s boat as it does ours at OPL, but there is a marketing message here too.

The Good and the Bad in the Renault Electric Car Campaign

by Oliver Lawer OPL Productionswww.oplproductions.co.uk [email protected]

01603 603 958 @filmolly

This video is part of a campaign by Renault to (as they put it) support the shift to a new era in the automotive industry: electric cars. The campaign is designed to get people talking – debating – about electric cars and if they really are the future. Having everyday items such as a computer powered by a motor spewing out fumes would be nonsensical. So

why isn’t it with a car? Because it’s the norm? Is that all about to change?

This is a great example of how to get people talking about a topic that has been discussed before, but in a new way.

To their credit, Renault have several (what we call) ‘Infoclips’ on their website too. These clips are longer and give more information to an already interested customer. These are designed to get the prospective customer excited enough to come in for a test drive. The rest is up to the salesman.

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The Good and the Bad in the Renault Electric Car Campaign

LEAP magazine: video

However, I wonder if they could have extended their campaign further. Having seen many examples of successful marketing campaigns, I think they missed a few opportunities.

Namely, their YouTube page does not back up the campaign by offering those viewing the video a web link in the description. I found my way to the Renault website by googling, but how can they measure how many people visited their website from watching the video without a dedicated web link? They cannot. So when looking at ROI (return on investment) they cannot accurately determine which medium increased their sales the most (if their sales do indeed increase – there is no guarantee).

The video itself, while clever, could have quickly touched on the fundamental objections many consumers will have regarding electric cars. Such things as ‘how long does it take to charge?’ and ‘how long will it last?’. Even in a short advert these things could be easily summed up in a few animated graphics such as ‘charges in 6-8 hours’ and ’170km per charge’. It would have added only a few seconds to the advert. There is also no reference in their YouTube channel that customers can learn more on their website.

by Oliver Lawer OPL Productionswww.oplproductions.co.uk [email protected]

01603 603 958 @filmolly

Finally, until recently the ‘Infoclips’ were tucked away – you had to click on ‘electric cars’, then ‘Explore Kangoo Van Z.E’ (in tiny letters at the bottom of the screen), then ‘Z.E. Car’. I wonder how many people actually found these videos before they changed their approach.

With all that said and done, it is still a good example of how an advert can be interesting, engaging and get a discussion going.

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Know what to ask for:Adclips: capture the attention of those that may not yet be interested in the product/service being advertised and direct them to the website. Infoclips: on the product website and affiliate sites. They give customers who are already interested more information about why they should chose the product/service. They have a clear ‘call to action’. Newsclips: information, how to’s and news for existing customers. It keeps the product in their mind, gives them something extra and helps create more ‘word of mouth’ opportunities.

LEAP magazine: advertorial

Shining a Light on Social Media Marketing in Norfolk

Bright yellow makes us think of sunlight, springtime daffodils, even half of a certain city’s football shirt. It invariably fills us with optimism, energy and promises of good times ahead. Bright Yellow Marketing aims to do the same thing in the world of social media by shining a light on its marketing potential for young businesses.

Chris and Sara Greenfield have been using social media for years. “So what?” I hear you say. “So have I.” Some of us (ahem) might even call ourselves “addicts” of a kind. It’s true, Twitter, Facebook and the like rule our online world. But how many of us know how to use this to a business advantage?

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Bright Yellow Marketing

Shining a Light on Social Media Marketing in Norfolk

by Natalie Kordeczka


Chris and Sara do. The difference between us and them is their combined expertise in IT training and marketing. It is this that gives them the enviable edge in knowing how to maximise marketing potential through what most perceive as a tool of communication, friendship and self-expression.

But why Bright Yellow? I am intrigued. Chris explains, “I bought myself a bright yellow car because I was told to get a sensible colour like blue and I never do what I’m told! Whenever anyone commented on it after that I would reply

that in Norfolk we do things differently, this is Norfolk blue!”It is this infectious enthusiasm for Norfolk which brought

them here permanently and it was conversations with their clients that made them realise that so many businesses were

“Don’t think you always have to do as you’re told – go with your instinct” – Chris Greenfield


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craving help with social media.Unlike their other ventures — word-of-mouth marketing

franchise thebestofnorwich, and their biannual business exhibition All About Business — Bright Yellow works with micro businesses as well as more established firms. It offers start-ups crucial help and training in the first few months by showing them how to get their messages and brand to the audience, through what is undeniably one of the most cost-effective ways available.

Furthermore, as the uses of social media grow, so do the platforms for their management. Hootsuite is one of the primary dashboards for managing multiple social media outlets - software that when used properly can do anything

“Don’t think you always have to do as you’re told – go with your instinct” – Chris Greenfield


from tracking brand mentions across multiple platforms to scheduling messages and tweets to appear when you might otherwise be busy. And being busy is a feeling that will be only too familiar to any start-up. Chris knows that feeling well as Bright Yellow relies on a dedication to keeping the company’s knowledge fresh.

As he discusses, “We face the same challenges as many other businesses – growing and maintaining – but also

keeping up to date with what’s happening. Are QR codes going to be mainstream or not? Is Pinterest the next big thing?”

And keep up to date they do. Chris is one of only two certified Hootsuite professionals in Norwich.

If, like me, you have found

www.brightyellowmarketing.com | 01953 600 534 | @brightyellw


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www.brightyellowmarketing.com | 01953 600 534 | @brightyellw

yourself wondering what ‘QR codes’ and ‘Pinterest’ are, then Bright Yellow offers hands-on workshops on those too, amongst its myriad and flexible range of services. Attendees are always asked to bring their own laptops and internet devices so they can learn on equipment they are used to, and if that’s not suitable then they can borrow one.

Lastly, what advice would Bright Yellow give to any start-ups in Norfolk today? Chris is enthusiastic in his response, “Do your research. Can you succinctly explain what your business will do and how it will do it? Think why someone would like to know, and don’t bore them. And don’t think you always have to do as you’re told – go with your instinct.”

LEAP magazine: marketing

In today’s busy world, so many businesses are clamouring for the attention of customers and prospective customers.

You need to be heard, you deserve to be heard, and you need to make a difference for you and your business so that it’s easy for your customers to find you and buy from you.

Get through the CLUTTER

With so much advertising clutter, people are totally numb to the message. Eighty years ago or so, when the first advertisements were printed in newspapers, people saw them, read them, talked about them and even bought from them.

As time went on through the 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, advertising became more and more sophisticated, always making the changes that made sure the business was noticed and got the attention of their target market.

The Attention AdvantageHow small and medium size businesses are posting RECORD profits in TOUGH ECONOMIC times

by Jamie Allan I Want More Salesiwantmoresales.co.uk [email protected]

07786 228553 @Jamie_W_Allan

Solutions for Your BusinessGetting and keeping customers is vital so a strong marketing

system is key. Knowing your customer profiles means you can choose the best marketing to reach them such as: • DirectMarketing• EmailMarketing• Re-Marketing• UseofVideo• PersonalURLs–PURLS• Affiliatemarketing,SEO,BlogsAnd of course when you do have a

prospect on the radar there is the good old telephone!

For more information on getting the attention of your customers, download the full document for free here.

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The Attention AdvantageHow small and medium size businesses are posting RECORD profits in TOUGH ECONOMIC times

ATTENTION – INTEREST – DESIRE – ACTION


Heavenly Fine Foods

© Elizabeth Cowley Gwilliams 01953887340

Eden’s

Eden’s is a great name for a catering service. It’s the sort of name that marketing firms ought to have spend thousands of pounds developing through a tortuous process of brainstorming and focus groups. So it seems a little unfair that Eden Kidane was able to come up with it just by putting her own name over the door.

Eden didn’t start out aiming to get into catering. She did a degree in International Development Studies at UEA, and graduated in 2010, but like far too many graduates that year she entered the job market to find the pickings were slim. Eventually she took an unpaid placement with the Broadland Housing Association. It was while working there that Eden started thinking about running her own catering company.

The thing was, Eden had no experience in the catering industry. Cooking was something that had always come

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Heavenly Fine Foodsby Chris Farnell


naturally to her, and she got a kick out of making things for other people to enjoy - something her friends and family had always been grateful for.

“I decided I might as well do something I’m good at,” Eden told us. “I’m not afraid of challenges. They’re just opportunities to grow.”

The first thing she did was tell her manager about her plan to start her own business. Not long after that, the Broadland Housing Association became her first client.

So it was then that Eden’s was created, selling Ethiopian and Eritrean food, including snacks such as sandwiches, samosas, falafels and sweets. Eden always believed

she had what it took, and though starting a new business was a challenge, she made a point

of never focusing on how hard it was.She launched an event to

© Elizabeth Cowley Gwilliams 01953887340

Eden’s

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showcase the traditional Ethiopian cooking she’d become known for. From that initial event, held in a community centre with a small attendance of about 50 people, word of mouth spread quickly. Volunteering for the Red Cross and Bridge Plus has not only been rewarding in itself but also helped her

spread the word through contacts.Of course, even as her reputation grew, Eden had a lot

to learn. Signing up with NWES, she was able to learn the basics. Over the four-day course she learned the structures and procedures she’d need to establish her business, and by day three she was confident enough to officially register her company.

The company is called Eden’s, but Eden has brought in the whole family to keep the business turning over. Originally set up as a partnership between herself

and her husband, she also gets her 15 year old son and

“Challenges are just opportunities to grow” - Eden Kidane


13 year old daughter to lend a hand as well. The company has gone from strength to strength, catering for events such as Refugee Week and Black History Month, as well as events such as a wedding for 150 people, or small gatherings of no more than 10.

Between catering and working ad-hoc as an interpreter, Eden is now planning to use her business to launch a project organising events that promote healthy eating, by teaching quick, cheap and healthy cooking tips to people who need it. She’s currently applying for grants that will help her run these events for free.

Overall, Eden’s pleased things have turned out the way they have and is actually glad she didn’t find a job straight out of university. Her advice to others who find themselves in the position she was in a couple of years ago is simple, but encouraging.

“Don’t be negative about not having a job,” she says. “Instead, find something you love. Even when things were tough, I knew there was something right for me and that it would come at the right time. Things work out for the best.”

www.edensonline.co.uk | [email protected] | 0790 451 6267

Eden’s

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13 year old daughter to lend a hand as well. The company has gone from strength to strength, catering for events such as Refugee Week and Black History Month, as well as events such as a wedding for 150 people, or small gatherings of no more than 10.

Between catering and working ad-hoc as an interpreter, Eden is now planning to use her business to launch a project organising events that promote healthy eating, by teaching quick, cheap and healthy cooking tips to people who need it. She’s currently applying for grants that will help her run these events for free.

Overall, Eden’s pleased things have turned out the way they have and is actually glad she didn’t find a job straight out of university. Her advice to others who find themselves in the position she was in a couple of years ago is simple, but encouraging.

“Don’t be negative about not having a job,” she says. “Instead, find something you love. Even when things were tough, I knew there was something right for me and that it would come at the right time. Things work out for the best.”

www.edensonline.co.uk | [email protected] | 0790 451 6267

© E

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LEAP magazine: market research

Before you startWork out a few simple questions to ask people; if someone

is mentoring you they will be able to help you with these. Do wear smart clothes (depending on your business, these

may not be the clothes you will wear when you are actually doing your work).

Do have an identity card. You can wear it round your neck or pin it to your breast pocket so people can see it.

Do inform the local police of what you will be doing – where and at what times. You may be able to do this over the phone or you could call in at the local police station before

you start and show them your ID card; if they are interested, show

them your survey q u e s t i o n s

and

Tips for conducting door to door market research

31

by Jenny Wilding Research Plus+www.research-plus.co.uk [email protected]

01603 408289 @researchplusnfk

your thank you note (you never know if some of them may be interested in using your services).

Talking to peopleDo your visits between 10 am and 7 pm. It is best to go

when it is still daylight, but in some houses people are only in during the evening so you will need to go after 5pm.

It is simplest to only interview people over 18 years.Have a short, friendly script which makes it clear why you

are knocking on their door. For example: “Good morning /afternoon. My name is xxx. I wonder if

you could help me? PAUSE /SMILE. I am thinking of setting up a business to [description of business]. Before I set up my business I am carrying out some research to see if people would want to use my services. PAUSE/SMILE. Could you spare a few minutes to answer a short survey? It will not take longer than xx minutes.” PAUSE /SMILE.

If you expect most people to be willing to help you, most of them will.

If they do not want to help you, say “Thank you, I am sorry

LEAP magazine: market research

to have troubled you”.Some people may say it is not convenient now, but they

will be willing to speak to you if you call back later. Take a note of when they say they are free to see you so you can go back then.

Do make sure that the people you speak to are able to decide whether or not they will use your services, e.g. do not ask the 11 year old son in the household, unless your business will attract young customers.

Have one survey form for each household and fill out the answers in pen as they give them to you.

You may find it useful to have a clipboard to use when

writing the responses to your questions.We would suggest asking an extra question at the end: “Is

there anything else you would like to say?” They may tell you things that you had not thought of.

You may want to include an extra statement at the beginning: “Please tell me what you really think, not what you think I want to hear!!”

33



At the end of asking your questions, thank them for their time and give them a thank you note.

The first purpose of the thank you note is so that they do not worry afterwards about who you were or why you asked them questions.

The second purpose of the thank you note is so that they have your details in case they, or someone they know, wants to use your services – a bit of advance advertising / marketing!

The thank you note can say: “Thank you for sparing the time to answer my questions today. It will help me in setting up my business [description of your business].” Then add your name, address and phone number so they can contact you in the future if they wish. We usually use half or a third of a side of paper for the thank you note.

Recording your progressIt may be useful to have a list of the streets you are going to

visit, so you can write down which houses you have been to and spoken to someone, so you do not disturb them again. Also at which houses people have said you can go back to

LEAP magazine: market researchYou are invited to:

NETWORKING YOUR WAY TO NEW BUSINESS

Speakers: Heather Townsend with Jon Baker

Heather Townsend is the author of the current bestselling book on networking: The Financial Times Guide to Business Networking: How to Use the Power of Online and Offline Networking for Business Success.

Jon Baker is a business coach specialising in helping businesses grow.

Inspired by:

Organised by Mark Barton and Jenny Wilding of Research Plus+ 01603 408289 and Martin Lake, Chair of the Mid Norfolk Federation of Small Businesses 01603 700 474.

We look forward to you joining us.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR SEAT NOW21marchnorwich.eventbrite.co.ukTickets include a light buffet and cost £12.95 in advance, debit or credit card, or £15 on the door, cash or cheque

Artwork by: Alina Sandu, www.alinasandu.co.ukPrinted by: Norwich Print Solutions, www.norwichprintsolutions.co.uk

Wednesday 21st March6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Holiday Inn, Norwich Airport, Cromer Road, Norwich, NR6 6JA

Formerly one of Norfolk’s most acclaimed networking experiences for small businesses, start-ups and budding entrepreneurs.

35



at a more convenient time for them.If you wish you could record how many interviews you have

done in each street / area. You just check off how many people you have seen in each street / area. Or you could record their gender or their gender and age group. This is useful for reporting on your findings and is also quite satisfying to do as you it records your progress / achievements.

It is a good idea to set yourself a target of how many surveys you will do each time you go out – e.g. decide to do 20 at a time. Or decide to do it for 2 hours at a time. Or if people are unwilling to help you, decide to get 20 refusals before you stop and you will get some people who will answer your survey in between the refusals!!

If people say “No” to you there is no need to lose your temper or shout at people – you are asking for their help and it is their choice whether or not they do this. One way to feel better yourself is to say “NEXT!” very “loudly” to yourself before you go to the next house.

You could take a friend with you so that you can share the work and encourage each other. They will also need an ID card and slightly different scripts.

Lastly enjoy yourself!

You are invited to:

NETWORKING YOUR WAY TO NEW BUSINESS

Speakers: Heather Townsend with Jon Baker

Heather Townsend is the author of the current bestselling book on networking: The Financial Times Guide to Business Networking: How to Use the Power of Online and Offline Networking for Business Success.

Jon Baker is a business coach specialising in helping businesses grow.

Inspired by:

Organised by Mark Barton and Jenny Wilding of Research Plus+ 01603 408289 and Martin Lake, Chair of the Mid Norfolk Federation of Small Businesses 01603 700 474.

We look forward to you joining us.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR SEAT NOW21marchnorwich.eventbrite.co.ukTickets include a light buffet and cost £12.95 in advance, debit or credit card, or £15 on the door, cash or cheque

Artwork by: Alina Sandu, www.alinasandu.co.ukPrinted by: Norwich Print Solutions, www.norwichprintsolutions.co.uk

Wednesday 21st March6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Holiday Inn, Norwich Airport, Cromer Road, Norwich, NR6 6JA

Formerly one of Norfolk’s most acclaimed networking experiences for small businesses, start-ups and budding entrepreneurs.


No Half Measures

Frank’s Bar

At some point all of us, after we’ve had a few beers and become assured of our own genius, have turned to our best friend (whoever is sitting next to you at that point is, by definition, your best friend) and said the immortal words, “You know, we should open our own pub.”

It’s a statement that is always greeted with enthusiastic agreement, and by the time you stumble out of the pub you’ve been drinking in you’ll have worked out what drinks you’ll sell, what the menus will be, what the décor will look like and what sort of cowboy outfits the bar staff will have to wear (that last one might be just me). Then you’ll wake up the next day, recover from your hangover and realise you don’t want to start your own pub because it sounds like really hard work.

Still, for all of us who somehow never got our Cowboy

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No Half Measuresby Chris Farnell


themed cocktail bars off the ground, James Wingfield is an inspiration. Perhaps the secret to his success is that he didn’t come up with the idea while drunk.

“I’d always wanted to start my own bar,” James tells us. “I had it in my head that when I got enough cash together I’d get it started. Then I realised that was never going to happen.”

Deciding it was now or never, James teamed up with his cousin, Ella Williams, who, like James, had worked in hospitality for years and dreamed of running her own pub. So it was that the pair formed a limited liability partnership in 2008.

“It was good partnering up with a cousin,” James says. “We’re family, so we were already close before we started

“We’ve never actually traded when it wasn’t a financial crisis. I’m sort of curious to see what that would be like” - James Wingfield

Frank’s Bar

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“We’ve never actually traded when it wasn’t a financial crisis. I’m sort of curious to see what that would be like” - James Wingfield


working together, but we avoid all the bickering we might get if we were siblings!”

James grew up 10 miles away from Norwich, while his cousin hailed from Ipswich, but they both moved to Norwich when they realised it was the perfect location for what they had in mind.

“It had everything we needed; the people, the art school and the university meant we’d be near just the sort of customers we’d want to attract,” James says. “What we didn’t have was the right venue.”

This would prove to be just the first hurdle in a series of challenges that would have caused plenty of other people to give up. Once they found the venue they wanted on Bedford Street, James and Ella had to go through a long and at times frustrating process to get the lease, planning permission, licences and financial backing that they would need to get started.

“I’ve never been more stressed,”

Frank’s Bar

41

James admitted.Frank’s Bar ended up opening five years

after they had originally intended to, and in the meantime James and Ella had to take on a variety of temp jobs to tide them over.

However, the delay did have an upside. It gave them more time to improve their business plan and get more training in running their own business. They did a five day Business Link course where, alongside a dog walker, a beautician and someone who installed air-conditioning units, he learned how to put together a professional looking 60 page business plan.

“This proved really useful when talking to banks,” James says. “They were used to seeing business plans scribbled onto the back of a tissue, so we impressed them.”

Eventually Frank’s Bar opened for business, and it’s gone on to become one of Norwich’s best known watering


holes in a city that isn’t exactly short of places to drink. The bar serves tea, coffee, local ale, cocktails and food from sandwiches to tapas and proper meals, as well as a full English breakfast and American pancakes at weekends. Its reputation has spread far and wide, with the bar receiving write-ups in The Metro, The Guardian, The Independent, and even the New York Times.

“The turnover is higher than expected and increasing steadily,” James tells us. “We started with 6 members of staff and now we’ve got 21.”

And they’ve managed all this during the worst financial crisis in living memory.

“We’ve never actually traded when it wasn’t a financial crisis,” James says. “I’m sort of curious to see what that would be like.”

Of course, pride comes before a fall, and it’s no surprise to learn that James is due for a run-in with the law — for

www.franksbar.co.uk | 01603 618 902 | 19 Bedford Street, Norwich, NR2 1AR

Frank’s Bar

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www.franksbar.co.uk | 01603 618 902 | 19 Bedford Street, Norwich, NR2 1AR

charity. In March, James will be arrested by the police, handcuffed, put in a police vehicle, have his fingerprints and a mug-shot taken and sent down, and will remain in jail until he is able to raise £500 bail money to be donated to the Norfolk Hospice.

Still, we suspect James thinks it’s all been worth it.“This was the dream, it had to be all or nothing,” James

says. “In the end, it lived up to expectations.”To find out more about the Hospice Hold-Up, go here:

www.franksbar.co.uk/the-hospice-hold-up. And to give money to the cause, go here: www.justgiving.com/freeJames.

LEAP magazine: social enterprise

Social enterprise as a term and business movement is not well known among the public due to two reasons. The first is that there are genuinely few well-known examples of businesses that trade for a social purpose — these include Divine Chocolate, One Water and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant chain; the second reason is that the charity sector has tried to hijack and dominate the movement, calling it its own.

For Richard Patey of Profit is Good Ltd, social enterprise is absolutely not about charity — it is about enabling social purpose, values and impact to become mainstream within the business world in a way that goes beyond corporate social responsibility and creates shared value for all.

For those considering starting their own social enterprise he advises reading as much as possible about successful businesses that combine a social purpose, such as TOMS shoes, and learn about their business models to replicate something similar - there is little need to be truly innovative

Starting up as a

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by Richard Patey Profit is Good Ltdwww.profitisgood.co.uk [email protected]

@SocEntOutcubate

to create a positive social impact, just the entrepreneurial ability to see what could work well locally.

Profit Is Good Ltd offers mentoring support to people looking to start up their own social enterprises and offers advice on the most appropriate legal structure and where to source start-up funding, all based on Richard’s own experience.

“I had to completely jump ship — I set up a limited company and then handed in my notice. I wouldn’t recommend throwing yourself in at the deep end, it is totally possible to build your own business whilst working a full-time job, but I just couldn’t

take the grind anymore. It has been incredibly hard work — I’ve probably averaged 80 hour weeks for the last 2 years — but it’s on your own time, and as you get better you can start to eliminate and automate the repetitive tasks. Reading The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris really helped me.”

LEAP magazine: agony aunt

Q. What type of companies can benefit from video?A - All of them! The answer is the same as if someone asked ‘What type of companies can benefit from a website?’. The answer for the latter is a no brainer only because it’s the norm. People simply don’t understand HOW video can help them, not if it can. At its most basic level it’s a case of thinking how you can invoke the right feeling in your product service and then give a logical reason for your customers to buy - using the right visuals and audio. But remember, it’s like anytime else you show off to the world (your clothes, business cards, website etc), creating the right impression is crucial.

Answered by: Oliver Lawer OPL Productionswww.oplproductions.co.uk [email protected] 603 958 @filmolly

Have you got a question about starting or growing your business? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll find the experts to answer.

Questions & Answers

47

Q. Whom should I ask if my business idea is a good idea?A. If you are going to do some market research to find out if people will buy your products or services, or to see what they think of your business name or logo, do not ask your family or friends. Family or friends are often over kind or over critical. Instead ask some strangers or other business people. It is best to choose people whom you think will be the type of person to buy your products or services, i.e. your target market.

Answered by: Jenny Wilding Research Plus+www.research-plus.co.uk [email protected]


2020plusCivic and Business Leadership Event

the think tank onsocial changeand leadership

innovation

The most urgent question for every leader is this: ‘What kind of city do you want to be living in 10 years from

now - and what will you do now to set that in motion?’ Mal Fletcher | Chairman 2020Plus

http://2020plus.net/norwichfor programme, registration, video and more information

Thursday 22nd March 2012 at The Space - 8.30am to 11am

Norwich



innovation





Norwich



innovation





Norwich

LEAP magazine: calendar

» NR3 Networking 16th March, Drinks and informal chats The Lord Rosebery Pub, from 5:30 p.m.

» Networking Your Way to New BusinessDo you want to network with other forward thinking business owners and growers? Want to learn how successful entrepreneurs and business owners did it themselves? 21th March, Holiday Inn, Norwich Airport, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

21st March, “The Event” for year 7s and “Flexible Learning” for year 11s at CNS Norwich22nd March, “Raising Aspirations” at Archbishop Sancroft High School30th March, “Planetary Pioneers” for year 7s at Sewell Park College

The year 7 program challenges the students to create, promote and present their ideas for an event to be held at a particular venue. The sky is the limit but time will be tight and the nerves jangling!The year 11 program asks the students to experience different ways of learning and developing their skills. This program is activity-based, fast and furious .... and fun!As a thank you for being a mentor, MoCo offers networking, social events and free access to CPD training courses in return for your time and expertise.

» Working with the next generation

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Norwich

» Office Drinks22nd March and 19th AprilA bar and plenty of space to network.Farmer Browns, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m

» 2020Plus Civic & Business Leadership Event22th MarchThe most urgent question for every leader is this: “What kind of city do you want to be living in 10 years from now - and what will you do now to set that in motion?”8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Space

The year 7 program challenges the students to create, promote and present their ideas for an event to be held at a particular venue. The sky is the limit but time will be tight and the nerves jangling!The year 11 program asks the students to experience different ways of learning and developing their skills. This program is activity-based, fast and furious .... and fun!As a thank you for being a mentor, MoCo offers networking, social events and free access to CPD training courses in return for your time and expertise.

LEAP magazine: calendar

» Fancy running a business?26th March, NWESThis half day business training course examines the implications of self employment as a life choice and provides an overview of the knowledge and skills that will be necessary in order to run a successful business.

» Business Start up Training26th March to 29th March, Outset NorfolkA four day intensive training course covering all the essential elements required for preparing a Business Plan, and running your business.

» Managing Money in your Business27th March, NWESConfused by Business Finance? Unsure of how to keep your books and keep the tax man happy? If this is you then our, full day, “Managing Money in your business” is for you.

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Norwich

» Hot Source29th MarchAli Clabburn of liftshare will talk about the challenges of setting up an online social business. Jonathan Perlmutter of ip21 will talk us through some of the principles of intellectual property and how to protect it.From 5:30 p.m. NUCA Duke Street lecture theatre

» Norfolk Netwalking18th AprilAn Epic Evening’s Netwalking

» All About Business26th AprilYou want more clients, more sales and more profits? Yes?Then you’ve got to hear the “UK Sales Mentor” Steve Clarke. From 10 a.m. Top of the Terrace, Carrow Road

leap magazine march-april issue

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