All Blog Posts (781)

Mortgage applicants who take the life insurance deal offered to them by their mortgage lender could be paying 50% more than they need.



Research has found that life insurance and mortgage protection products being sold by the country’s biggest mortgage lenders do not always offer the best value. In some cases, the research definitely points the finger at branch based advisers of pushing customers towards taking even more expensive options.



Using one typical…

I was trying to think how our friends on the headline desks at the tabloids would have titled this story, and I hope I have done it justice?

A landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice means that insurance companies can not discriminate on the basis of sex when calculating premiums.

Insurance firms had an opt-out of a gender discrimination directive due to the wide use of sex in deciding premiums but the UK must now implement the policy into law by December 21…

In many ways, business is a numbers game – and we’re not talking the National Lottery here, although my partner Angela did scoop the top £1000 prize in this month’s Sam Beare and Woking Hospice Draw (how’s that for ‘Givers Gain, Folks)!

Anyway, here are some of the ‘magic numbers’ (not drawn by Guinevere or Amethyst :0) for us this week...

As of today NiS lists 211 events in…

I’ve been giving more thought to how easy it can be for someone starting a new venture to feel overwhelmed by what needs to happen to get the business to take off. Well, try thinking of your start up as the basket of a hot air balloon.

Every activity that you are doing, or are thinking of doing, can be categorized as either part of the balloon that is generating lift, or one of the sandbags holding you down.



* If you don’t pay attention to those things that generate lift then…

2011 – New Legislation

2011 will provide new regulations for employers to update themselves with and work through the challenges to their pension scheme processes, employing agency workers and helping their employees with their flexible working hours. Here's a quick guide for employers to help keep themselves updated on the New Year’s legislation.

Abolition of the default retirement age

By far the…

Enjoy Shiatsu on the radio!

 

At 2.30pm this Friday, 4th March, I'll be on Brooklands fm discussing Shiatsu. I hope you'll be able to tune in for the Mind Body Spirit programme when I'll be talking to Samantha New-Fielding about the benefits of…

Received this through from Joanna Simpson!

BNI Guildford is a thriving, buzzy group of business people who meet over breakfast at Merrist Wood Golf Club each Wednesday morning. We are looking for people in the following categories to join us and expand their busines network (and of course to get more referrals and more business!) 

• Marketing
• Public Relations
• Copywriting
• Builder
• Tiler
• Solicitor
• Painting & Decorating
• Handyman
• Bank…

Following on from my blog about what Winston Churchill had to say about people insuring themselves correctly, here is what Which? had to say - so again, don't take my word for it!

Which? has included life insurance and income protection (IP) on its list of the best financial products.

The consumer association previously listed IP as a preferred alternative to payment protection insurance when PPI made its worst financial products…

It is a truly amazing place. The courses, help and support offered are brilliant but like most organisations of this kind, it is under-funded. It really bought home to me how…

Doh! Valentine’s Day – and I scored a typical ‘own goal’! Not only did I not take my long-suffering partner Angela out for a romantic candle-lit dinner, but I went out networking instead – and what’s more, to a fab dinner at the Woodlands Park Hotel with Trafford Enterprises. Talk about the St Valentine’s Day Massacre :0)  Even the dozen long-stemmed red roses I’d grabbed in Waitrose didn’t get me off the hook, so it looks like I’m going to be putting up…

Tipping

A couple of days ago I went to Pizza Express for lunch, it’s my favourite place for pizza, but sadly not for service.  Trying to gain someone’s attention to come and take our order after we had been waiting for 10 minutes, I saw 5 staff and not one of them was looking towards the diners, so trying to gain eye contact was something of a challenge.…

• Does your business card pack the right punch? 
• Is your website and promotional literature conveying the right branded message?
• Does it all say this message consistently?

I was at a networking event this evening and thankfully didn't see any horror business cards but I often see business cards and other marketing materials that let small businesses down.

When you start out it is tempting to get…

I'm very excited!!! 

No, not because it's Valentine's Day and romance is in the air.  I'm very excited because over 60 business are already joining us at our FREE networking evening, Commercial Connections, at Gorse Hill, Woking on Thursday 17th February (6-8pm).

If you haven't already signed up it's not too late.

Event is free. Booking is essential. …

Women are increasing their earning power but less likely than men to have financial protection should they suddenly be unable to work, according to new research.

The Women and Protection report released by Bright Grey found that women were taking more control of household finances but neglecting to protect themselves.

It found over half (53%) of working…