We got to do something quite marvellous on Easter weekend. We spent the day with our grown-up sons outdoors and well wrapped up when the sun went in, but it […]

I cannot believe that I am writing this, but it's one year since the first lockdown and I cannot quite believe it. I am sure we will all be writing […]

When I was 18, I went on my first ever girls’ holiday with friends to Torremolinos. Now to set the scene, this is in the early 1980’s, and Torremolinos like […]

So, it was the BEC’s 5th birthday on Sunday 27th February, like the rest of the world it was not the birthday we had planned, no grand celebrations or get […]

If you know me well, or indeed a little bit, you will know that one of my passions, hobbies and interests in life is food and drink, more commonly known […]

There is no denying that I think everyone has found this latest lockdown the hardest as we approach the first anniversary of COVID-19 restrictions. Days merge into nights and weekends […]

This is a blog of two halves, a duet so to speak! Bear with me…..I have a guest within this blog, who is keen to share her experience, but first […]

On Thursday, it is Time to Talk Day. A day to have conversations about well-being and mental health, timely right? And undeniably at some point, most people will have struggled […]

The title of this blog might as well be: Do you believe in fairies? But reality is, some business owners completely buy into business gurus and heed their advice religiously. […]

In a previous blog at the end of last year I shared that I had spent New years day 2020 planning the BEC’s year …big mistake as we all know […]

My digital marketing team who are fab by the way! Helpfully every month give me blog titles which I then go off and attempt to write. Madly it works mostly […]

Well if you are like me then you thought that all this would be over by the end of Summer, but clearly despite great news about potential vaccines and the […]

I had a pretty testing 2019 on a personal level, losing both the ‘outlaws’ within the year. I recall on New Years eve/day thinking through all sorts of plans both […]

In 2007, I was asked to join the Board of a local arts organisations, which led grassroots participatory arts in the borough I call home. To cut a very long […]

Stress in the workplace is a well-known problem widely written about and loads of material to help people cope, but now people are being advised to work from home where […]

The BEC CIC has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at the BEC CIC receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.30 in the […]

Procrastinate ‘a verb – to delay or postpone action: put off doing something. Recognise anyone? Yes, without a shadow of a doubt we have all been there; and more recently, loss […]

Before COVID-19 over recent years, coworking spaces have seen a great surge in popularity as freelancers, sole traders and independent contractors alike have begun to recognise the benefits that come […]

The Barking Enterprise Centres (BEC) has a long history of supporting small businesses locally by providing affordable accommodation, mentoring, and training. COVID-19 has not stopped us and over the last […]

If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted, it’s the importance of coworking spaces for employees of all kinds. Over the years, research has been carried out into […]

Coworking spaces have grown enormously in popularity over the past few years and they are rapidly becoming the norm. There is an increasing demand for this way of working, and […]

One thing that the COVID-19 crisis has thrown into sharp relief is the importance of socialising at work. As more workers have been told to avoid their offices and to […]

As more workers have been forced into a remote working situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have come to realise that engagement can be a challenge. With workers no […]

The global pandemic has caused a host of problems for businesses all over the world, but it has also presented some exciting new opportunities too. Depending on which sector you […]

There is no getting away from it, we have tried! The COVID-19 pandemic has caused chaos for business owners all over the world. While some diversified and continued, and others […]

If there is one thing that the world of business and enterprise is going to take forward it’s the new normal of living with Covid-19 and the possibilities and potential of […]

The new normal of coping in an uncertain COVID-19 climate could still be just the right time to start up a business. There will be a strong demand for companies […]

If there’s one thing that we know for certain it’s that COVID-19 has changed the traditional office beyond all recognition. Now that organisations are considering all of the possibilities when […]

All businesses begin with an idea. Whether you’re dreaming of a new service or a brand-new product, inspiration is your starting point. However, your business idea can only be brought […]

Launching any new business venture can be a challenge, but with a co-founder on board, the way ahead can be smoother and easier. Nevertheless, you need to ensure you have […]

The world has joined forces to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, but when it comes to businesses, there has been one major difference – customer relationships. Now that the new normal […]

If there’s one thing that we can take for granted it’s that change is life’s only constant! Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic has still caused a lot of disturbance for businesses […]

In the light of the recent George Floyd incident, it comes as no surprise that the world as a whole has been trying to balance the legacy of racial inequalities. […]

E-learning is a phenomenon that has become a common feature of the corporate world. The affordable and convenient alternative to more traditional classroom learning models, e-learning has been designed to […]

Whether you’re keen to improve your success at work or in your personal life, negotiation skills are key. However, it can seem difficult to know where to start when it […]

When it comes to the macroeconomic perspective, there is still a persistent perception that a social enterprise is more like a charity than a “proper business”. Yet, there is a […]

For any enterprise to be successful, you need to be able to network and form partnerships that offer mutual value and benefit. However, creating that partnership is only a first […]