Here at the BEC we completely understand that running a small business means multi-tasking, wearing different hats and that thinking about sustainability may not be top of the agenda. However, we cannot deny that the business world now takes sustainability very seriously, there are new laws coming in the very near future which will radically affect some businesses.

Undeniably there are compelling reasons. Integrating sustainable practices can lead to numerous benefits that enhance the business's long-term viability, reputation, and financial performance. We have seen a considerable increase in the need to identify sustainable goals through commissioning and tendering for services in the public sector. Our social sector colleagues are not forgotten here either with grants or trust funders looking at sustainability as a pre-cursor for agreeing funding.

 Learn more: https://youtu.be/FwH0ag0K-B4

We are by no means experts here at the BEC, but we have been on a learning journey and our way of remembering is the three P’s, people, places, and planet.

If you haven’t thought about sustainability or just need a reminder, here are our key reasons why sustainability is crucial for small businesses:

1. Cost Savings and Efficiency

Keeping an eye on the finances we are all looking for cost savings and sustainable practices often involve using less energy, which can significantly reduce utility bills. Energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems, as well as renewable energy sources, contribute to these savings.

We should all care about the planet for future generations, and I am sure you have noticed younger generations are more committed to minimizing waste through recycling, composting, and efficient use of materials can lower waste disposal costs and improve resource efficiency.

2. Competitive Advantage

In crowded markets how do you make your business stand out, one of the ways is adopting sustainable practices can differentiate a business from competitors, attracting customers who value environmental responsibility.

There has been a shift in consumer buying and many consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on a company’s sustainability credentials. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can build stronger customer loyalty and trust.

3. Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

If your business is in a regulated environment, then you will be unable to ignore that there are anticipated legislative changes. The Government are introducing more stringent environmental regulations. Proactively adopting sustainable practices helps businesses stay ahead of regulatory changes and avoid potential fines and penalties.

4. Employee Attraction and Retention

Your employees care about sustainability, and a commitment to sustainability can enhance workplace culture, making the business more attractive to potential employees, particularly younger workers who prioritize environmental and social responsibility.

Sustainable practices can improve employee morale and engagement by fostering a sense of purpose and pride in their work.

5. Long-Term Viability

Sustainable businesses equal resilient businesses and they are positioned to withstand economic and environmental changes. By focusing on long-term resource management, these businesses are more resilient to market fluctuations and resource shortages.

 Sustainability often drives innovation. Businesses that invest in sustainable technologies and practices can develop new products, services, and processes that provide a competitive edge.

6. Positive Community Impact

Sustainable businesses contribute positively to their communities by reducing environmental impact and supporting social causes, enhancing their reputation, and fostering community support. By sourcing locally and supporting sustainable practices, businesses can boost the local economy and build strong community ties.

We are by no means experts here at the BEC, but we have been on a learning journey and our way of remembering is the three P’s, people, places, and planet and if you want a quick tour watch our animation.

We all know that those pesky personal crises have a way of sneaking up on you, and with the joys of running a small business there really is not the headspace to manage both well. It is true to say that everyone reacts different to personal crises, some lucky folk, can separate work from home effectively and for others the lines become blurred and despondency, lack of focus and clarity set in.

I have been having my own testing time for the last six months, it has been exhausting, trying, and challenging to remain on top of everything and I would suggest I have been my true self about half of the time. However, I am blessed with a fabulous support network both professionally and personally and that has made things manageable.

I was thinking about mental health week and how I constantly see posts on social media from people who are clearly struggling, and either a) attempting to put on a brave face or b) reaching out for help sometimes without even realising they are doing it.

Let’s be clear on the reality of personal crises, and their impact on us as individuals, they are real, time consuming, emotionally draining and soul destroying at times. They can take various forms from health issues, relationship challenges, career setbacks and of course loss in all shapes and forms. What they have in common is they all bring an emotional toll on us and bring an unrecognisable sense of disorientation to the forefront.

I have found that there is strength in my vulnerability, after about three months I recognised and accepted that it was ok to be feeling vulnerable, and fine to share my emotions in a safe space, for me it afforded the opportunity for some healing and growth. Support from friends, colleagues, family, and professional help in some cases is a vital component to move on. Another shout to my work wife here she has been amazing, more amazing than she usually is!

I looked at how I could build my resilience allowing self-compassion and re-evaluating my sense of purpose. Focussing on work has certainly helped me and recognising that others needed me to be on form certainly helped. I know others who have found mindfulness, yoga and breath work a great support in building resilience. I also found listening to podcasts about conquering adversity inspiring, add a sprinkle of there are others worse off than you and it all helps to get your focus back!

My job as the CEO here at the BEC comes with an expectation that I always know what I am doing. I like to think I am being my authentic self, but there have been times when I have been masking what is going on inside. I cannot emphasise enough the need for self-care and setting boundaries even in times of turmoil.

My top tips are to firstly step back and assess your current workload, identify the most critical tasks that demand attention, and delegate or postpone the less urgent items. Be realistic about your current capacity and adjust your expectations accordingly. Secondly, be kind to yourself, its perfectly acceptable to be less than brilliant all the time, focus on bite size goals you can manage. Lastly, admitting you need support without feeling ashamed or embarrassed, sometimes our coping mechanisms need a recharge and another opinion professional or personal who understands your life is invaluable.

However big or small your personal crisis feels, please remember even in the darkest moments of a crisis, hold on to hope. Remind yourself that you have the strength and resilience to overcome this challenge, and that brighter days lie ahead.

Remember, managing a personal crisis is a journey, and it's important to be gentle with yourself as you navigate through it. You are not alone, and there is support available to help you through this challenging time. I am happy to chat whenever it is needed!

We have had a busy few weeks at the BEC firstly getting stuck into the delivery of Amplify which has seen twenty businesses start their journey with us across, food, care, and other sectors. I have listened to the comments when they leave which all sound positive and after just two sessions some businesses have connected, shared information and challenges which is what we wanted from the programme.

Secondly we launched Building Bridges our social sector support programme which is very close to my heart, there was an awful lot of work involved in getting the funding and it has been on my mind for some time that we should have a targeted approach to the not for profit sector in the same way we do commercial businesses.

Whether you run a commercial business or a not for profit, the   reality is in today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape, achieving success requires more than just hard work—it demands strategic thinking, innovation, and the ability to adapt to changing market trends. Whether you're a startup aiming to establish your presence or an established company seeking to maintain momentum, here are my top tips to amplify your business success:

1. Define Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) - Clearly articulate what sets your business apart from the competition. Identify your target audience's pain points and demonstrate how your products or services offer solutions.

2. Focus on Customer Experience- however you define your customers, either as clients, participants, or residents, prioritising exceptional customer service builds trust and loyalty, gathering feedback from these folk and using it continually to improve your offer is essential to stay ahead of the game.

3. Embrace Digital Transformation – easy said than done I get that, digital transformation seems daunting and expensive, however leveraging technology to streamline operations, improve efficiency and reach new markets is all good business sense. Even as basic as a user-friendly website can enhance your business.

4. Foster Strategic Partnerships and Alliances – collaboration with complementary businesses or industry influencers to expand your reach and access new markets and develop strategic alliances that offer mutual benefits and support long-term growth objectives.

5. Cultivating your organisational culture – whether you be a commercial business or a not for profit, fostering a positive work environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and employee engagement can only be for the good, aligning your company values with your actions and empowering employees to contribute to success.

Here comes a shameless plug folks if you would like to look at your organisational culture through your leadership then you can join us on this workshop on May 16^th link below.

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Amplifying your business success requires a combination of strategic planning, innovation, and a customer-centric approach. By implementing these strategies and staying adaptable to change, you can position your business for sustained growth and prosperity in the ever-evolving marketplace.

If you ready to take your business to the next level, then you can find out about Amplify here (insert link), and if you are a social sector business or a budding social entrepreneur in Barking and Dagenham you can find out more here.

Here's to your continued growth and prosperity!

In early March we had some fabulous news which I am delighted to share. After a long and arduous process, it was confirmed that City Bridge Foundation would be funding the BEC for the next three years to deliver a new project. The Project we call Building Bridges will start in earnest in May and we are busily beavering away in set up mode to ensure the project is good to go. Now one could argue as to whether it is a new project as the BEC has been supporting charities and social enterprises with business support for several years, which happened as a response to a gap in provision. What is new is to have dedicated funding and a targeted approach over the next three years, we are elated to be able to offer local charities, social enterprises and those people who want to start a not for profit access to business mentoring, training and support in the same way we do commercial businesses.

The social sector locally is close to my heart it would be having worked in the borough for 25 years both in the social sector and in local government. I describe it as poacher to gamekeeper and back again but even when in local government those relationships I had made in the social sector made the work in adult social care so much easier. I have always valued the contribution the social sector makes locally, and I know more widely to supporting people, and changing people’s lives.

I hate to mention the C word but the response from the social sector to covid and the impact of the pandemic happened overnight, vulnerable residents were supported to access prescriptions, medication, and groceries through a network of social sector organisations including charities, faith groups and social enterprises. I must acknowledge our local council who provided financial support to the organisations to deliver this vital work, without a lengthy process to get the funding. For me personally this demonstrated a measure of trust in the sector and how the council views the sector as a trusted partner.

However, the aftermath of the pandemic and more recently the cost-of-living crisis has left many of our residents, businesses and social sector organisations facing challenging times. The reduction of central government funding to local councils, means that they can no longer give grants in the way they have done previously. The old mantra in life if you have not got it, you cannot give it. How the funding landscape is difficult to navigate and the complexities of bid writing when you are a new organisation is daunting and challenging. For some social sector organisations, they are of a size and proportion that they can employ or engage bid writers (yes that is someone’s day job). For most, like the BEC that falls to the senior person in the organisation, and it is a lonely and arduous job. A decent bid can take up to 8 working days and then to get a rejection at the end is soul destroying and plays havoc with your self-esteem. So, you can see why I was delighted when the people at City Bridge Foundation said yes!

You may be thinking, what are our plans for the Building Bridges Programme? Well our primary objectives revolves around fostering collaboration, capacity building, and sustainable growth within the social sector. We aspire to equip social sector entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge necessary to establish robust organisations founded on sustainable business principles and growth strategies.

We want to bolster the capacity of existing small groups, enabling them to realise their full potential and contribute meaningfully to the community.

The Building Bridges Programme is not just about supporting individual businesses; it's about building a resilient and interconnected ecosystem where social sector organisations can flourish and collectively address the needs of the community.

Together, we can build bridges to a brighter future for Barking and Dagenham if you would like to find out more then please reply here and I will send you an invite for Thursday 25^th April.

Doing what you love is not something you do; it is who you are, so they say. It’s how you want to live life—all of us create the life we want. Whether you are in a happy fulfilled job like me or whether you’re a frustrated business owner I think it’s human tendency to find ways to keep ourselves sane and happy. And you can only be sane and happy (in my opinion) when you like what you do at least a little bit. Most of my job I love, its varied and interesting but like us all, there have been times when I have pondered that there must be more to life than this. I love podcasts about people who in their 50’s has gone on that big adventure, moved abroad to work and now live in a cabin in the mountains working a few hours a day. I watch the videos on Facebook of the panda keepers in China and think how much fun that must be to work with baby pandas all day (big sigh time). If you hear of any openings for panda keepers do let me know 😊

One of the questions I get asked all the time from younger people is about how to get into a management role, and I have worked with so many people in my career who have moved up the ladder and find that what they liked about their job before they don’t get to do so much of. That is so true, the more senior the role the less opportunity there is to go back to the floor and work with people, customers, or clients. Don’t get me wrong I work with people all the time, but my interactions in the most are brief and then I am handing it over to someone else to continue it’s the nature of the role. However, this week I got to go back to the floor and deliver face to face training, this was my first time in front of people for four years. In the last four years I have delivered the odd workshop but all online due that covid thing.

Nervous, yes, I was definitely …. however, after about ten minutes I settled into the flow and realised how much I had missed delivering training to real people. If you are interested the training was on public sector contracts, not the most exciting of topics for some but vital for the small business community in Barking and Dagenham. In the UK last year, the public sector, spent £242 billion with 33% of that going to small businesses. This is something Barking and Dagenham council and its partners like Be First have committed to do more of, so training small businesses in the process and what to expect is a key driver for us at the BEC if we want to keep revenue in the borough, grow local small businesses and fulfil our ambitions for economic growth in the area.

As part of our Amplify programme in partnership with Barking and Dagenham Council we are delivering a series of workshops for small businesses of course we are keen to support local businesses but if you are not from our borough, you are still very welcome to attend any of the workshops.

You can find out more about them on our website www.beccic.co.uk and I will be delivering a bid and grant writing workshop soon too.

We also have a small business event on Tuesday, where we will be working with Film Barking and Dagenham to look at the opportunities for small businesses to get contracts in our new growth area.

There are a few spaces left you can attend by following the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-part-of-the-film-industry-growth-in-barking-and-dagenham-tickets-862908692127

Finally, to the person who left the training I delivered yesterday on public sector contracts and said ‘I am fired up’ thank you, you didn’t realise it, but you made my day 😊

I don’t know about you, but I have been feeling pretty glum lately, a lot going on at home and at work and let’s not get started with the weather. I am so over all the rain and grey days. Like all of us I try to be bright and cheery but that mwah! feeling takes over on occasions. It struck me over the weekend that sometimes we all need to be reminded of the creative light that is and always is in each and every one of us. Sometimes we all need just a little help switching that light back on. Sometimes we all need to be reminded to get out of our own way and just to be present.

I think this year’s theme for International Womens day sparked a thought about what we do to inspire inclusion as an organisation and as individuals it is part of our role to ensure we inspire women to be entrepreneurial, great leaders and elevate other women where possible.

Here are our top tips for inspiring women.

1. Just do you - Be your unapologetic self, don’t try to shrink yourself, be quieter, or take up less space. This is your time to shine and show others you mean business. It took me a long time to accept that you are the only one who must spend every single day with yourself, so make sure you love yourself. It will be a far more enjoyable experience.

• Support other women - Openly supporting other women is going to be a huge help when you want to inspire others. Champion women from all backgrounds, of all ages, and let people know why you support them and how they have inspired you. This will show women that we are not competition for one another the way we may have been brought up, to be seen and not heard, that our opinions and thoughts are not valid, and that other people know what is best for us. We need to build and lift one another up. The only place for competition between women is sport!

• Share your experiences – In Barking and Dagenham there are so many rich and enlightening stories of women who have overcome challenges and adversities to be their best selves and doing magnificent work with communities. Whether they are politicians, community champions or business leaders. The fact is that talking about your experiences with other people to inspire them and show them that anything is possible. Be honest and authentic and speak nothing but your truth.

• Live dangerously – go against the status quo and break free from expectations we all grow up with them from childhood but do what is right for you, spend time figuring it out!

• Personal growth- do whatever is right for you, podcasts, books, listening to others, or attending events. Sometimes personal growth takes a back seat when women are such givers, and it can feel incredibly selfish to take time for yourself but do it. Others will reap the benefit as well as you.

• Network – network with anybody and everybody. You never know who you might meet and who you may be able to team up with! You could be inspiring them, just as they do for you.

So, are you ready to inspire other women?

If so, then please join us for our Speed Networking event to celebrate Womens Empower month on Wednesday March 20^th at 5pm till 7pm. This is an informal networking event all are welcome and a private room will be available for those breaking their fast.

You can sign up with the link below: