All Blog Posts (783)

I read some statistics earlier this morning which stated that 99.9% of businesses in the United Kingdom were designated SME and the vast majority of start-ups were as a result of the melt down in job retention by large companies.

That latter statement appears to be very true, but what's even truer is that these new companies, very often one-man bans like the denizens of Networking in Surrey, have gone from an environment where they're…

Hrees a great article with an illustrative infographic from US web content brand specialist agency Brafton:  (click here to visit their blog to read the whole thing and see the infographic)

Officials from Google and Bing have consistently emphasized their focus on the user experience, with Google’s Amit…

Ivan Misner is the 'Big Daddy' of networking...  As Founder of BNI (Business Networking Institute)  "the world's largest referral organization", he virtually created the concept of business networking as we know it today. Without him, Networking in Surrey wouldn't exist - so I'm always keen to hear his thoughts and wise words on networking.

There's a great article by Ivan in the…

With obesity levels in the UK topping the 20% mark, making us the fattest nation in Europe, employers are now facing the possibility of employees claiming that their obesity amounts to a disability, and that reasonable adjustments should therefore be made.

Before you scream: “Don’t be ridiculous, the adjustment needed is to lose weight!”, consider the recent decision of the Employment Appeals…

Hello friends of NiS,

This week in my yoga classes we have been focusing on relieving the piriformis muscle.

 The piriformis is primarily an external rotator, one of a number of small, deep muscles that rotate the leg outward at the hip. It's notorious for causing…

I didn't know that there was a number you can dial in the UK and in many other countries that is often a better bet than good old 999 (especially for mobile phones)? I was sent a link to this video on the MicroNavigation YouTube channel and I checked it out here on Wikipedia because I couldn't understand why I didn't know this stuff already!…

Networking is an activity that can pay off really well. As with all things in life and business, it might not work for everyone.

What it depends on, really, is the spirit and spirituality of the networker.

Networking is part of a business strategy, marketing, sales, promotion, etc.  But as networking is also very much about personal connections, the aspect of personality plays a major part. And a major part of a personality is someone’s…

Follow our link to the Surrey Life site (on NiS Home Page) for a 'What's on in Surrey calendar' - just to prove we're not 'all work and no play!'  Coincidentally (?) that's the title of another link box on the Home Page which takes you to some light-hearted YouTube videos if you need a two-minute break from the grindstone...

Here's the What's On…

The latest budget will no doubt contain a few surprises and will take a while to digest. At first sight it would appear that big businesses will benefit more than small businesses. 

The proposed "Employment Allowance" may prove to be an interesting opportunity for some tax planning but the devil will be in the detail.

In the meantime, TaxAssist Accountants have released a summary to highlight the key…

Don'thca just love good news stories in these often gloomy times (if the press is to be believed!)

Veronica Pullen, long-standing NiS Member and Social Media diva (and all-round good sport:0) has just been voted Small Business Coach of the Year at the Association of Professional Speakers, Trainers and Consultants 2012 Achievement Awards…

Hello friends of NiS,

How are you feeling? Now it is spring and the days are getting longer, do you have more energy or are you still feeling a bit tired?

Daily yoga practice will bring your body energy back in balance. Even if you are at work you can take a couple of minutes to practice some yoga. I have recorded a Modified Sun Salutation so if you’re busy or recovering from an injury you can do this sequence to get the energy and blood flowing.

Modified Sun…

Here's an interesting take on the budget by Tony Robinson (no, not Baldrick - the other one!) which I found on the business zone website - see the full article here: BusinessZone Budget What do yo make of it all?

Tony Robinson writes:

I was appalled by the poor behaviour and lack of humility shown by all political parties in the House of Commons during the Budget announcement. They didn't seem to understand the effect…

Recent years have seen a relaxation of dress codes, even in some of the more formal professions such as law and accountancy, particularly when client meetings are not taking place. Often starting with a dress down Friday, some companies and individuals are now finding it hard to accept the results in the office environment.

From standard 3 piece suits earlier in the 20^th Century relaxing to today’s 2 piece lounge suit…

I'm always glad to hear from local business guru Robert Craven as a free Member of his Directors' Centre Business Club, and here's a timely post from him today. You can check out the whole article here on his website, which explains each point in more detail, but here's the list:

10 Ways To Improve Your…

As times goes on, it is possible to become jaded and not sure that the direction you are taking is leading to the destination you want to arrive at.

Often we are thrust into a place where we are uncomfortable add the feeling of being unsettled is not a pleasant one. There are choices to be made throughout life; brown bread or white; car or walk, sugar or not. And we can change our mind quite easily and it well, it really doesn't matter that…

Right now, mobile in-store tablets are set to take over in a big way.

Whether it is to collecting leads, running competitions, getting instant reviews or displaying real time product tours and demos...

…in-store tablets are going to change the face of local marketing and help businesses make a huge jump in their sales as a…

Just received an email with link to a blog post from Aurelius Tjin (crazy name, crazy guy!) - some really good stuff in amongst this lot, including several of my own favourites...

See the original bog post here

1. The way to get…

Hello friends of NiS!

I know you lead a busy life, so I'm sure you would benefit from practising more yoga, because YOGA is ideal for stretching and toning, sculpting your ideal body, and finding calm and balance.

Running a business doesn't always leave much time for de-stresing yourself and recharging the batteries - both of which are essential if you want to stay sane…

 Please CLICK HERE to go to the video)

This week I headed over to Simon Twilley's small studio in Ashford to make a quick video…