All Blog Posts (783)

You already know how important networking could be for your business, but are you getting the results you want?  Do you still find it difficult to walk into a room full of strangers or have trouble introducing yourself or remembering names?

Well this book first published in 2002 by speaker and writer Roy Sheppard is full of helpful advice on all of that and the e-download version is currently available free.  Please see below for the book description and link to get your…

Everywhere we look there is more and more information about how bad things are financially and we see prices continually rising. Jobs are on the line every day and people seem to be generally fed up with life at present. Surprisingly though there is an industry growing more and more in these times that offers extra income in return for sharing a business concept with others. It is of course the Direct Selling…

Whatever the English dictionary might describe as the literal meaning for a word, we all have our own meanings and associations that we apply to particular words and phrases. And when you are running a business there are some key words that more often than not trigger a negative reaction or emotion – words like rejection, failure, selling and possibly even success.

At the end of the day they are just words…

There is rising concern that the Government’s flagship NewBuy scheme has hit trouble, just two months after its launch.

The scheme, which launched on March 12, allows first-time buyers and home movers to purchase a new-build house worth up to £500,000 with a 95% mortgage, with taxpayers and developers underwriting the loan.

But the scheme has been dogged…

It’s still raining – but thank heavens we’re finally getting back to our traditional British weather! :0(  On the bright side, we’ve got lots of exciting national events happening this Summer to lift the spirits, and a bank holiday or two into the bargain. Hooray!

Before then, there will be lots of events on NiS which…

The Society of Digital Agencies in partnership with Econsultancy, polled 651 new media executives. Well over 2/3’s  confirmed they are in the process of adapting their marketing operations in light of the ever evolving digital marketplace.



A few weeks ago I wrote about …

The Surrey Shiatsu Network is looking for a venue to hold a special event in October. We'll be giving Shiatsu taster sessions to leave you energised, answering people's questions about what we do and the benefits of Shiatsu, and maybe running some workshops. 

So, is your business based in Guildford? Do you have a spare room or floor in your building, are you a member of a club or church whose rooms we could use? Do you have any suggestions? 

We also want to reach out to people…

NiS Member Nicky Rudd runs Padua Communications.  Here she explains how she got involved with Rabbit 2012...

With the word communications in your company name, the chatter does come easily! It was completely by accident that we got talking to the organisers of Rabbit 2012, but we’re so glad we did!

Padua Communications is a young company. When we set the company up, I in particular did a lot of local networking, and this was great for my first 12 months.…

Next week will see history made in the mortgage market.

From next Tuesday the Co-operative Bank and Britannia Building Society will no longer offer mortgages on an interest-only basis.

Customers will now only be able to take out mortgages on a capital and repayment basis.

The lender says it expects the changes being proposed in the Mortgage Market…

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for office space in Woking town centre within walking distance to the station. I'm interested in either shared office space, ad-hoc office space (on an hourly basis) or taking on a lease for a dedicated office space of my own.

As a career development practitioner, I need somewhere that offers privacy for consultations with my clients rather than a hotdesk/open…

The headlines screamed out this week that the UK economy had re-entered recession after two negative quarters back to back.There are many of us who believe the economy has been in recession constantly since early 2008.

It does however, throw up marvellous opportunities for those of us with large databases of customers and contacts built over previous years. So here are a few ideas to help you grow your business, and I am happy…

We increasingly see photographs and personal information about directors and employees both on websites and in marketing materials. This could also include company Facebook pages and other social networking sites.



A word of caution...



Under the Data Protection Act 1998, photos, names and work histories of employees are considered to be "personal data".  This information can only be used for the…

April showers are here - an ironic reminder that we’re experiencing a sub-Saharan drought and won’t be able to use the hose to water the rhubarb, or indeed, wash the car (‘every cloud’, as they say :0)

So you’ll see me swanning around in my dusty jam-jar proudly claiming to be ‘doing my bit for Britain’ (or at least for the sun-dried south!)…

Grass Roots, a well known research agency recently published interesting research using the ‘mystery shopper’ methodology as a tool. This is a summary of their findings...…

Average rates across two- and five-year fixed products have crept up, and borrowers on their lender’s Standard Variable Rate should be wary of future rises and look to fix sooner rather than later.

The warning comes after a number of lenders announced hikes to SVR (Standard Variable Rate )rates which come into force on May 1. Analysis has found that the average rate for…

Teachers are in the news again, with allegations that it takes too long and is too difficult to dismiss poorly performing teachers. In the private sector, it is argued, incompetent employees can be given their marching orders much more easily, whereas in the public sector it can take up to a year to remove somebody.

So what are the grounds on which an employee may be fairly dismissed, and what should an employer do, faced with an employee…

How many times have you been asked this question?

Whether in first meetings, on the golf course, down the pub  or at networking events, having a succinct & well thought out answer will avoid that embarrassing pause that makes you look silly or stop you from launching into your life story in the hope that something useful will fall out 20 minutes later. Meanwhile your questioner suddenly has a pressing…

I had an interesting exchange of ideas with Arnie Fabius this week, using the inernal messaging system here within NiS, so I thought I'd share my side of the story here...

Are there too many alternative channels of communication out there these days?…

You may have heard, Companies House are cracking down on Companies with business stationery that do not meet the mark, directors who fall below the requirements could face prosecution and a fine of £1,000.

The stationery they are talking about are all letters and emails must show the registration number, registered name and address and…

An 11-year-old boy has been highly commended for his imaginative entry to a competition to find a credible plan for a euro exit.

Jurre Hermans was among 452 candidates who submitted entries to win the £250,000 Wolfson Economics Prize. Although his idea was not among the five shortlisted, Jurre received special mention from the judging panel and will receive an €100 gift voucher, the Telegraph…