IQ-Magazine-Issue-10

Issue 10: AUG - OCT 2014

IQ showcase 

issue 10 | page 2

issue 10 | page 3 

IQ showcase



welcome to the tenth edition of iq business magazine, 

a quarterly publication that offers insight and inspiration 

to sme business owners in cambridgeshire and suffolk 

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If you would like to pass any 

comment on this edition of 

IQ, or you have any business 

news to report, contact 

Georgie Campbell on 

01638 666432 or email 

georgie@cubiqdesign.co.uk 

Continuing the upward 

turn many business leaders 

predicted, this year continues 

to project positivity across the 

region. Government funding 

looks set to make a real impact 

in the area, thanks to the Greater Peterborough Greater 

Cambridgeshire LEP and its partners who have secured 

£21.1 million from the ‘Growth Pot’, whilst many other key 

organisations are joining forces to embody a stronger, more 

unified identity for the East. 

The recent coalition of the Suffolk Chamber and the Bury 

St Edmunds Chamber has been met by a positive audience 

who now look forward to the potential for businesses in 

this area, whilst the Cambridgeshire Chamber has made 

a discerning move to push the city’s businesses to trade 

overseas, bringing further economic value to our region. 

Also in this issue, we take a look at the changing nature of 

payroll as the impending change in flexible hours and auto – 

enrolment comes into force. Debbie Thompson from Streets 

Chartered Accountants explains the benefits of outsourcing 

this area of your company, whilst we discuss the impact of 

flexible working on local businesses. 

With the end of year now in sight, we have also highlighted 

the importance of staff retention and satisfaction, showcasing 

some of the region’s different Christmas party venues, and 

other methods in which to retain a happy workforce. Who 

knew it could be as simple as obtaining a music licence? 

Although it may seem the jury is still out. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to invite our 

readers to attend our next networking event, set for 13th 

August. Hosted by the Cambridge Business Lounge, we 

welcome our guest speaker Miles Vartan from Miles Vartan 

Consultancy, to discuss the importance of Health and 

Safety in the workplace. If you would like to attend this free 

networking event, please email info@iqmag.co.uk or call the 

team on 01638 666432. 

to receive your free issue of iq 

Visit www.iqmag.co.uk and sign up to the IQ database to receive your free copy of IQ each quarter. 


IQ contents 

in this issue 

08 Business overview 

12 The Increasing Payroll Burden 

15 Flexible Working Hours: Good or Bad? 

18 What can HR do for me? 

21 Five People Questions For Business Leaders 

22 Making Your Business Lean and Mean 

25 Business In Bury St Edmunds Join Forces 

26 Businesses Look Overseas To Fuel Business Growth 

29 Savvy Keyboard Shortcuts 

31 Boosting Business 

39 The Importance of Music in The Workplace 

41 Business Diary 

45 Essential Business Apps 

46 A Resort That Really Has It All 

49 Building Dream Homes, Together 

51 Corporate Christmas 

63 Gadget Update 

65 Carving Out The Niche 

THe TEAM 

John Treby Creative Director | Gemma Treby Sales and Marketing Director | Georgie Campbell Editor 

Kelly Baxter Editiorial & PR Assistant | Georgia Watson Editiorial & PR Assistant | Becca Plaxton Publication Sales 

Jess Pack Designer | Matt Cockerton Designer | Eugene Hector Designer | Emma Sheppard Designer | 

Nick Jenkins Designer | Steve Parr Designer | Paul Paterson Designer | Sean Brkovic Designer 

Expert Contributors Glyn Mon Huges | Miles Vartan | Debbie Thompson | Cambridgshire Chambers of Commerce | 

Jacqui Kemp | Nigel Sandbrook | Suffolk Chamber of Commerce 

Cubiqdesign | Goodwin Business Park | Newmarket | CB8 7SQ | 01638 666432 | www.iqmag.co.uk 


IQ business overview 

In the lead up to the Scottish referendum, 

Glyn Mon Hughes asks whether regional 

independence could benefit East Anglia 

Early autumn could be a tipping point for business. 

Never mind all the economic indicators and the good 

news which seems to be becoming a daily occurrence, 

it’s the Scottish referendum on independence that 

will have millions in Scotland, the UK and around 

the world watching the results keenly as they come in 

during the early hours of 19th September. 

The arguments on both sides have been well 

rehearsed, and most business organisations – 

probably most notably the CBI - have said that a vote 

for independence would not be a positive vote for 

Scottish business. 

But what about the rest of the country? Already, 

politicians seem to be preparing for life after the 

referendum, whichever way it goes. 

The Chancellor, George Osborne, has set out his 

vision for a third high-speed railway link, to create a 

northern economic powerhouse of linked cities. 

A group of MPs has also said that the regions of 

England should be given greater fiscal powers. 

Scotland – even without independence – already has 

the powers to vary the basic rate of income tax by up 

to three pence in the pound. The Welsh government 

is also about to acquire increased powers over fiscal 

matters. So why not England? 

Already the anomalies of devolution can be seen. 

In the city of Chester, for instance, which, in effect, 

straddles the Welsh border, some people on one side 

of the street in some of its suburbs can find that their 

NHS prescriptions are free, whilst those yards away 

must pay. The same is true of student fees and several 

other matters, with the result that similar properties 

facing each other can find that their council tax varies 

by tens, if not hundreds, of pounds. 

So, has the time come for a “Parliament” for East 

Anglia? Without doubt, it’s one of the nation’s 

more economically robust areas. According to data 

collected in December 2013 and recently released by 

the CBI, it has the UK’s fourth biggest regional gross 

value added figures – the value of goods and services 


IQ business overview 

produced per head. Whilst London is way out in 

front, the second most wealthy area, according to 

this particular measure, is South East England, 

followed by Scotland and then East Anglia, where 

the figure stands at £19,023 per head of the 

population. 

A recent BBC report by business correspondent 

Jonty Bloom suggested that Cambridge could be the 

template for the UK economy. The report focused 

on the Cambridge Science Park, where, according 

to the BBC, some of the “UK’s brightest and best 

companies” are located. Some of these were startups, 

simple ideas that took off. 

In fact, so many of these start-ups took off with such 

vigour that a good many companies on the Science 

Park are now worth in excess of £1bn, to the envy 

Already, London Mayor Boris Johnson has said that 

property taxes such as council tax, business rates 

and capital gains property tax should be devolved 

to the Greater London Authority. So, if the region 

bordering East Anglia to the south was joined by 

the likes of the Midlands - or other cities not that 

far from the region’s borders – would this place East 

Anglia’s success under threat? 

Graham Dines, writing in the East Anglian Daily 

Times in 2007, asked the question which many 

asked after Scottish and Welsh devolution, namely 

‘What about England?’ 

There was a vote in the North East, but nobody 

there wanted devolution, so the concept of English 

regional parliaments became quietly forgotten. 

Now they’re notching their way slowly up the 

Graham Dines, writing in the East Anglian Daily Times in 2007, asked the 

question which many asked after Scottish and Welsh devolution, namely 

‘What about England?’ 

of other parts of the country. That economic success 

translates into a high demand for quality housing, a 

need for good transport links and a shopping centre 

which is bustling to the point of, sometimes, being 

uncomfortably crowded. 

A group of MPs has already suggested a form of 

fiscal devolution to larger city-regions in England, 

such as London, Birmingham and Manchester, 

saying that this would re-energise local democracy 

and put some kick back into local economies. 

Sheffield MP Clive Betts has argued that if cities 

such as Tokyo, New York and Frankfurt can have 

tax-raising powers, why not Norwich or Ipswich? 

But if that happened to bigger English cities, 

would East Anglia be at risk of being left behind? 

political agenda. 

There’s a great deal that East Anglia could do 

if it had a single regional voice: integrating the 

transport system, perhaps; putting in place those 

road improvements that so many businesses call for; 

looking at the Cambridge model and replicating 

it in places such as Norwich; letting the businesses 

of the region have a say in where the money needs 

to be spent. All in all, giving the region a voice to 

counter the Scottish and Welsh governments – and 

possibly big cities in England – might work in the 

region’s favour. 

There’s a lot to shout about in East Anglia. Is now 

the time to think about who should be shouting in 

future? 

More Information 

www.iqmag.co.uk 


IQ finance 

SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT 

SECURED FOR LOCAL AREA 

IQ Magazine talks to the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough 

Enterprise Partnership as £21.1 million is secured for the local area 

Plans unveiled by the Government in July have 

announced £21.1 million of funding for the local 

economy, thanks to the lobbying of the Greater 

Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise 

Partnership (LEP). 

Part of the initial allocations for the Government’s 

‘Growth Pot’ which will provide £2 billion of 

funding per year until 2020/2021 to a wide range 

of projects across the country, the initial funding 

gained by the LEP and its partners will now unlock 

a further £87.5 million of additional committed 

investments for our area between 2015 and 2021. 

These investments will include £14.5 million for 

the private sector, £11 million of public funding 

and £41 million from future Growth Deals. 

Mark Reeve, Chairman of the Greater Cambridge 

Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership, 

said: “All bar one of our top Growth Deal 

priorities have received funding, securing £21.1 

million worth of investment from Government for 

our local area for the next financial year. This is 

good news for local businesses, because it enables 

us to tackle some of the key issues holding back 

their growth. 

“We are disappointed that the Government did 

not decide to invest further in our area at this time, 

given our strong track record for delivery and the 

fact that we are a key engine of growth for the UK. 

Only last month, Centre for Cities Small Business 

Outlook named Cambridge as the city with the 

largest number of small businesses investing in 

‘high-growth’ strategies, and Peterborough as the 

city that creates the largest number of jobs per 

expanding SME, proving that we are ready to 

grow further.” 

The investment will help to deliver over 3,000 new 

jobs and unlock land on which more than 4,000 

new homes are to be built. 

issue 10 | page 10


The successful projects span the Greater Cambridge Greater 

Peterborough area as follows: 

• Cambridge Biomedical Innovation Centre: 

The creation of a new innovation centre to 

provide business space for small firms at the 

growing Cambridge Biomedical Campus next to 

Addenbrooke’s Hospital 

• Haverhill Innovation Centre: The development 

of a new centre at Haverhill Research Park to 

support business growth in the ICT, Bio-Tech 

and Agri-Tech sectors 

• New facilities for The Welding Institute 

(TWI) at Alconbury Weald Enterprise Campus. 

Expanding TWI’s operation onto the Enterprise 

Zone will bring in more high-skilled jobs, support 

the growth of businesses in high-tech sectors and 

act as a catalyst for further growth on the site 

• Food Manufacturing and Processing Centre of 

Excellence at Peterborough Regional College: 

Creation of a specialist food manufacturing 

education resource to train local people who 

wish to work in the industry 

• Technical & Vocational Centre at Alconbury 

Weald Enterprise Campus: Developing a new 

Centre with a focus on the built environment 

and engineering technical expertise will support 

the development of the Enterprise Campus and 

other similar sites across the whole LEP area 

• Agri-Tech Growth Initiative: A further £1.55 

million of investment will be put into this 

popular fund to support the growth of Agri-Tech 

businesses across the LEP area 

• Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough: Investment 

in Phase Two of the upgrading of the busy 

Bourges Boulevard is scheduled. 

• A47 Junction 20 improvements, Peterborough: 

Work will be undertaken to improve this key 

interchange to the north-east of Peterborough 

• King’s Dyke level crossing: Access to Whittlesey 

will be improved by replacing the King’s Dyke 

level crossing to allow for major increases in rail 

use and to reduce waiting times for motorists at 

the crossing 

• Wisbech Access Study: There will be funding 

to undertake a detailed study into the transport 

improvements required to support the growth of 

Wisbech 

• Growth Hub: This new approach to business 

support is designed to make it easier for 

businesses across the LEP area to access the 

advice and funding they need to grow. The 

investment will be used to provide both virtual 

support and face-to-face support 

The LEP is also pleased to see investment being 

made into the Eastern Relief Road in Bury St 

Edmunds and the College of West Anglia in King’s 

Lynn, projects in the GCGP area that will be 

funded by New Anglia LEP’s Growth Deal that it 

also provided support for. 

Mark Reeve added: “Having developed our Strategic 

Economic Plan alongside businesses and other key 

partners, we know that it holds the key to the future 

economic success of our area. Negotiations for the 

next round of funding will commence shortly, and 

we will be looking to Government to build upon 

this initial package with increased investment in the 

Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough area, 

to deliver a positive impact for not just our local 

economy, but for the national economy as a whole.” 

More Information - www.gcgp.co.uk 



The Increasing 

Payroll Burden 

Debbie Thompson of Streets Chartered Accountants discusses dealing with flexible working 

and the increasing payroll burden, whether you employ one person or a whole workforce 

It would seem that, whether you are a small 

business with one employee or a larger concern 

with a workforce, the challenges of dealing 

with the payroll are becoming greater and 

greater. 

In the main, the key driver for this seems to 

be the ongoing introduction of new legislation 

that impacts on required reporting, processing 

and compliance for payroll operators and 

employers. 

Not least, we have seen, in the last two years, 

some significant legislative changes with 

the introduction of Real Time Information 

(RTI) in 2013 and then the introduction of 

auto-enrolment for small and medium sized 

enterprises coming into effect this year. In 

addition to these two major changes, there 

continues to be what seems like a deluge of 

other little announcements, for example, 

changes to the payment of statutory sick pay 

(SSP) and statutory maternity pay (SMP). 

The most recent impact for those dealing 

with payroll will be the announcement that 

employees have the legal right to flexible 

working. This came into effect on 30th June 

and entitles any employee with 26 weeks 

service to ask for a range of flexible options, 

including compressed hours, 4-day weeks, 

working from home and job shares. Previously, 

only those with children or those with caring 

responsibilities had an automatic right to 

request flexible working and the employer can 

reject a request for flexible working on business 

grounds. In terms of payroll, records will need 

to be kept of the time when employees start 

and finish work and hours worked. 

For most small businesses, the process of 

employing their first employee is one of the 

biggest challenges they face; increasingly 

though, it seems that dealing with the payroll 

and associated compliance has now become 

the next biggest challenge. 

Equally for those larger concerns, often with 

in house HR and Payroll professionals, the 

challenge has become just as great. There 

are a number of reasons for this, primarily 

though there is the need to keep up to date 

with the legislation governing pay and payroll 

compliance. Ignorance may be bliss, but not in 

this case as a regime of financial penalties for 

non-compliance levied by the revenue can be a 

serious financial blow. 



Whilst most payroll operators no doubt 

will have filed and paid what is owed to the 

Revenue when it is due in the past, a number 

of businesses perhaps with cash flow issues, 

for example, may have deferred payments. 

This is no longer an 

approach that can be 

taken. Therefore, the 

financial impact of 

payroll, other than 

paying staff wages and 

salaries, can have an even greater financial 

impact on all entities. 

Given this background, it may not be surprising 

that there is a growing trend for businesses, 

both small and large, to look at their payroll 

provision. For some, the answer to dealing with 

the increasing number of challenges has been 

to invest in payroll software, whilst, for others, 

the answer might be to take on someone with 

greater payroll experience and expertise. 

For other businesses, including those with 

HR/ Payroll staff, the response has 

been to look at 

For most small businesses the 

process of employing their first 

employee is one of the biggest 

challenges they face 

outsourcing their payroll to a dedicated payroll 

provider or payroll bureau, a trend which is 

likely to increase following the introduction 

of a new raft of late filing and compliance 

penalties in October this year. 

Whilst there is never 

a good time for such 

upheaval to any business 

function, the best time to 

look at implementing a 

move to an 

external payroll provider is at 

the start of a new tax year 

so now is certainly the 

time to consider 

the options. 



IQ employment 

FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS: 

GOOD OR BAD? 

IQ Magazine discusses the pros and cons of flexible working 

From 30th June this year, the government has 

expanded the opportunity for flexible working 

hours from carers and women with children under 

18, to any employee with 26 weeks continuous 

service. There has been quite an uproar in 

response to these changes, both for and against. 

Flexible working hours are defined in a variety of 

options, ranging from part-time work, 

job sharing, or working from 

home. 

What the legislation 

is offering is the 

opportunity for a wider 

pool of employees 

to request flexible 

working hours, not the 

right to have existing 

hours altered. When 

requesting a change 

to your employment 

hours, there are very 

specific terms that must 

be followed, and it is at 

your employer’s discretion 

to accept or decline your 

request, within reason. 

There is an appeals process that can be followed, 

but employers are not obliged to take an appeal 

into account. Your request must be answered 

within three months, and, once your hours have 

been altered, it will represent a permanent change. 

This change in legislation brings with it both 

advantages and disadvantages, and all are worth 



considering. The seemingly obvious advantages 

include increased commitment from employees, 

a decrease in absent staff and a generally higher 

sense of morale, as employees are able to choose 

how and when they work, whilst maintaining the 

same level of performance. 

However, there are equally relevant disadvantages: 

a breakdown of communication could 

occur, and the diminished contact 

between colleagues could 

result in disruption to the 

office dynamic. A very 

clear and somewhat 

simple disadvantage 

comes down to who gets 

their request accepted, 

and potential feelings 

of resentment that may 

arise between those 

employees and those 

whose requests were 

declined. 

There are risks on both 

sides, and it is fair for 

employers and employees 

alike to have concerns 

regarding the pros and cons. Ultimately, this 

legislation has been implemented to promote 

equal opportunity and, whether this legislation is 

seen as a hindrance or a benefit, it will be up to 

individual companies, businesses and employers. 

It seems that this is just one more step in the 

direction being taken by modern businesses. 


IQ health & safety 

IT IS NOT JUST 

‘THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT’ 

THAT YOU MUST BE AWARE OF 

... 

With the future season of goodwill in mind, Miles Vartan 

discusses the importance of imposing your HR policies 


IQ health & safety 

You’re driving and suddenly realise that you need to 

stop your car. If you aren’t under the influence of 

alcohol (+13%), drugs (+21%), using a hand-held 

phone (+27%), texting (+37%) or holding a phone 

whilst driving (+46%), you should make that decision 

in about a second. 

The added percentages above show how slowed down 

your decision making will be if you are not completely 

in charge of your senses… 

Not only should you be aware of these stark statistics 

for your own health and happiness, but also for those 

that you employ whom you might ask to drive vehicles 

for you. When your company gets into the press, it 

should be for the right reasons, not so that people can 

read about a tragic accident in which your employee 

or others have 

been involved. 

Impending new 

legislation will 

enable the police 

to make roadside 

checks if they 

suspect that drivers may be under the influence of 

drugs and/or alcohol. Current health and safety 

legislation already enables prosecutions to be 

made. This can easily damage your business’ good 

reputation, which will be important if your company 

holds an LGV Operators licence. It’s not only your 

good name which could be affected; your income and 

future contracts could suffer too. 

Conviction for the new offence under Section 5A 

of the Road Traffic Act 1988 will be the same as for 

drink-drive offences, namely a mandatory minimum 

12 month driving disqualification, together with a 

maximum fine of £5,000 and/or a maximum of 6 

months’ imprisonment. 

Companies who adopt a responsible attitude to HR 

Policies will often have a Drugs and Alcohol Policy 

included in their staff handbooks. However, somewhat 

disappointingly, it appears that many companies do 

not enforce these good words of advice. 

A report published by Synergy Energy has shown 

that 87.5% of those surveyed reported that they had 

a written Drugs and Alcohol Policy in place, while a 

huge 95% claimed to have a zero tolerance approach 

to employees under the influence of drugs. Despite 

both, a high proportion of employers indicated that 

they would struggle to enforce their staff policy. 

Not only must you be concerned about and care for 

employees who have any dependency, but you should 

consider the heartache and stress that would result 

from one of your drivers contributing to a serious 

road traffic accident and being under the influence of 

a prescribed or illegal substance. 

Dr Philip Kindred, technical services 

manager at Synergy Health, said: “While 

our study shows 

IMPENDING NEW LEGISLATION WILL ENABLE 

THE POLICE TO MAKE ROADSIDE CHECKS IF 

THEY SUSPECT THAT DRIVERS MAY BE UNDER 

THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL 

the majority of 

businesses to have 

a stringent Drugs 

and Alcohol Policy 

in place, these 

policies are only 

as good as the people enforcing them. 

“If managers don’t have the skills or the will to 

enforce these policies, they might as well not exist 

and the potential risks to colleagues, customers and 

company reputation remain.” 

When explaining to Managers about the importance 

of managing these risks in their businesses, I use the 

analogy of a friend about to arrive at your house 

to take you and your children to football. After he 

arrives, your wife asks to speak to you urgently: ‘He 

has been taking cannabis...’ 

I then ask ‘What would you do?’ Thankfully the 

answer which quickly comes back is, ‘He is not taking 

my children to football.’ If that decision is so easy to 

make, why would you adopt a different attitude at 

work? 

Be aware of the legislation, consult with your 

employees and make sure that you have an effective 

Drugs and Alcohol Policy. 


Miles Vartan Consultancy Ltd, Epsilon House, West Road, Ransomes Europark, 

Ipswich, IP3 9FJ. Tel: 01473 276175. www.milesvartan.co.uk 



WHAT CAN 

HR 

DO FOR ME 

THAT I CAN’T ALREADY DO FOR MYSELF? 

Jacqui Kemp of Namasté discusses the 

importance of HR to your business 

As a great business owner you might be 

wondering what value an HR Consultant 

can bring to your business. 

HR Consultants can ensure you are 

working within the law to protect you and 

your employees, providing advice on dayto-day 

operational issues, e.g. employment 

contracts, handbooks and advice around 

employee rights and best practice. 

They can also take a strategic approach 

to support your business plans, helping 

to provide fair and consistent procedures 

that protect you from making big and 

costly mistakes. 



These are just some of the ways an HR Consultant can support your business 

to grow and ensure your employees are engaged and motivated to do well: 

Supplying contracts of employment that are 

tailored to the needs of your business. 

Do you calculate public holidays correctly 

for part-time employees? Or do you give 

the public holiday off if it happens to fall on 

a work day – this is automatically indirect 

sex-discrimination. 

Do you operate a bonus scheme? Are the 

rules clearly defined so that anyone with 

a disciplinary sanction does not receive 

a payment? It gives a mixed message to 

have someone with a final written warning 

receive a nice bonus. 

Do you have sales staff earning commission? 

Are the rules set out fairly so that everyone 

understands any triggers, limits or clawback 

terms? Misunderstandings about this can 

seriously damage your employee/ employer 

relationship. 

Do you have confidentiality, non-compete 

and non-solicitation clauses that are 

enforceable? Tribunals can override these 

clauses if they are deemed unreasonable. 

! 

Have you ever recruited someone and 

found that the person you employed 

isn’t the person you thought you 

interviewed? 

A good HR Consultant can ensure 

you have someone capable of doing a 

good job, not someone who is a good 

talker. 

A good HR Consultant would rather 

stop the recruitment process and 

review why you are not getting the 

right calibre of applicant than to hire 

the best applicant from a group that 

do not have the skills and experience 

to do the job. 

Do you manage sickness absences, 

performance and other employee 

issues consistently? 

Failure to follow a fair and consistent 

process could undermine working 

relationships, result in disengaged 

employees and see you being accused 

of discrimination. 


Namasté provides advice on management development and supporting wellbeing at work. For further 

advice, guidance or information contact Jacqui on 01954 715406 or visit www.namasteculture.co.uk 





FIVE PEOPLE QUESTIONS 

FOR BUSINESS LEADERS... 

Samantha Sales of Cambridge Interim HR 

discusses the benefits of staff satisfaction 

Successful business leaders constantly challenge 

themselves about the performance of their organisation. 

Those same leaders know how central their people 

are to the success of their business, but do they truly 

validate the effectiveness of how their people resources 

are managed? 

Here are five challenging questions, specifically related 

to people and people-processes that leaders should 

always be asking, to ensure they have a successful and 

sustainable business. 

1. Am I Compliant and Legal? 

Answering yes to this question is the bare minimum you 

need for your people processes. This is the foundation 

of your business, and your policies and processes say a 

lot about what you want your employees to experience 

during their career with you. Your HR advisor should be 

up to date on the rapidly evolving status of employment 

law – ignorance is no plea in court! Once the basics 

are in place, you can then concentrate on creating a 

work environment that is aligned to your ambitions and 

values. 

2. How Do I Find The Right People To Recruit? 

Your natural desire to retain top talent and minimise 

unplanned turnover is challenging in itself, but where 

and how do you recruit new people? You need a plan 

that helps you set out the motivations and skills needed 

in new recruits, integrated with robust recruitment tools 

and processes that are accurate and contemporary. 

There are some fantastic new tools available for 

recruitment that allow you to test the “likely fit” of 

candidates to your workplace. This is one example of 

where recent leaps in neuroscientific knowledge are 

helping us to improve our recruitment success rate. 

3. How Do I Manage My People 

To Maximise Their Performance? 

Managing high performance teams takes more than 

setting objectives and reviewing them on a yearly 

basis. Leaders and managers need to be self-aware 

and understand the importance of human physical 

and mental wellbeing. How people can work together 

effectively is one of the fastest moving frontiers of 

modern brain science – informed contemporary advice 

will serve you well and deliver years of future high 

performance from your people. 

4. How Can I Ensure We are 

Managing Change Effectively? 

Change is a constant in any business with ambition for 

success. Managing change is therefore a key skill of all 

leaders. Your HR specialist or advisor will be able to 

provide robust frameworks that “take the chance out of 

change”. These are well researched and based on the 

multitude of mistakes that other businesses have made, 

so that you do not have to fall into the same traps. The 

best frameworks will provide a process, alongside an 

understanding of how humans react to change and how 

they can be encouraged to accept and support it. 

5. Have I Had A Health Check Recently? 

If you care for your family, you will maintain a vigilant 

eye on their health and wellbeing. Logic therefore 

suggests that if you are passionate about your business 

(and the people within it), you will want to run a regular 

health check on it. If you do not know how to do this, 

ask a professional, experienced HR person, who can do 

it very quickly for you. They will know exactly what they 

are looking for and will not be sidetracked. 


Cambridge Interim HR Ltd, 5 Playcross Close, Great Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 5AF. 

Tel: 01954 710982. www.cambridgeinterimhr.com 



MAKING 

YOUR BUSINESS 

LEAN AND MEAN 

Nigel R Sandbrook, Head of Manufacturing for East England at Lloyds 

Bank, reveals his fitness programme for the world of manufacturing 

The five principles of lean 

manufacturing are well understood, 

providing a tried and tested basis for 

assessing your business operation. 

So why ‘mean’? Well all resources 

whether human, material or 

financial should be used efficiently 

to drive out the most economic 

return for the business and this 

underpins the principles of lean. 

When was the last time you really 

had a look at your business and 

how it operates? Getting under the 

hood can be very revealing, but 

sometimes a little scary. The thing 

to remember is that change is often 

better undertaken incrementally 

so it’s the 1% that counts, which 

collectively starts to add up to a 

significant shift in the business 

efficiency. 

Strive for 

perfection 

& reduce 

waste 

make what 

the customer 

wants 

What 

creates 

value 

Make 

the steps 

flow 

Identify 

the 

steps 

Work through the 5 principles and ask yourself 

some searching questions along the way. 




Lloyds Bank plc, 2nd Floor, 20 North Street, Bishops Stortford, Herts, CM23 2LN. 

nigel.sandbrook@lloydsbanking.com 

Whilst walking through the various 

business operations try to keep in mind the 

differences in Traditional Organisations and 

Lean Organisations 

All this takes courage. 

Why not start today to 

make positive changes in 

your business? 

Concept Traditional Organisation Lean Organisation 

Inventory 

Ideal Economic Order 

Quantity & Batch Size 

An asset, as defined by 

accounting terminology 

Very large 

Run large batch sizes to make 

up for process downtime 

A waste - ties up capital and 

increases processing lead-time 

One process means continuous 

efforts are made to reduce 

downtime to zero 

People Utilisation 

Process Utilisation 

All people must be 

busy at all times 

Use high-speed processes and 

run them all the time 

Because work performed is 

based directly upon customer 

demand, people might not be 

busy at all times 

Processes need only to 

be designed to keep up 

with demand 

Work Scheduling Build products to forecast Build products to demand 

Labour Costs Variable Fixed 

Work Groups 

Traditional (functional) 

departments 

Cross-functional 

teams 

Accounting 

By traditional 

SSAP guidelines 

‘Through-put’ 

Accounting 

Quality 

Inspect/sort work at the end 

of the process to make sure all 

errors are found 

Processes, products, and 

services are designed to 

eliminate errors 



BUSINESSES IN 

BURY ST EDMUNDS 

JOIN FORCES 

Members voted for the coalition of the 

Bury St Edmunds Chamber and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce 

Businesses in Bury St Edmunds have voted to join 

forces with colleagues from across the county and 

placed the town at the heart of economic decisionmaking 

in Suffolk. 

Members of Bury St Edmunds Chamber of 

Commerce have voted overwhelmingly to become 

part of the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce family. 

The decision will bring a host of new benefits and 

services to members in Bury St Edmunds, as well as 

providing a joined-up voice on important countywide 

economic issues. 

“The decision by Bury St Edmunds Chamber to join 

forces with Suffolk Chamber is the right thing for Bury 

St Edmunds and the right thing for business,” said 

Dr Peter Funnell, President of Suffolk Chamber of 

Commerce. “There is no doubt that the town plays 

a fundamental role in the economy of West Suffolk. 

This new partnership means that firms across Bury 

St Edmunds can work hand in hand with colleagues 

from around Suffolk, ensuring we have one joined-up 

voice.” 

Bury St Edmunds Chamber of Commerce was 

established in 1933 and, since then, has been a strong 

voice in the town for business large and small. 

While it has been a member of the UK-wide Chamber 

network, the vote by members means that it now 

becomes part of the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce 

family. Other town Chambers who are part of the 

same family include Lowestoft Chamber, Haverhill 

Chamber, Stowmarket Chamber and Ipswich 

Chamber. 

“We’re proud of our market-town heritage and even 

prouder of the businesses which operate here,” said 

Colin Knight, the Chairman of Bury St Edmunds 

Chamber. “Bury St Edmunds is home to a wide range 

of fantastic expertise and this decision means that 

while we will continue to focus on our town and its 

economy, our members can draw on the experience 

and services that our county Chamber provides. It can 

only be a good thing for everyone.” 

The Bury St Edmunds Chamber has worked in 

partnership with the Business Improvement District 

(BID) in the town over the last few years, as well as 

providing training and support for its members. That 

offer of training, networking and business advice will 

now increase by being part of the countywide network. 

“It is an important time for the Suffolk economy,” 

Dr Peter Funnell, the President of Suffolk Chamber 

of Commerce continued. “We are seeing consistent 

growth and an increase in the number of people in 

work, but the economy remains fragile. Now is the 

time to recognise the positives, but, to ensure we 

communicate clearly and coherently to local and 

national decision makers, we need to invest in Suffolk 

and its hard-working businesses.” 

“Therefore, we need to strengthen the business voice 

of the county, and members in Bury St Edmunds 

joining us are a crucial part of that process. The 

Chamber here brings a history of achievement and 

success, and businesses, the economy and the whole of 

Suffolk will benefit.” 


www.suffolkchamber.co.uk 


IQ business support 

Businesses Look Overseas 

to Fuel Business Growth 

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce continues to encourage overseas export from local business 

Paul Wrighting, Corporate Services and Training Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce presents Stacy Garner, 

from International Flavors & Fragrances in Haverhill with her certificate after she completed the Foundation Award in 

International Trade. Also pictured are John Bridge OBE, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce and 

Margaret Chadwick, course tutor 


IQ business support 

Businesses in our region continue to embrace new 

business opportunities overseas, with the UK Trade 

report from the Office for National Statistics recording 

an increase in exports worth over £100 million in May 

2014. The same figures also show that market reach is 

extending further than just the EU, with exports to non- 

EU countries increasing by some 1.5%. 

Each month, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 

providing considerable growth opportunities for 

businesses across our region. 

John Bridge OBE, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire 

Chambers of Commerce, said: “Many people will 

be unaware that Chambers across the UK play a key 

role in facilitating the movement of goods overseas, 

processing the required documentation to demonstrate 

the origin of goods and also providing many importers 

“Many people will be unaware that Chambers across the UK play a key role in facilitating the movement of goods overseas, 

processing the required documentation to demonstrate the origin of goods and also providing many importers and exporters with the 

necessary translation services and training needed to negotiate the legal requirements of individual countries.” 

processes over 1,000 documents required to send 

shipments of goods overseas, and that number is 

growing. In June 2014 the Chambers put its stamp 

on over 1,000 documents with a total export value of 

over £34 million. The countries providing the most 

opportunity for growth were Egypt, China and Saudi 

Arabia, accounting for almost half of the exports made 

in June with documents processed by the Chambers. 

The buoyant market in these three countries 

in particular is 

“It has been both a privilege and a 

pleasure to encourage delegates on their 

journey through the material and to see 

them emerge with greater understanding 

and knowledge. I am certain that the 

skills learnt will assist them in their 

chosen career paths.” 

and exporters with the necessary translation services 

and training needed to negotiate the legal requirements 

of individual countries. This was reflected in the launch 

of the nationally-accredited Foundation Award in 

International Trade last year.” 

Comprising a modular-style series of courses, the new 

qualification sought to improve access to quality training 

that met the needs of exporters and provided employees 

with consistent content and a transferable skillset. 

Developed by the British Chambers of Commerce 

and now being delivered by Chambers across the 

UK, some of the first delegates to complete the 

course are from Cambridgeshire and were presented 

with their Foundation Award in International Trade 

at a recent meeting of the Cambridgeshire Export 

Club. 

Course tutor Margaret Chadwick said: “It has been 

both a privilege and a pleasure to encourage delegates 

on their journey through the material and to see them 

emerge with greater understanding and knowledge. I 

am certain that the skills learnt will assist them in their 

chosen career paths.” 

MORE INFORMATION 

www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk 



IQ showcase training 

SAVVY 

KEYBOARD 

SHORTCUTS 

IQ recommends you learn these shortcuts 

like your times tables 

In the office, there is always so much to do and 

so little time. Do you ever look across at your 

colleagues hammering away at their keyboards 

and wonder how they manage to type so 

fast? Do you ever struggle through an Excel 

document thinking there must be an easier way 

to calculate all these numbers? To get you up to 

speed, here are MACs need-to-know shortcuts 

to help you meet your deadlines. 

The Essentials 

CMD + X 

CMD + C 

CMD + V 

CMD + A 

CMD + S 

CMD + P 

CTRL+ ALT + CMD 

CMD + ALT + ESC 

CTRL + Z 

SHIFT+ CMD + 4 

Cut 

Copy 

Paste 

Select All 

Save 

Print 

Shutdown 

Force Quit 

Undo 

Screen Shot 

of selected area 

Top tips - Powerpoint (08+) 

CMD + ENTER View Slide Show 

SHIFT + CMD + N 

New Slide 

SHIFT + CMD + D Duplicate Slide 

CTRL + G 

Group items 

Top tips - Word (08+) 

CMD + D 

Change Font 

CMD + B/I/U 

Make text Bold/ 

Italic/Underlined 

ALT + CMD + L Completes spellcheck 

ALT + CMD + M Opens paragraph tool 

Top tips for 

Excel (2008+) 

CMD + Autosum 

SHIFT + T 

(then press enter) 

CTRL + H Opens find and 

replace tool 

CMD + 1 

CTRL + 

SHIFT + $ 

CTRL + A 

Opens format 

cells tool 

turns number 

into currency 

format 

opens formula 

builder 


IQ ourburystedmunds 

BOOSTING 

BUSINESS 

The innovative marketing website, 

Our Bury St Edmunds, boosts 

business in the town 




As Bury St Edmunds welcomes 

new business in abundance, the 

increased profile of the town has 

attracted attention from a number 

of national campaigns. 


www.ourburystedmunds.com 

The first point of call for any visitor to Bury St Edmunds is the 

‘Our Bury St Edmunds’ website. Having become an incredibly 

successful and important hub of information for tourists, local 

businesses and residents alike, the website aims, and succeeds, 

to increase footfall, boost business and promote all that Bury St 

Edmunds has to offer. 

Run by the town’s Business Improvement District (BID), 

the website has been initiating key 

marketing opportunities for businesses 

to promote their goods and services 

across multimedia platforms including 

video, radio and social media for over 

four years. Creating profile pages for 

all businesses which become members 

of the site, Our Bury St Edmunds 

promotes the diverse nature of the 

town to visitors, as well as to those for 

whom Bury is home. 

Mark Cordell, the CEO of Our Bury 

St Edmunds, explains the brand: “The 

enhanced marketing of the town is 

something we are particularly proud 

of. Working with many local businesses 

to support our website, app, social media channels, radio and 

press appearances continues to raise the profile of the town.” 

Featuring the latest news, music gigs, town events, cultural 

activities and shopping, the website also gives professional 

services the chance to market their companies. Allowing people 

the chance to search for businesses ranging from accountants 

to architects, and publishers to recruitment agencies, Our Bury 

St Edmunds has created members from all businesses types in 

the area. 

Teamed with the fantastic work being carried out by the 

BID’s other initiatives, Our Bury St Edmunds has encouraged 

the town’s footfall to increase by 25.6% in year-on-year 

measurements. This increase has seen Bury businesses thrive, 

and, in return, the number of new start-ups and larger 

companies arriving in the town has also seen a dramatic rise. 

“The level of increased footfall in the town has encouraged 

other retailers to open their doors on our doorstep,” says Mark 



Bury Food & Drink 

Festival 2013 

Cordell. This has been great news, not just for 

the townspeople, but also for the professional 

services, such as accountants and estate agents, 

which have seen business pick up as they 

support these new additions. 

For example, local East Anglian accountants 

Churchgate Accountants serve a wide range of 

clients in Bury St Edmunds and work towards 

achieving financial goals for all-aged businesses 

who come to them. 

Training is another important aspect of startups 

which Our Bury promotes; Seetec in Bury 

St Edmunds specialises in training staff to gain 

and develop skills, by providing courses to suit 

the workforce, and this is vital for a prosperous 

town environment to progress. 

With only 35 units in the town centre sitting 

empty (6.9%), the town is at its lowest 

number of empty premises since the recession 

took hold in 2008. Compared to the UK’s 

national increase of 2.4%, Bury has been 

paving the way in turning the tide for the 

local and national economy. Less spaces in 

prime retailing premises not only means good 

business for the town as a whole, but also for 

members of Our Bury who are estate agents, 

such as family run Richard Greene. These 

property management businesses have been 

successfully selling commercial and residential 

premises as Bury St Edmunds has rapidly, and 

happily, flourished. 

As Bury St Edmunds welcomes new business 

in abundance, the increased profile of the 

town has attracted attention from a number 

of national campaigns, such as The Women’s 

Tour Cycle Event and Towns Alive Annual 

Conference, to name but two. However, it’s the 

TestTown initiative that has recognised Bury’s 

professional potential by supporting budding 

entrepreneurs. 

Instrumental in gaining the project, Our Bury 

St Edmunds has been championing local upand-coming 

companies, and the TestTown saw 

five blossoming businesses take over currently 

empty shops in the town for two days, with 

the winner going on to the final in Cambridge 

with the possibility of winning £10,000, and 

mentoring for their future growth. Boosting 

high streets, as well as the confidence of young 

entrepreneurs, the TestTown competition 



proved the wealth of innovative ideas out 

there in the area. The TestTown businesses 

included a vintage clothes shop and a 

handmade gourmet marshmallow store 

which will be off to the Cambridge finals. 

Mark Cordell also believes there are 

some other significant achievements that 

Our Bury St Edmunds has helped to 

implement, which explains why so many 

visitors, shoppers and history buffs head to 

the town. 

“Over the past five years we have managed 

to convince the Council to stop its annual 

10% increase in our town’s car park 

charges,” he explains. “Not only have these 

expenses been kept down, but we have also 

encouraged the Council to explore the 

opportunities for ‘pay on exit parking’ so 

that visitors are able to explore the town 

as they wish. We have also launched the 

‘Free From 3’ campaign which offers 

shoppers free parking in selected car parks 

on Tuesdays.” 

The Our Bury St Edmunds town centre 

events, such as the hugely popular Whitsun 

Fayre and the Food & Drink Festival, 

also increase footfall and introduce more 

visitors to the town, and most recently Our 

Bury St Edmunds has introduced a ‘Town 

Team’ featuring representatives from key 

organisations which listen to the needs of 

Bury St Edmunds, and continue to ensure 

the success of the community and its 

thriving businesses. With the help of Our 

Bury St Edmunds, this success is sure to 

continue for many years to come. 


IQ music 

The Importance of 

Music 

in the Workplace 

IQ Magazine discusses the pros and cons of 

music in the workplace 

In a day and age where 1 in 6 workers are dealing 

with anxiety, stress or depression in the workplace, the 

office environment and atmosphere has never been 

more important. 

In the past, labourers would sing together to get 

them through work, yet it was not the songs they 

were singing that were important, it was the singing 

alone. During the 1940s the BBC introduced a radio 

programme entitled ‘Music While You Work,’ which 

was aimed at factory workers to instil a sense of 

morale into the workplace. This relationship between 

music and work has always existed. However, the 

benefits of music should not be placed solely within 

the realms of manual labour jobs, it should also have 

its place in offices. 

In a survey commissioned by UK licensing 

organisations in 2013, it was found that 77% of 

workers believed that music improved the atmosphere 

of the workplace. Employees at Bury St Edmunds 

based clothing store, Six Whiting Street, support 

this view, stating that “the tone and genre of music 

is hugely important in the workplace, it can affect 

morale in the team and also customer satisfaction.” 

Dr Carolyn Axtwell from the Institute of Work 

Psychology argues that if your job requires a great 

deal of focus, then music is nothing but a distraction; 

however, employees from P1 Digital Media in 

Cambridge beg to differ. 

Videographers from the company claimed that as a 

result of their work being “fiddly with a lot of intense 

focus, music on the radio is like a getaway at stages 

through the day.” So, it could be suggested that music 

can not only spur on productivity, but can also act 

as a necessary cushion to lean back on briefly during 

intermissions in creativity. The jury is most certainly 

out. 

Music within the workplace doesn’t just influence 

your productivity, but it has been suggested that it 

can also affect your health. Research conducted by 

Entertainment Media Research for ‘MusicWorks’ 

found that 1 in 3 employees are less likely to take time 

off sick if music is played in the workplace. 

If this is added to estimates made by the Confederation 

of British Industry, which claim around 21 million 

working days are lost to illegitimate absences each 

year, it could be suggested that savings of £764 

million every year could be made if employees are 

happier in the workplace. 

Whilst still remaining a matter of heated debate, the 

benefits of music in the workplace are hard to ignore. 

Thought to help create an environment that can fuel 

creativity and positivity in the workforce, music could 

be the simple, yet effective, answer which managers 

have been looking for. 





Venus Business Circle 

A bi-monthly networking event for 

women in business who are interested 

in marketing 

Date: 1st August 

Time: 12.00 - 14.00 

Venue: Haverhill Golf Club, Haverhill 

Organiser: The Best of Haverhill 

Price: £15 includes buffet lunch and 

tea/coffee 

Booking details: 

www.thebestof.co.uk/local/haverhill 

Huntingdonshire Construction 

and Property Networking 

Breakfast 

These bi-monthly meetings, held 

on the first Friday of the month, 

bring together all professions 

associated with the development and 

construction industries. 

Dates: 1st August 

Time: 08.00 - 10.00 

Venue: Alconbury Weald Campus 

Organiser: Chambers of Commerce 

Booking Details: 

h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk 

4Networking Cambridge 

Central Lunch Business 

Networking 

A lunchtime networking event for 

all business minds. Introduce your 

business before hosting one-on-one 

meetings. 

Dates: Every fortnight starting 4th 

August 

Time: 12.00 - 14.00 

Venue: Cambridge Business Lounge, 

Burleigh St, Cambridge 

Organiser: Trina Hill 


01223 849073 

Cost: £1 

BUSINESS DIARY 

Corinne Blandin Talks About 

Cambridge Open Studios 

Corinne from COS talks about her 

work giving artists in Cambridgeshire 

a platform to promote their work. 

Dates: 5th August 

Time: 19.30 

Venue: The Cutter Inn, Ely 

Organiser: Sookio 


www.camopenstudios.co.uk 

Cost: Free 

Start-Up Cambridge 

Held to help anyone who is thinking 

of starting a business or has been 

trading for less than a year. 

Dates: 6th August, 3rd September, 

1st October 

Time: 10.00 - 12.00 

Venue: Cambridge Business Lounge, 

Burleigh St, Cambridgee 

Organiser: Ed Goodman 


01223 324040 

Cost: £10 

Kick Start Your Business 

Growth Ambitions “Getting A 

Great Result” 

A selection of workshops on the day 

to choose from all about kick starting 

your business and getting the most 

that you can out of it. 



Venue: Meditrina Building, 

Babraham Institute 

Organiser: St John’s 

Innovation Centre 


www.eventbrite.com 

Cost: Free 

Riverboat Georgina 

Networking Lunch 

A 2 hour long cruise while meeting 

potential new business partners and 

IQ business diary 

clients. Building relationships and 

promoting your company. 


Time: 12.00 - 14.30 

Venue: Cambridge Passenger 

Cruisers, Jubilee Gardens 

Organiser: Karen Dawson 


01223 209808 or 

email@cambscci.co.uk 

Cost: £25.00 (member) 

£35.00 (non-member) 

Cambourne Network 

Breakfast networking event held once 

a month in Cambourne. Welcomes 

businesses from the village, as well as 

surrounding areas, including Hunts, 

St Ives, St Neots and Cambridge. 

Dates: 13th August/ 10th 

September/ 8th October 

Time: 08.00 – 10.00 

Venue: The Cambridge Belfry Hotel, 

Cambourne 

Cost: Free 

Organisers: Jo Christy and 

Gareth Wiseman 

Booking Details: www.facebook. 

com/cambournenetwork 

How To Handle Difficult 

Conversations And Behaviour 

Assertively 

This course teaches you something 

that every manager and business 

owner should know: how to turn 

difficult behaviour and conversations 

into positive ones. 


Time: 08.45 - 13.00 

Venue: The HR Dept, Cambridge 

Road Industrial Estate 

Organiser: Madeleine Morgan 


01223 426392 

Cost: £99 + VAT early bird rate 

until Monday 11th August. Full price 

£125 + VAT.


Menta Business Club - 

Haverhill 

Regular monthly meetings 

providing guidance and support for 

those with a new idea right through 

to those with the aim of being their 

own boss. 


Time: 12.30 - 14.30 

Venue: Job Centre Plus, 65 High 

Street, Haverhill 

Organiser: MENTA - The Suffolk 

Enterprise Agency 


www.eventbrite.co.uk 

Cost: Free 

Collaborative Cambridge 

Meetup 

A regular monthly breakfast meet 

up themed around collaborative 

problem solving to help each others 

in businesses. 

Dates: 15th August, 19th 

September, 17th October 

Time: 8.00 - 9.30 

Breakfast and Collaboration, 

9.30 - 17.30 Co-working 

Venue: Cambridge Business 

Lounge, Burleigh Street, 

Cambridge 

Organiser: Ed Goodman 


01223 324040 

Cost: Breakfast - £10 

(Member rate = £6) 

Co-working - £12 

Before You Join - Cambridge 

Be taken through the business 

services that will be included 

within a membership package. 

Learn how the Chamber can get 

you connected with others in the 

network. 



Time: 9.30 - 11.00 

Venue: Milton Hall Cambridge 

Ltd, Ely Road, Milton 

Organiser: Bren Coleman 


01223 209811 

Cost: Free 

It’s Thursday with thebestof 

Haverhill Networking Event 

Free monthly networking event for 

local businesses and organisations. 


Times: 10.00 – 11.30 

Venue: St Nicholas Hospice 

Outreach Centre, Haverhill 

Organiser: The Best of Haverhill 

Booking details: www.thebest 

of.co.uk/local/haverhill 

Cost: Free 

Cambridge Business Women’s 

Coffee Club 

An informal monthly group where 

business women meet like-minded 

people and exchange ideas. 

Dates: 26th August, 30th 

September, 28th October 


Venue: Cambridge Business 

Lounge, Burleigh House, 

Cambridge 

Organiser: Kathy Salaman 

Booking Details: 01223 324040 

Cost: £10 

Making The Most of Cambridge 

Network Membership - 

Lunchtime Seminar 

An opportunity for potential and 

new members of the Cambridge 

Network Community to find out 

more about the organisation. 

Dates: 5th September 

Time: 11.00 - 13.00 

Venue: Hauser Forum, Charles 

Babbage Road, Cambridge 

Organiser: Dawn Nicholls 


01223 341053 or dawn.nicholls@ 

cambridgenetwork.co.uk 

Cost: Free 

Informal Networking Evening 

Gives you an opportunity to get 

connected with business people from 

all sizes of industry sectors. 

Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Organiser: Peter Watts 


or p.watts@cambscci.co.uk 

Cost: Free 

Dates: 

8th September and 13th October 

at The Lamb Hotel, Ely. 

10th September and 8th October 

at Waterfront Bar, Wyboston Lakes, 

Gt North Road 

16th September and 21st October 

at Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon. 

17th September and 15th 

October at Park Inn by Radisson, 

Peterborough. 

18th September and 2nd and 16th 

October at Holiday Inn, Impington, 

Cambridge 

24th September and 22nd October 

at Elgood & Sons Ltd, North Brink 

Brewery, Wisbech

Access To Finance 

Masterclass 1 and 2 

Workshops that are ideal for 

companies with no experience 

of external fund-raising. 

Dates: 9th September Masterclass 

1, & 23rd September Masterclass 2 

Time: 09.00 - 17.00 

Venue: 101 Cambridge Science 

Park, Milton Road 

Organiser: Grant Thornton 



Cost: Free 

Cambridge Business 

Breakfast Club 

Meet over breakfast, whilst 

networking and discussing business 

ideas with other professionals. 

Dates: 10th September, 24th 

September, 8th October, 22nd 

October 

Time: 7.30am 

Venue: Churchill College, 

University of Cambridge 

Organiser: Julius Hill 

Booking Details: www. 

cambridgebbc.co.uk 

Cost: £30.00 



Cost: Early bird - £25.15 (before 9th 

September), Full price - £31.28. 

The Cambridge B2B 

Exhibition 2014 

Promotional opportunities for your 

business with over 700 visitors 

through the doors at last year’s 

event. This exhibition is set to be the 

biggest yet. 



Venue: Cambridge International 

Airport 

Organiser: Karen Dawson 


or k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk 

Cost: 3x2m shell stand £325.00 

(chamber member) £375.00 

(non-chamber) or 1m space only 

stand £120.00 (chamber) £175.00 

(non-chamber) 


Cambridgeshire 

Export Club 

An invaluable forum in which to 

exchange views with other exporters 

and keep up to date with new 

developments. 


Time: 17.00 - 19.00 

Venue: The Moller Centre, 

Storey’s Way, Cambridge 

Organiser: Helen Bosett 

Booking Details: No need to book 

but for more info h.bosett 

@cambscci.co.uk 

Cost: Free 

Avanti Networking 

A networking lunch offering a 

constructive environment to help 

local business people meet together 

to network and gain valuable 

marketing skills. 

Dates: Second Tuesday of every 

month 

Time: 12.00 - 14.00 

Venue: The Rutland Arms Hotel, 

Newmarket 

Organiser: Avanti Networking 


Cambridge ‘Pitching For 

Management’ - THE BIG DEBATE 

A workshop evening where you 

can debate with VC’s and business 

angels about what makes a 

management team investable. This 

will help you to determine what will 

make you successful in getting that 

promotion. 

Dates: 23rd September 

Time: 18.00 - 21.30 

Venue: Taylor Vinters, Milton 

Organiser: Angelnews 


Project Management for Non 

Project Managers 

This programme is to help develop 

good project management practice 

and is meant for people who are not 

normally managing projects. 


Time: 09.30 - 17.00 

Venue: To be confirmed 

Organiser: Emma Yates 

Booking Details: emma.yates 

@cambridgenetwork.co.uk 

Cost: £255.00+VAT (members) or 

£318.75+VAT (non-members) 

So, How Do You Fit It All In? 

Social media is an important part of 

any business no matter what the size. 

This is a fun and informal evening 

full of practical tips on how to keep 

up with it all and keep your business 

booming. 

Dates: 21st October 

Time: 18.00 

Venue: Only shown to members 

Organiser: Sookio 

Booking Details: www.meetup. 

com/Sookio-Masterclasses 

Cost: Free

Make IQ showcase Stoke by Nayland 

your conference 

venue of choice... 

Book 20 people on 

a Day Delegate rate 

and 1 goes free!* 

To book your Conference now call Anna Young on 01206 265801 

or email anna.young@stokebynayland.com 

• 9 air-conditioned meeting 

rooms with natural daylight 

and terraces 

• Private terraces overlooking 

stunning Constable Country 

www.stokebynayland.com 

issue 10 | page 44 

• Strategic location in Ipswich/ 

Colchester/Bury St Edmunds 

triangle 

• Free WiFi and free parking 

Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa, Keepers Lane, Leavenheath, Colchester CO6 4PZ 

*Minimum number of 20 delegates applies. Applies to new bookings only. Valid until March 2015.

IQ technology 

ESSENTIAL BUSINESS APPS 

IQ Magazine makes your 

business life that little 

bit easier 

With the frenzied and high-pressure business environment of 

today, we need to use every possible resource at our disposal. 

Here is a quick list of apps that could prove useful for the 

modern businessperson. 

Google Drive 

This allows you to harmoniously 

synchronise all of your devices, 

removing the worry of ever 

losing data again. 

Haiku Deck 

Creates high impact slides to 

accompany speeches or sales 

pitches. Has a great selection of 

high quality photos to use in your 

slides, but you can also upload 

your own. 

Harvest 

An app aimed at small businesses 

which allows for a very effective 

method of time tracking and 

service invoicing. 

KashFLow 

Allows start-ups and established 

organisations to automate oftenelaborate 

tasks such as repeat 

invoicing, repeat billing and 

overdue payment reminder 

dissemination. 

Bamboohr 

A human resources app for 

any business that has outgrown 

the use of spreadsheets to 

manage employee information. 

Employees can request time off, 

training courses can be tracked, 

managers can post jobs and 

general work life can be made a 

lot simpler. 

StoryDesk 

Similar to Haiku Deck, however 

StoryDesk is more about 

delivering an interactive pitch 

to your clients. It’s a powerful 

alternative to PowerPoint. 

GoToMeeting 

Video conferencing on the 

go with options to share files, 

pictures, websites and even 

whiteboard notes. It’s free for 

the first month with a monthly 

subscription after that; however, 

only the host has to pay. A 

worthwhile investment. 



A RESORT 

THAT 

REALLY 

HAS IT 

ALL 

IQ Magazine discovers the 

wealth of luxury on offer at 

Stoke By Nayland Hotel 

Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa 

in its idyllic Constable Country setting. 



Strategically situated in the Ipswich, Colchester 

and Bury St Edmunds triangle on the Essex/ 

Suffolk border, the family-owned, award-winning 

4-star Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa offers 

so much more than just a conference venue. 

The resort boasts two championship golf 

courses, an impressive spa and leisure complex, 

80 contemporary-style bedrooms, a two AA 

Rosette restaurant and the recent addition of five 

luxurious Country Lodges. 

Its stunning location within 

an “Area of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty”, and its 

excellent facilities, make 

it the perfect venue for 

an exhibition, large or 

small conference, product 

launch, seminar, company retreat or corporate 

golf day. 

Stoke by Nayland has the added distinction of 

having some truly beautiful spaces that are a 

perfect backdrop for weddings and other special 

occasions. 

And with Christmas fast approaching, the hotel 

is renowned for its excellent festive party nights – 

with amazing accommodation deals - and private 

company celebrations. 

It also offers 9 purpose-built function suites, all 

with private terraces enjoying stunning views, and 

flexible room configurations, so that the suites can 

be used individually or utilised to provide 1,000 

square metres of interconnecting exhibition space. 

All areas are air-conditioned, and there is free high 

speed Wifi of up to 100mbps throughout - a must 

for today’s discerning business traveller. Ample 

free parking is also a bonus. 

The resort has just completed the total 

transformation of the reception, lobby and hotel 

lounge. Designed by Lindsey Rendall, these areas, 

which now have a contemporary ‘boutiquestyle’ 

look and feel, creating a real oasis of calm 

inside the new grand entrance of the hotel, are 

also popular for informal business meetings over 

a coffee or a quick delicious snack. Exquisitely 

With Christmas fast 

approaching the hotel is 

renowned for its excellent festive 

party nights – with amazing 

accommodation deals - and 

private company celebrations. 

furnished in soft shades of grey, lemon and blue, 

the whole feel is one of comfort and luxury. 

The jewel in the crown has to be the handembroidered 

silk walling depicting cherry trees in 

blossom, which creates a guaranteed wow factor 

for arriving guests – and links the venue with the 

family heritage of fruit growing. 

Stoke by Nayland offers businesses a complete 

24-hour delegate package, with the flexibility 

to suit all budgets. Hotel guests can also enjoy 

complimentary use of the 18m indoor pool, 

Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. And a relaxing 

massage is the perfect way to unwind after the 

day’s agenda! 

The five fabulous luxury Country Lodges are ideal 

for corporate retreats of a minimum of two nights 

and, with an exclusive meeting room on site, they 

offer guests complete seclusion and privacy. The 

luxury of private dining is even offered in the 

spacious lodge living areas, and a 24/7 lodge 

porter will cater for every need – including driving 

guests the short distance to and from the hotel and 

its excellent facilities. 

For golfers, the two championship courses – the 

Gainsborough and Constable - are set in 300 

acres of beautiful rolling Constable Country. The 

venue enjoys a superb reputation and regularly 

hosts worldwide-televised, international PGA 

events, prestigious regional championships, and 

corporate golf days. Special Green Fee rates are 

offered to hotel guests keen to take advantage of 

these superb courses. 

The extensive hotel grounds offer plenty of space 

for outdoor team building events from group golf 

clinics and boot camps to archery, quad biking and 

laser shooting. Off-site activities, including fishing, 

horse riding and canoeing, can also be organised. 

All in all, Stoke by Nayland is a unique resort that 

truly has it all - come and discover! 


Visit the website for more information at www. 

stokebynayland.com, email sales@stokebynayland.com 

or call 01206 265801/262836. 



BUILDING 

DREAM HOMES, 

TOGETHER 

Kloeber Commercial teams up with Barratt Homes 

to build prestigious properties in Cambridge 

You may have noticed that housing developments 

are popping up left, right, and centre around the 

city centre of Cambridge, as it continues to grow 

and become one of the UK’s most popular cities. 

With the demand for properties at an all-time high, 

Kloeber’s Commercial department are on hand to 

aid house builders and contractors by providing 

top-of-the-range door and glazing products to help 

complete development projects. 

Kloeber has recently joined forces with awardwinning 

housing developer, Barratt Homes, to 

provide all of the front doors for Cambridge’s latest 

property development; Trumpington Meadows. 

Located just 3.5km from the city centre, Kloeber has 

worked closely with the established developers, from 

the initial conception through to the completion 

of each property, with both companies sharing a 

mutual appreciation for high standards, resulting 

in a stylish and modern development that hasn’t 

faltered in quality. 

Kloeber’s prized FunkyFront contemporary 

doors have been used to complete the project, 

taking centre stage on the front of each property. 

Available in a number of panel choices, extensive 

frame options, and modern ironmongery, Kloeber 

were able to tailor-make doors to suit the executive 

development. 

Commenting on this exciting project, Matt Higgs, 

Sales Director at Kloeber, said, “We are extremely 

proud to be supplying our FunkyFront doors to such 

a high profile and prestigious development. I feel the 

doors give the houses personality and ‘curb appeal’ 

and fit in with the whole site’s high end, quality 

feel.” 

As well as providing a stylish entrance, the 

FunkyFront doors have also been accredited 

Secured by Design status, having passed vigorous 

security and endurance tests by the official police 

security initiative. Winning the ‘Best Joinery Award’ 

at the Build It Awards in 2012, it is no surprise 

that Kloeber’s range was chosen to complete these 

distinguished homes. 

Having already been awarded ‘Best Large 

Development’ by The Evening Standard’s New 

Homes Award 2014, many families will be feeling 

safe at home in Trumpington Meadows, opening 

their FunkyFront doors to the beautiful country 

park surrounding them. 

If you would like to 

discuss a forthcoming 

project, please email 

trade@kloeber. 

co.uk and we will be 

delighted to help you. 


Kloeber, West Newlands 

Industrial Estate, 

Somersham, St Ives, 

Cambridgeshire, PE28 3EB. 

Tel: 01487 740044, 

www.kloeber.co.uk 



OPEN HOUSE CHRISTMAS PARTY 

12TH DECEMBER 2014 

£84.50 inc. VAT per person 

A Welcome Drink - A Five Course Meal - A Flight of Wines 

Fun Casino Entertainment - A Cash Bar Facility - Accommodation Available 

Terms and conditions apply. Subject to minimum numbers and availability. 

Private Christmas Parties Also Available 

01638 663101 

enquiries@jockeyclubrooms.co.uk I www.jockeyclubrooms.co.uk

IQ christmas 

CORPORATE 

CHRISTMAS 

Impress your colleagues and staff this year by 

making this Christmas one to remember 


BERTIES RESTAURANT BY HEATH COURT 

HOTEL, NEWMARKET 

Having undergone a complete refurbishment this 

year, the Heath Court Hotel is better than ever 

before. Its stylish restaurant, Berties, offers a very 

warm welcome to all with a very relaxed dining 

experience. With freshly prepared meals made 

on site, the team is able to cater for any dietary 

requirements. 

Best Western Heath Court Hotel, Moulton 

Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8DY. 

Tel: 01638 667171. www.bw-heathcourt.co.uk 

jockey club rooms, 

newmarket 

Grandeur, elegance and history are in abundance 

at the Jockey Club Rooms, offering a one-of-a-kind 

setting to impress your colleagues this Christmas. 

Enjoy a welcome cocktail followed by a 3-course 

meal and allow yourself to relax and unwind as 

you retire in their luxury accommodation at the 

end of a memorable evening. 

Jockey Club Rooms, 101 High Street, 

Newmarket, CB8 8JL. Tel: 01638 663101. 

www.jockeyclubrooms.co.uk 


THE COCK, 

HEMINGFORD 

Located in the heart of Hemingford Grey village, 

The Cock offers an array of delicious dishes 

inspired by the seasons. This Christmas, enjoy a 

warm hearty meal that will keep you cosy and 

relaxed whilst you celebrate with your colleagues. 

The Cock, 47 High Street, Hemingford Grey, 

Huntingdon, PE28 9BJ. Tel: 01480 463609. 

www.cambscuisine.com/the-cockhemingford 

DON PASQUALE, 

CAMBRIDGE 

Why not hold your Christmas celebration 

somewhere you know and love? Established in 

Cambridge for five decades, Don Pasquale has 

well and truly survived the test of time due to its 

loyal Italian loving fans. Offering freshly prepared 

Italian food, delicious desserts and an atmosphere 

most would dream of, it’s the perfect place to 

enjoy the festive celebrations. 

Don Pasquale, Market Street, Cambridge, 

CB2 3NJ. Tel: 01223 367063. 

www.donpasquale.co.uk 

The Bull Inn, 

Barton Mills 

Making your ‘work do’ that extra bit memorable, 

the innovative team at The Bull Inn has pulled out 

all the stops to give you even more choice this year. 

From tribute nights, Boogie and Sparkled Themed 

Parties and even a Festive Sing Along Lunch, this 

is sure to bring out the fun in every business. 

The Bull Inn, The Street, Barton Mills, Bury 

St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6AA. Tel: 01638 

711001. www.bullinn-bartonmills.com 

PADDOCKS HOUSE, 

NEWMARKET 

Newmarket’s newest luxury hotel, Paddocks 

House, offers stunning grounds and elegant 

interiors to get lost in and relax amongst. Enjoy 

your Christmas celebrations in The Dining 

Room, or book for one of the hotel’s Christmas 

Nights to dine alongside fellow businesses in the 

Conservatory. 

Paddocks House, London Road, Six Mile 

Bottom, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, 

CB8 0UE. Tel: 01638 593222. 

www.paddockshouse.com 




THE ROWLEY MILE, NEWMARKET 

RACECOURSE 

This restaurant offers style and class alongside 

great hospitality. The racecourse is a great place 

to host your Christmas work party, offering a 

range of entertainment options across 6 dates in 

December, the racecourse is a great place to host 

your Christmas party. Enjoy a drink on arrival, 

three-course dinner and lively entertainment. 

Newmarket Racecourses, Westfield House, 

The Links, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 0TG. 

Tel: 01638 675300. 

www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk 

BRITISH RACING SCHOOL, 

SNAILWELL 

One of our country’s most renowned racing 

schools, the British Racing School provides the 

perfect location for your Christmas event this year. 

Enjoy a varied menu, which offers everything from 

Norfolk turkey to plum pudding with bread sauce, 

in the School’s outstanding surroundings. 

British Racing School, Snailwell Road, 

Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7NU. Tel: 01638 

665103. www.brsconferences.com 

ALIMENTUM, 

CAMBRIDGE 

Alimentum offers something for everyone from its 

affordable fixed price menu right through to its a 

la carte specialties. The Michelin-starred menu is 

described as Modern European and is prepared 

using slow cooking techniques to bring out the 

flavour and texture. The menus are dictated by 

the seasons so expect a warm hearty menu this 

Christmas. 

Alimentum, 152-154 Hills Road, Cambridge, 

CB2 8PB. Tel: 01223 413000. 

www.restaurantalimentum.co.uk 

DE LUCA CUCINA AND BAR, 

CAMBRIDGE 

Being a modern Italian restaurant in the heart of 

Cambridge City, De Luca Cucina & Bar offers 

a whole range of Italian dishes which are all 

absolutely scrumptious! Catering for small and 

large groups, you can even enjoy the new roof top 

terrace overlooking Midsummer common. 

De Luca Cucina and Bar, 83 Regent Street, 

Cambridge, CB2 1AW. Tel: 01223 356666. 

www.delucacucina.co.uk 

THE TICKELL ARMS, 

WHITTLESFORD 

Found in Whittlesford, a village just 5 miles south 

of Cambridge, The Tickell Arms offers four local 

real ales, each served at the pub alongside an 

extensive wine list. Serving modern British food 

beside an open fire, it makes the perfect place for 

your festive celebrations. 

The Tickell Arms, North Road, Whittlesford, 

CB22 4NZ. Tel: 01223 833025. www. 

cambscuisine.com/the-tickell-whittlesford 

Doubletree by Hilton, 

Cambridge 

Famed as a real party destination, Doubletree by 

Hilton offers the perfect location for a business 

of any size. Choose from festive afternoon teas, a 

lunch in its new Marco Pierre White restaurant, 

or enjoy the Party Nights in the Granta Suite… 

the choices are endless. 

Doubletree by Hilton, Granta Place, Mill 

Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RT. Tel: 01223 

259933. www.doubletreecambridge.com 



Christmas 

COMES EARLY 

IQ Magazine encourages you to organise 

your company’s end-of-year celebrations 

In the latter stages of summer, it is almost 

impossible to be thinking about Christmas, but 

for those of you that have the joyous task of 

planning your company’s Christmas party, it is 

creeping closer and closer to the top of your 

to-do list. 

The annual Christmas party is one of the most 

important events in the corporate calendar, 

offering your team a chance to celebrate 

the year’s successes, leave the stress of the 

office behind and have fun with your fellow 

colleagues and clients. 

One of the main ingredients 

of a successful corporate 

party is finding a location 

that is stylish, memorable 

and a suitable reflection of 

your company’s ethos. 

The British Racing School is 

known for producing worldclass 

jockeys and trainers, 

but its unique grounds are 

also home to a fantastic 

conference and banqueting 

venue that has hosted many dazzling business 

events over the past few years, and will once 

again be available for Christmas party nights 

from 1st - 22nd December. 

If you are looking for something different with 

the added “wow” factor, The British Racing 

School can certainly offer it. Driving up the 

tree-lined driveway, past well-kept paddocks 

and training yards, the beautiful scenery will 

certainly make you appreciate being in the 

home of horse racing. 

Each event is exclusive to your company and 

can be decorated to your own desired taste. No 

shared venue means the staff and facilities are 

dedicated to your company alone, ensuring first 

class catering and award-winning customer 

service are maintained at all times. 

Able to cater for 50-100 guests, there is the 

option of a delicious three-course 

festive menu or a tantalizing 

two-course finger buffet that 

includes those all-important 

mince pies. A fully stocked 

function bar alongside the 

options of a DJ or live band 

will guarantee that your colleagues 

and guests will party well into 

the night. 

Alongside corporate Christmas 

parties, The British Racing 

School will also be hosting 

Christmas lunches and evening meals from 

21st November-22nd December, and is open 

seven days a week. Catering for 10-100 guests 

with the added use of a pre-dinner and 

post-dinner bar for £75, it will make 

even the Scrooges amongst us get in to the 

festive spirit. 



Christmas Festivities Menu 

Wild mushroom soup with cheddar cheese croutons 

Lemon scented crayfish tails on a winter salad, 

Sala Rossa mayonnaise 

Fried goat’s cheese in sesame seeds and breadcrumbs 

served with green tomatoes 

Roast Norfolk turkey with sage and onion stufFIng, chipolatas 

wrapped in bacon with cranberry sauce 

Roast rib of beef and Yorkshire batter pudding, with a red wine gravy 

Salmon FIllet en croute with sun blushed tomato and leeks, 

with a chive butter sauce 

Smoked cheddar and tomato chutney tart with a fresh herb 

and roasted garlic sauce 

All served with roasted potatoes, glazed parsnip, buttered carrots 

and Brussel sprouts with chestnuts 

£32.50 

per head 

Bakewell tart with vanilla custard 

Plum pudding with bread sauce 

Bramley apple and blackberry crumble 

with cream 

Coffee and bitesize mince pies 


For more information or to book, contact the British Racing School events department 

on 01638 669040 or lissie@brs.org.uk. www.brsconferences.com 

(£10 deposit per person required to secure at time of booking, 

with full payment required 7 days prior to the event date) 




IQ book review 

Review by Lily Pugh 

BOOK 

REVIEW 

Decide – Better Ways Of Making Better Decisions 

Author: David Wethey 

Bio: 

David Wethey has forged a successful 

career out of helping large companies 

make important decisions in one area, 

marketing and advertising. Having 

studied politics at Oxford, he went on 

to become a student of Philosophy and 

Economics, subjects that would become 

of great use to him in his later career. 

After working in advertising for twenty 

years and becoming increasingly 

frustrated by its restrictions and being 

told what to do, Wethey gave back the 

company car and planned a summer 

off. Wethey’s ‘third journey’, as he calls 

it, involved incorporating his experience 

and knowledge to predict the future of 

his agencies and clients. 

Being dissatisfied with the client-agency 

relationship, he developed a conference 

programme called ‘Sea Changes’, 

presenting it to agencies worldwide. By 

2011 he had made the decision to write 

a book about decision making, believing 

it to be a hugely important life skill, 

and, since completing the book, he has 

chosen to dedicate his time to bettering 

the industry. 

Review: 

Decision making is a part of everyday life - it’s not 

something we can avoid, and yet, often we put little 

thought into the decisions we make. Paying no attention 

to contributing factors and the context means that we’re 

not actually very good at something we do so often. 

David Wethey’s book is therefore a useful read to us all. 

It’s not a book that offers us a solution or a successful 

formula for making the correct decision, but is simply 

a guide demonstrating a better way of thinking in 

different situations. 

I found the subject quite a daunting one, an idea which 

only intensified when taking into account Wethey’s 

successful career in business. Having little experience in 

the world of business, I was initially sceptical about the 

accessibility of the writing, thinking that it might leave 

me at a loss, unable to understand the terms coined and 

used only by those in business. 

Luckily, however, Wethey opted for bullet pointed lists 

with definitive headings whilst also including tips from 

acknowledged leaders from all industries, even the MD 

of Match.com, an online dating service. 

Presenting his advice in such a simplified formula 

ensures this is an enjoyable read, but also transforms this 

from just a book into a guide, something that can be 

continually referred to. 

Wethey’s successes have resulted in invaluable knowledge 

that we can now all access by reading ‘Decide’. 


IQ book review 

BOOK 

REVIEW 

Bouncing Back: How to get going again 

after a career setback 

Author: Richard Maun 

Review by Gemma carter 

Bio: 

Being one of the leading UK executive 

coaches and writers, Richard Maun 

has enabled more than a hundred 

postgraduates, managers and industry 

professionals to change careers and 

secure new jobs. He knows exactly 

which techniques work in real life and 

which skills are needed to be successful. 

Mixing together operational 

management with lecturing and senior 

level coaching to form his advice 

books, Maun’s new way of thinking 

has caused international success, giving 

people the confidence boost that they 

need in their life. 

He now works with managers and 

business owners to enable them to 

develop their skills both personally 

and professionally, working at a much 

deeper level with his clients to make 

lasting changes to their lives. 

Review: 

During the recent global recession, many people have 

had to face redundancy or dismissal without knowing the 

correct strategies or ways to recover from it. Bouncing 

Back is the book that teaches you how to deal with this. It 

has helped hundreds of people all over the world to find a 

new direction, rebuild their businesses or even just to start 

all over again. 

Richard believes that a setback isn’t an ending, but is in 

fact an opportunity for a new beginning, where we can be 

proactive and look after ourselves. 

This book shows you how to cope with different situations 

and become confident and skilful. It is based on real life 

case studies of successful people and looks at ‘Modern 

Careers’. Maun examines many techniques and strategies 

in this book, such as ‘3 Key Rules For Success’ and ‘14 

Helpful Habits for Growth’. 

Bouncing Back is just one of Maun’s books which aim 

to help you become more successful in your professional 

and business world. His other publications include Riding 

The Rocket: How to manage your modern career, How 

To Keep Your Job, and the very popular Job Hunting 3.0. 




GADGET UPDATE 

IQ technology 

David Donnan, Managing Director of Igentics, a full 

service digital agency in Cambridge, offers his verdict 

on this month’s gadgets 

Bluetooth Gloves | Price: £29.99 

Available from www.prezzybox.com 

As I said last time, wearable technology is a very hot topic, 

so it is no surprise that I have been given a rather fetching 

pair of Bluetooth Gloves. The idea is sound: a cold day, 

the phone is ringing and of course you don’t want to take 

off your gloves. So speak to the glove! Genius. 

The issue is that the gloves are a little low-rent: they 

look like a pair you’d buy from a market stall for £2. 

The speaker sits at the end of the thumb and, whilst 

hardly huge, it does protrude and feels a bit odd. The 

microphone is with the controls near the wrist. 

Pairing the gloves is easy: I tried them on a number of 

devices without issue and they worked fine as I wandered 

around the office. Sound quality is average; it is clear that 

these are not using the latest sound isolating technology 

and the components are obviously not the most advanced. 

However, if you are holding your hand in the right way, 

it is possible to 

have a clear 

conversation 

with someone. 

Voice recognition 

also helps; paired 

with my Nokia Lumia 

the voice recognition 

was 100% accurate in my 

tests. 

So, as a pair of gloves that allows the user to make calls 

they are pretty reasonable. However there are two issues: 

1) They feel cheap: which is sort of fair due to the price. 

2) In use you feel like an utter pillock! Bluetooth headsets 

are bad enough, but these are just much, much worse! 

In summary, I would say these are an ideal amusing gift 

and an interesting pointer to how this sort of wearable 

technology is becoming almost mainstream. 

Powercases Notebook Pro for iPad | Price: £89.99 

Available from www.powercases.com 

This is a leather case with keyboard for an iPad. As well 

as being Bluetooth, the keyboard also houses a 5000mah 

rechargeable battery that allows the user to recharge their 

iPad, or any other device which charges from a standard 

USB port. 

This feels like a top quality well-made case; the 

leather looks great and the stitching and joins look 

spot on. It is a very well thought out device. The 

iPad (version 2 upwards) is easily secured 

and paired with the keyboard. The 

keyboard is very well made 

and, whilst some of the keys 

are slightly small, it is really good 

to type on - much better than a lot of 

the cheaper laptops I have used. 

The case folds out and becomes a very simple 

stand, with the keyboard held in magnetically. This means 

removal is easy, which is great when using it at a proper 

desk. It did not balance very well on my knee when sitting 

on a sofa, but on a desk or a bench it works very well. 

Battery life is good: we took it camping, where it recharged 

an iPad and a couple of phones and still had a bit of life 

left in it. I think it should be able to charge an iPad from 

empty to full twice on one charge. 

The only drawback I found was the size of the thing. One 

of the joys of an iPad is its sheer svelte design. They 

are light, portable and easy to use. With an 

iPad, in this case, it becomes a 

bulky lump, much wider than 

my laptop and nearly as long. I 

appreciate that this is partly due 

to the quality of the materials 

and construction but, for me, this 

is a deal breaker. During its stay 

in house, both my wife and son 

used it as well as me. It was used in the 

house, office, on trains and for 5 days on a 

French campsite. It shows absolutely no signs of 

wear at all. 

Look on any busy commuter train and there will be many, 

many people using iPads in cases/stands who are obviously 

quite happy to bulk up for the sake of convenience. This 

is perfect for them. The keyboard is good, the Bluetooth 

stuff works every time, the case is well made and probably 

has the highest quality of any case I’ve tried on an iPad, 

and the built in battery is excellent. 


Igentics offers clients a wide variety of digital services, whether to develop their current website or build a larger SEO strategy and social media 

solutions. Current clients include Cambridge University Press, Norgren, Markey Eternit, Britvic and the University of Cambridge. @davidigentics. 

www.igentics.com




CARVING OUT 

THE NICHE 

Gemma Treby discusses the trials and tribulations 

since starting up Cubiqdesign ten years ago… 

14 years ago and a fresh Marketing grad from 

Manchester, I met my now husband John. John, a 

product designer whiz who graduated with a First 

Class Honours with an entrepreneurial spirit to 

rival Peter Jones, embarked on the world of work. 

Our first jobs were far from what we expected: I 

worked as a make-up girl for Estée Lauder and 

John worked in a licensing agency specialising in 

character stationery, which subsequently went into 

liquidation. 

With no mortgage, kids or responsibility, the 

liquidation of the stationery company made the 

decision to become a self-employed freelancer an 

easy one. There was no uncomfortable decision, 

financial balancing or people to convince. I often 

say when people ask how we got started that it was 

easy, as we had youth and a carefree attitude on 

our side. 

I could not imagine being brave enough to quit 

a job at the ripe age of 35 and somehow make 

enough money in the first month to pay the bills 

and feed the kids. I take my hat off to all those 

entrepreneurs and start-ups doing so at 30 plus. 

So, it was 10 years ago that Cubiqdesign took its 

first brief, and our first clients included The Three 

Blackbirds in Woodditton, Armtrack and a dodgy 

DJ (who still has not paid invoices, BTW). Our 

logo was an ice cube, and colours of pale blue 

and silver signified the branding. In the same year, 

Facebook was a student network and a kid called 

Peter Andre was at Number One with ‘Mysterious 

Girl’. How things have changed… 

Over the last 10 years, as trends and technology 

have transformed, so has Cubiqdesign’s service. 

Back to Facebook: the social site has more 

users now than the entire Internet in 2004.Our 

digital work back then was minimal, but now 

it’s a significant part of the business with its own 

dedicated team. We have developed what’s known 

as a multi-disciplined agency offering clients a full 

service from PR to graphics through to digital. 

Looking back, we have definitely carved out a 

niche, and unknowingly so. I would say we are 

nonconformist and have broken the mould when it 

comes to the classic agency structure. We have less 

of the sales and more of the skill, and employ the 

greatest ratio of designers to account managers of 

any other large agency in our area. Our designers 

and digital people speak directly with clients and 

this works. My advice is do what feels right and 

works for you rather than to follow a model, which 

everyone else is doing. 

10 years later, Armtrack and The Three Blackbirds 

are still on our books, and alongside them, we now 

have some top brands that we are both proud of 

and humble about working for. Thankfully, we 

managed to ditch the dodgy DJ for brands such as 

The Hilton Hotel, The Jockey Club and Figleaves. 

Our clients have helped us to grow, and the work 

they have allowed us to do for them has helped us 

become part of the UK Design Elite, as confirmed 

by the Drum. 

Where will the next 10 years take us? My answer 

is right here, exactly where we are now… My 

husband, on the other hand, wants to take over the 

world. Go get ‘em, Superman! 



Follow Cubiqdesign Follow Cubiqdesign on twitter twitter.com/cubiqdesign 

on twitter.com/cubiqdesign 

www.cubiqdesign.co.uk 

info@cubiqdesign.co.uk | 01638 666432 | 01638 666432 issue 10 | page 66


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