Business Plus Baby

August 14, 2015November 24, 2015

Five ways to fit fitness into a busy work schedule

We’d all like to get fitter but, for some of us, busy working lives get in the way. So, if your business impinges on the hours before and after that, how do you still squeeze in the time to get fit?

Here are five top tips to make sure work and workouts can both be accommodated in your schedule…

Commute

Leave the car on the drive and walk or cycle and you’ll be able to turn those ‘dead miles’ into something worthwhile. It might not always be plausible for those who live further away from the office but even the walk to the bus stop might give you a brisk five-minute workout in the morning that simply sitting in your car cannot provide.

Lunch break

It’s important to take time away from your work during your lunch break, and getting in some fitness work can be ideal to take your mind off job matters. Try to build in a jog, walk or cycle at least a few times a week – or maybe even nip off to the gym. If you’ve got to work through your lunch that doesn’t mean you have to stay inactive. Sitting down too long is bad for you so make sure you get up regularly to walk around and don’t allow yourself to be chained to the desk. Think of this not so much as part of your fitness regime – but as ensuring that your fitness work doesn’t go to waste during the day.

Nutrients

A proper fitness regime needs to be fuelled by a diet that contains a balanced set of nutrients. By making sure you pack the right snacks to take with you to work you’ll be able to work on getting that right while you get on with your day job. Make smart use of supplements to top up the elements that you aren’t able to consume through food and you’ll be able to leave the office ready and raring to go right away. The latest lines from the likes of Fysiqal Nutrition should help.

Home

Do you work long hours and simply don’t have time to build in visits to the gym? Maybe you have to take paperwork home to complete? There are many ways in which you can carry out a full fitness regime without even leaving your own home. There are a whole host of workouts that can be followed on YouTube to suit every skill level. You’ll only need a corner of your living room and some weights and you’re off. Why not leave the weights near the television – or somewhere else in your eyeline – so that you’re encouraged to get to work?

Sport

One sure-fire way to build fitness into a busy work schedule is to play a sport. Team up with your friends and set aside a night every week when you’ll get together to play. You don’t have to enter into a serious league to get the most from this but by setting a regular time slot aside you’re more likely to go… and you won’t want to let your friends down either.

Making exercise a regular part of your working day will help it to become a key part of your schedule and, eventually, it won’t feel like you always have to ‘find time’. Little adjustments to your commute will help – keeping an eye on your diet and activity while at the desk can create the right starting point for fitness work. Exercising at home – and with friends – will also help you to build it into your working week.

August 13, 2015August 12, 2015

How to Finance Your Startup

Coming up with an idea for a new business is not easy, but if you do have one, then finding the financing can be even harder. An article in the Telegraph says that 581,000 new companies were formed in 2014 and the number is set to rise.

Quick cash boost

You may have some savings, but the sum is just not enough to get your company started. There are many different instant loan schemes available and Car Cash Point is one of them. Borrowing money against the value of your car might be a short term answer to your problems, but check the interest rates before you take out a loan. You don’t want to be stuck with a debt you can’t keep up with.

Creative financing

Some manufacturers, if approached with a sound business plan, might allow you to take goods for your startup and defer payment for 30 days, or until you have sold them. Obviously there will be a time limit as they have bills as well. Many entrepreneurs are so engrossed in setting up the company that they forget to save money in the first place. You stand more chance of getting a loan if you have some capital.

Credit cards

An article in the international magazine Forbes has some innovative and obvious financing ideas for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Using a credit card may seem like an expensive way to raise money, but as long as you pay the minimum monthly amount you won’t incur large interest charges. Some cards are interest free for the first year and then you can swap to another provider.

EU funding scheme

A new European Commission funding scheme worth 2.8 billion euros for SMEs and micro businesses was set up at the end of 2014 according to an article in the Huffington Post. The maximum that can be applied for by a single enterprise is 3 million euros and also includes business support and mentoring.

Crowd funding

With the power of the Internet you can now gain access to millions of people who will like your product or ideas enough for them to back you with small amounts of money to help you start up. Some might just donate because they want to help, others may want to receive mementos or take a small equity.

Peer-to-peer lending

This form of financing or lending has been around for a long time and involves a group of people getting together to lend money to each other. Mainly they will be like minded people who have already succeeded with their own business and will be willing to give you advice as well as money.

Friends and family

Many people say you should never borrow from family or someone close to you, but it may be your only option. If you do decide to try this type of financing for your startup you should always seek the advice and help of a solicitor. Put everything in writing and there will be no arguments when the money has to be paid back.

August 12, 2015

A beginner’s guide to car leasing

Supplying your workforce with a company car can be a costly business, but one way to reduce that expense is leasing. While buying a fleet of cars means tying your business to a contract or hire purchase arrangement, leasing offers more flexibility. Contract hire and finance leasing are among the options, with a different set of tax breaks to consider.

Typically a leasing policy could see a vehicle hired for the duration of the contract fall under your company’s ownership by the end of the lease period – usually three years or 60,000 miles. And although some packages come with strict terms that cover car maintenance, a maintenance contract can be added to the monthly cost of a car lease, to make caring for your car hassle-free, especially for high-mileage vehicles (check out What Car’s guide to maintenance packages here).

If you’re thinking of leasing company cars, here are the plans to consider. As The Daily Telegraph points out, you could make substantial savings.

Contract hire

Probably the most popular form of leasing company cars. A vehicle is leased with a mileage cap and for a fixed time frame, after which the car is returned. An up-front fee, usually of three months’ rental, is paid, followed by monthly payments for the duration of the lease period.

Pluses? The company sidesteps the risks of owning the vehicles, such as a lower than anticipated resale value, while maintenance costs are often taken care of. However, that could mean the company misses out if a car has a higher than predicted resale value, and that cheaper maintenance options are unavailable.

But the biggest draw is that the car is never owned. Therefore it can be claimed as a business expense in tax returns.

Finance lease

Rather like buying a car personally using a finance deal, this arrangement means you ‘buy’ the car for a set period by paying off a loan month by month. These monthly payments can be reduced should you opt to pay a larger chunk at the end of the lease period. At the end of the deal you have the option of paying a small fee to keep the vehicle on – although you still won’t technically own it.

A portion of the charges your company pays can be offset against tax.

Hire purchase

Just as if you were making a personal purchase, this is a straightforward plan that begins with a deposit and is completed by paying a certain amount each month until the car becomes your company’s property. Since the loan is secured using the vehicle, it stands to be repossessed should you fall behind on payments.

Any depreciation and the interest on the fees you pay can be claimed against tax.

Contract purchase

This is a lease combined with a service fee for maintenance, which the leasing company carries out. After a set number of the monthly payments, as well as one larger, final payment, the vehicle becomes the company’s property. It can then be sold back to the leasing company at an agreed price.

August 12, 2015

Everything You Need To Know About Windows Migration For Your Business

Windows 10 has arrived and, predictably, has proved popular with 14 million machines said to be using the system within a day of its release.

The rush of interest is not just the preserve of die-hard Microsoft fans either. On the verge of the system’s release, a study from Spiceworks found that 96 per cent of IT decision makers were interested in Windows 10 and three quarters expected to migrate within two years.

Those enticed by the prospect of better security, performance and multi-device working need to think seriously about migrating.

Here’s what you need to know about the process…

It’s easier than before

Jumping from Windows XP to 7 was a fairly onerous task for many businesses and probably left scars that cause firms to fear embarking on another migration. The good news is that the process should not be like that again. As the OS technology has improved, so too has the migration process. That should mean that apps and devices are more naturally migrated and the sorts of compatibility issues experienced in the past do not surface.

It can largely be automated

Not only is Windows 10 a system built to be more naturally compatible with what has come before, but the migration process has evolved and now involves much less time and effort than before. Companies such as 1E offer a ‘zero touch’ method that has automated a large part of the process. Large-scale automation vastly reduces the need for time-sapping desk-side visits, meaning that it is now possible to migrate while maintaining business as usual.

It is the chance to streamline

It makes no sense for a business to migrate parts of its estate that are not really required. With that in mind, anyone looking to migrate must conduct a full audit of their software. This could reduce the amount of licenses required and ensure companies are able to use this as an opportunity to get on top of their IT asset management.

Get used to it

Software updates will have to become a natural part of a business’ operation. Windows 10 is set to be the last Big Bang release of its kind, with Microsoft delivering item-by-item updates for the working parts of the system. Businesses looking to migrate should not see this as the end of the process or something done in isolation. They need to find a way to keep their business running while staying on top of system changes.

Training

Businesses should not forget that a software migration is actually about moving users over, not simply a technical matter. The beauty of Windows 10 is that it should have a familiar feel to anyone who has used Microsoft’s products to do business with in the past, albeit with handy additions on safety, multi-device working and file management. However, organisations shouldn’t lose sight of people and any training requirements needed during the initial switchover period.

When it comes to a Windows migration it’s important to realise that this is a much more natural process than previously. It is quicker and smoother and can be done without denting productivity. It’s also a chance to rationalise an IT estate and begin a process of regular, largely automated, software updates – which appears to be the future for Microsoft.

August 10, 2015

How the fashion leaders of today made it to the top

Obviously there must be leaders in the world of fashion; if there weren’t then who would we follow? These are people who are making noteworthy changes in the world of wearable design, whether that’s creating something fresh and exciting or always showcasing the latest trends.

But how did they get to where they are today and who decided that they could dictate what we should be wearing and how we should style it?

Primarily, it is designers that first come to mind when considering fashion leaders, those who have earned the right to be constantly treading the boards of the catwalk, deciding what clothes constitute as ‘fashionable’. From Vivienne Westwood and Donatella Versace to the likes of the celebrity-turned-fashion designers, such as Victoria Beckham.

But there are also members of the media that have earned the credibility to pass their opinion of fashion trends on to potential consumers. Fashions most famous Editor, Anna Wintour, has been at Vogue for 25-years, in which time she has built up such a reputation that she received the Outstanding Achievement Award at last year’s British Fashion Awards for her tremendous contribution to the industry. Why? Well, she is also a businesswoman as well as having fantastic knowledge of fashion.

Much like many other thought leader, along with hard work and determination in the cut-throat world of fashion, Wintour will have made bold business moves that played an integral part in reaching the top. So what exactly did she and people like her do, to get there?

They have built a brand

This is probably the most important thing to do and something that has taken many from followers of fashion to leaders in their field. They have built a brand and created a community.

For example, Burberry became iconic for their print with, which their brand was built around; that distinctive tartan pattern that adorns their range means that it is instantly recognisable. It is the whole package that will attract an audience and keep them coming back to hear what you have to offer next.

They are forward thinking

Fashion leaders are not thinking about now, they are thinking about next year and the year after. While fashion followers are deciding what to wear this summer, fashion leaders will already be thinking about what they should be wearing the following season.

They create amazing content

This includes blogs, product descriptions, visual communication including images and video. The climb to the top requires more than simply wearing great clothes. They need to be backed up with content, displayed through the correct imagery and described in a way that sells the item but also reflects the brand.

You need to be shown more than just a skirt, but rather THE skirt. There is a huge difference between seeing it on a hanger and being shown it on a ‘cool girl’ at a festival and picturing yourself as her. Whether it’s kids watches, ladies shoes or men’s suits, those who excel in the world of fashion know who their audience is and then target them directly.

They are ALWAYS new

This goes without saying, in the ever-changing world of fashion you need to not only keep up with your competitors but get ahead of them. Constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas, all while holding on to your uniqueness and the essence of your brand.

For example, Victoria Beckham had to shake off her Posh Spice/girl power image and work to be taken seriously in the fashion industry, she was criticised for sticking to a tried-and-tested formula of chic black, but has since silenced the critics with a circus-inspired collection for Spring 2016.

They use their connections

Fashion leaders cross over, building connections, which in turn help to put them at the forefront of the industry. Returning to Anna Wintour, as an example of someone regularly considered part of the “FRow” at fashion weeks, she is often pictured with the likes of Chanel’s Karl Lagerfield, as well as playing an active role in fundraising and supporting creative talent.

She was also responsible for founding the careers of esteemed designers such as Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen, which proves that using connections goes both ways.

These are just a few examples of what it takes to get to the top of the fashion chain, but also confirms that the key makings of a fashion leader come from having good business sense alongside your knowledge of fashion.