Archive - April, 2010

Now I want to be a TV producer!

April 30, 2010 in Guest Blogger, Technology with Comments Off

Guest Blog: Member, Matthew Wring, Technical Director at Efar

Matthew Wring, Technical Director at efar

I sat down with the guys in the office the other day to discuss getting a video clip of how to use a piece of software made and distributed from our systems and was struck by how easy it was to create video content. Lee hit the nail on the head when he said, “just film it on a digital camera, if the format does not work on one of our servers then we will upload it to YouTube and just link that to our web page”.

This got me thinking about where the whole media thing was going and trying to imagine how people would engage with this in the future. Already in my house we use Skype to keep in touch with friends who are in other countries or different parts of the UK, I have linked the TV with a web cam and PC so that if any of us want to talk to someone, it’s into the sitting room and on to the TV. If we wanted to we could save the conversation and play it back so that we did not miss anything or were able to pass elements onto friends.

So how are companies going to use visual media in the future? I was watching Virgin 1, and between the joys of watching Capt Sisko kicking the Founders out of Cardassia, one of the adverts was for Ocean Finance who have their own digital TV channel, crazy? A waste of time? I’m not so sure, with the ability to access content on demand and the change over to digital TV opening up unlimited channels, along with the cost of production dropping to allow any organisation to produce business centric content on their own digital TV channel, delivered over Freeview TV, the real question is why aren’t we all producing content this way.

Compared to the internet and its inefficient use of bandwidth by H 323 over the IP protocol when used for video streaming, Digital TV offers fantastic compression giving a significantly improved picture quality which, delivered over Freeview or subscriber TV, is a way of engaging with your customers that only large companies have been able to access through traditional advertising media. We have watched the growth of the viral add on the web and I would not be surprised that over the next few years we will see an expediential increase in business focused digital TV channels.

You think I am way off base? Early last year I was in serious discussions with a company to host equipment to deliver TV on demand to a government agency for training purposes. The company was already delivering the content via CD but saw this as a way to increase viewing and therefore income and of ensuring this content was not illegally copied. Not so crazy after all.

For more about this and any other crazy ideas on how to use the technology you have already invested in check out Matt’s personal blog from the efar web site: www.efar.co.uk

GWE Business West Election 2010 Briefing

April 29, 2010 in Policy & Legislation with Comments Off

As the Election draws closer, GWE Business West has produced a briefing document which provides an introduction to the General and Local Elections 2010. 

  • The General Election, with an initial analysis of the current situation in the House of Commons, the swing needed for a change of government and what happens if we have a hung parliament. 
  • A short commentary on the key issues from the 3 main party manifestos relevant to GWE Business West and business generally. 
  • The current situation in our area of operation in terms of both MPs constituencies and local council elections across the West of England, Swindon/Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.   

Download here: GWEBW Election 2010 Briefing

The Way you Divorce could Save your Business

April 29, 2010 in Advice, Guest Blogger with Comments Off

Guest Blogger: Member, Richard Sharp, Sharp Family Law 

Rob was a successful entrepreneur who had built up a business during the marriage. He came to see me as his marriage of 10 years to Sarah had come to an end. I learnt that Sarah knew little about the business and was concerned that she would lose out. Rob felt that the business was “his” rather than an asset to be shared.

A Nasty Divorce can mean trouble for Business

The impact of a marriage breakdown and divorce does ripple out well beyond the family home. A business caught in the cross fire of a divorce will suffer. Inattention from a stressed-out, depressed or preoccupied owner can lose customers and business opportunities. Divorce costs can escalate as competing lawyers and forensic accountants pick over the assets of the business.

A business interest is an asset to be divided between both spouses. It can often be the most valuable asset in the marriage and the biggest bone of contention in a divorce. Valuing it is complex, costly and time-consuming. How and who values it can be a major flash-point of conflict. Aside from its financial value, the emotions attachments can inflame the one who created it as he or she faces the prospect of sharing it with the other who has had no involvement in it.

The process you choose for your divorce can determine its outcome

What Sarah really wanted was the security of keeping the family home, not an interest in the business. Rob wanted to keep control of his business and the future benefits it might bring. They both wanted to avoid the acrimony and trauma of a traditional adversarial divorce court process. They feared that might destroy the business and the wealth they were trying to divide. They didn’t want a Judge determining financial arrangements in their place.

Rob and Sarah selected me and another Collaborative family lawyer to work with them and together we committed to resolve matters between us without involving the court.

We committed to resolve matters …… without involving the court

We introduced a collaboratively trained financial advisor. He looked from a neutral perspective at the assets of the marriage including the business and the family home, and helped Rob and Sarah understand the division options open to them. A family consultant worked with them to address their emotions towards each other, develop communication and a level of trust between them. Through a series of meetings attended by Rob and I, Sarah and her lawyer, we found a solution from the options available that met their interests and needs without either feeling disadvantaged.

The collaborative divorce process proved to

• preserve the wealth held by Rob & Sarah and not destroying it.
• ensure the right professional dealt with the right problem for Rob & Sarah.
• encourage Rob & Sarah to think creatively and craft solutions that worked for them and their family
• enabling them to decide and keep control on what happened & how fast it happened.

Every divorcing couple is different, and a collaborative divorce process is not for everyone. But Rob & Sarah found that a collaborative divorce can enable solutions to be found and destruction limited to those things that were important to them and their family.

For a free copy of “A Client’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce” contact richard@sharpfamilylaw.com

Protecting Your Business

April 28, 2010 in Advice, Guest Blogger with Comments Off

Guest Blogger: Member AMD Solicitors

Katie Hughes, Specialist Commercial Lawyer at AMD Solicitors

WHAT IF your business should suffer financially, you are in an accident or struck down by a debilitating illness? Are appropriate legal arrangements in place to protect not only yourself but your family should the worst happen?

Choose limited liability. Converting to a private limited company or limited liability partnership means that although you will not always protect all your personal wealth, as you may have to give personal guarantees, in the majority of circumstances you will limit your financial exposure.

Draw up a Shareholders’ or Partnership Agreement which will set out how the business is to be controlled, provide mechanisms for members wishing to leave the business, and detail how disputes should be resolved and what should happen upon death, incapacity or insolvency.

Protect your Goodwill. If your business relies on its trading name or logo as a projection of goodwill to your client base, do this by formal registration at the UK Intellectual Property Office.

Put together Terms of Business. Terms and conditions setting out on what basis work will be carried out or goods supplied are a vital commercial safeguard for all businesses and can prove invaluable in the event of dispute. 

Create a Lasting Power of Attorney. Relatives and business associates do not automatically have the ability to make decisions for you if you are suddenly unable to deal with your business and personal affairs.

Make or review your Will.

Katie and her colleagues offer a free half hour specialist consultation. E-mail commercial@amdsolicitors.com or probate@amdsolicitors.com or telephone 0117 962 1205 quoting reference PYB1 to book your consultation.

Copyright AMD Solicitors

Going Mobile

April 19, 2010 in Guest Blogger, Technology with Comments Off

Guest blogger: Member, Simon Newing of Focus

Simon Newing, MD at Focus

We at Focus have just launched a mobile version of our web site. No, it doesn’t come with wheels; it’s a version of our site specifically for browsing through using a mobile device such as the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, Blackberry or various smartphones from Nokia, Sony and a wealth of other manufacturers.

We’ve learned some interesting lessons along the way, which might be worth a thought or two if you’re considering something similar. Firstly, why? Simple – more and more people are using their phones in this way – especially within certain groups such as young people (2009 saw a 45% increase in teenagers viewing web pages on a mobile device).

Next came the question “how are we going to make a mobile version of our entire site” – and the answer we came up with was “we’re not”. The reduced screen size and the ‘touchscreen’ method of navigation does tend to mean that in most cases it’s impractical to make a ‘mobile version’ of your complete web site. Our approach was to instead focus on just two or three important objectives and make sure the mobile site met those – in our case showing our latest news clearly and allowing people to get in touch. Amazon’s mobile site is a good example – it’s different layout but reduced content and functionality doesn’t hinder anyone from completing the most important ‘call to action’ – that is, to make a purchase.

And technically? Frankly, your web development agency should have done most of the work for you anyway. Without getting knee deep in techno-babble, the same content that you use for your standard web site can be used for mobile, and if things have been built and structured correctly, when you update one you’ll be updating the other.

That’s just a very quick overview of some of the thoughts we’ve been having on this new adventure. There isn’t a ‘one fits all’ solution but it should be a fairly simple job to get something basic established, and of course it’s good PR for your business if you’re seen embracing this new technology. Good luck!

Simon Newing, MD Focus
0117 9498008
simon.newing@thisisfocus.co.uk

Bath Chamber Dinner goes for Gold

April 13, 2010 in Bath, Event with Comments Off

David Hemery

The Bath Chamber of Commerce and Initiative in B&NES Annual Dinner 2010 will be held in the Claverton Rooms at the University of Bath on Wednesday May 19th.

Bath Chamber of Commerce and the Initiative in B&NES, which represents the voice of business across the district is providing a first class opportunity to meet up with old friends, make valuable contacts and hear an inspirational talk from an Olympic Champion.

David Hemery electrified the whole country when he won the gold medal in a world record breaking time in the 400m hurdles at the Mexico Games of 1968. And he went on to take Olympic silver and bronze in Munich four years later.

Now, as Vice Chairman of the British Olympic Association, he is not only eager to maximise the sporting legacy from the London 2012 games, but he is passionate about working with business people with one aim in mind – to bring the best out of both ourselves and others.

An engaging speaker, David has the knowledge and experience to know what makes a champion.

The University of Bath is the perfect venue since it is already home to multiple Olympic medallists, the latest of whom was Amy Williams who won gold in Vancouver in the bob skeleton. Now they are gearing up to welcome the Great Britain Paralympic team and other Olympic athletes who will be based there as preparations for London go ahead.

Chamber President, Frank Collins, is confident the event will prove to be a great success: “We have the perfect backdrop for what promises to be an enjoyable and inspiring evening with the opportunity to hear from a genuinely world class performer in the shape of David Hemery. I have high hopes that the business community will enthusiastically support our event and I am very much looking forward to welcoming them to the Claverton Rooms.”

Tickets cost £50 + VAT per person for GWE Business West Chambers of Commerce members and their guests, which includes a three course dinner.

Book online via Events calendar at www.gwebusinesswest.co.uk

 

GWE Business West Workspace keen to expand

April 13, 2010 in Workspace with Comments Off

Eager to expand their portfolio in the South West, GWE Business West Workspace is currently looking for new sites and buildings for conversion in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bristol and Bath.

Building on a successful track record of centre management (existing management agreements with Regional Development Agencies and Councils), they are keen to work with partners looking for workspace management services or looking to utilise empty or redundant buildings.

Having recently secured planning consent for a commercial science park development in South Wiltshire, they are now actively seeking a development and funding partner.

GWE Business West Workspace has been a leading provider of serviced office space for 25 years. It was one of the first business centre operators to offer the easy-in/easy-out monthly licence model in the 1980s.

James Monk, Director of Property and Investment, said, “In the current economic climate our business centres have proved to be particularly resilient. Over half are at full capacity, with the remainder not far off. The flexibility we offer – all-inclusive monthly fees and only one month’s notice required – is highly appealing to businesses, especially in uncertain times. And although not tied into long-term, onerous lease agreements, the majority of our tenants choose to stay long-term, due to the quality of service they experience.

In addition to physical space, our virtual office services are also popular. Businesses operating from home, for example, need professional support with telephone answering, mail handling and meeting room space.”

Part of GWE Business West, the Workspace division is aligned with the overall company’s objective of playing a major role in shaping and supporting economic growth and success. GWE Business West does not pay dividends to shareholders, but instead reinvests surplus profits to further expand and develop their work for and on behalf of the local business communities in their key operational areas.

For further information, telephone 08458 505 066 or vist www.gwebusinesswest.co.uk

Bristol Bone Business Grows Thanks To Partnership with Spanish University

April 13, 2010 in Bristol with Comments Off

A Bristol-based bone regeneration company has signed an exclusive patent license agreement with a Spanish university thanks to a free service offered by Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) South West.

Orthos Limited, which specialises in developing technologies to help re-grow human bones, contacted EEN to help them identify opportunities to work with universities across Europe in a bid to source new technologies.

As a result they have now signed an exclusive agreement with The Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB) at the University of Catalonia in Spain.

The agreement gives them exclusive rights to the Spanish and European patents for a self-setting and injectable calcium phosphate foam which can be used for bone regeneration, enabling them to exploit the technology commercially.

Alan Rorke, Technical Director at Orthos based at Leigh Court in Bristol, said: “With the ongoing support of the Enterprise Europe Network and by collaborating with several major international universities, including the University of Catalonia, we can continue to focus on developing the next generation of orthobiologic devices.”

The patent agreement gives Orthos exclusive rights to exploit the university’s technology with CREB benefiting by receiving royalties on the sale of any Orthos device which uses their technology.

Orthos signed the agreement through EEN’s Partner Alert Service. This free service helps small and medium-sized companies to identify European business partners for commercial agreements, technology partnerships and European research projects.

Kenny Legg, Partnership Adviser at Enterprise Europe Network South West, said: “Orthos is a prime example of how a company can benefit from exploiting international academic research. We have strong links with universities across Europe and strive to increase collaborative research and development across all sectors by putting companies and academics in contact with each other.”

For more information about Enterprise Europe Network please contact Priscilla Midgley on 01275 370 814 or email Priscilla.Midgley@enterpriseeuropesw.org.uk.

For more information about Orthos please contact Alan Rorke on 01275 376 377.

GWE Business West is the contract holder of Enterprise Europe Network South West, a European Union funded project co-funded by the SW Regional Development Agency and UK Trade & Investment.