Category: Business News

Award-winning businesswoman joins Inspiring Women event line-up

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Inspiring women – (left) Nicola Dames and Professor Sally Mapstone.

A multiple award-winning businesswoman who created her company to help women like her affected by bowel disease has been announced as the second speaker for St Andrews Business Club’s Inspiring Women event on March 7.

 

Nicola Dames had her life change forever when she started to suffer with Ulcerative Colitis in her 20s. After surgery to remove her large colon, she found underwear available for women with stomas lacked femininity. So in 2008 she started Vanilla Blush to design, make and sell what women like her wanted.

Since then it’s grown to become a multiple award-winning brand specialising in selling swimwear and medical lingerie to people like her, directly and via the NHS, and has grown from online-only to opening a store in Glasgow and contracted to eight European countries.

In 2011, Vanilla Blush had its first range listed as a Class 1 Medical Device and in 2014 launched its pioneering innovation with Hernia Prevention and support available on NHS prescription. It continues to invest in leading-edge research to inform its product design.

In 2014, Vanilla Blush was named Post-Surgery Brand of the Year and in June 2016 secured £50,000 in Scottish EDGE funding. Nicola rejected a £2.7m offer for the business in June last year because her brand’s mission and financial projections meant too much to simply “grab the cash and run”. In December last year, Nicola was included in Lingerie Insight’s Power List 2018.

Keynote

Nicola joins Professor Sally Mapstone, Principal of the University of St Andrews, who will give the keynote at the event, open to all, to be held at the Old Course Hotel from 5.30pm.

Professor Mapstone has been Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews since September 2016. Before taking up the role, her academic career was spent at the University of Oxford, where she read English Language and Literature, gained her doctorate in Older Scots literature and became Professor of Older Scots Literature in the Faculty of English Language and Literature.

Earlier in her career she worked as an editor in the book publishing industry. Prof Mapstone is an Emeritus Fellow of St Hilda’s College, Oxford and an Honorary Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford and St Cross College, Oxford, as well as a member of the board of Universities UK, a member of the Higher Education Policy Institute advisory board, and a member of the National Centre for Universities and Business Growing Value Scotland Legacy Project Advisory Group.

Attendees will gain inspiration as well as the speakers’ career lessons and the chance to question them.

Club President, Alistair Morris, said: “We’re delighted to have two truly inspiring women speaking at this event on the eve of International Women’s Day to recognise the immense contribution women make to the world and how stories like theirs can inspire anyone to make positive changes in the world.”

Anyone wanting to attend can book their place on Eventbrite.

Marketing messaging

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Lynda Hamilton Parker, of Lynda Hamilton Communications, explained how best to make customers love your business by communicating your business messages effectively with marketing & PR. Pic: ASM Media & PR

Award-winning former national magazine journalist and travel writer, experienced business editor and PR consultant Lynda Hamilton Parker shared how to use the media and other marketing channels to raise the profile of your business, as well how the media works and operates.

 

Lynda also debunked some of the myths and mysteries around PR.

For more information about this subject, you can visit her website.

For more photos, go to the Album on our Facebook page.

NEXT EVENT: The Club’s next event is Feb 28: Learning Lunch – Modern Apprenticeships, when John McFarlane, Employer Engagement Co-ordinator responsible for the Modern Apprenticeship programme at Fife Council, and Heather Brown, Co-ordinator for DYW Fife will explain the benefits to employers of Modern Apprenticeships.

Learn to use marketing messages to make customers love your business

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Award-winning journalist and PR consultant Lynda Hamilton Parker will teach attendees about how to communicate their business messages.

People doing business in North-East Fife can make a date with St Andrews Business Club on Valentine’s Day to learn how best to make customers love their business by communicating their business messages effectively.

 

In the latest event of the club’s season, to be held at the Old Course Hotel from 5.30pm, award-winning journalist and PR consultant Lynda Hamilton Parker will teach attendees about how to communicate their business messages by using the media and other marketing channels to raise the profile of their business.

PR

Lynda will also describe how the media work as well as debunking some of the myths and mysteries around PR.

Anyone wishing to learn about this important business topic, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.

A full list of this season’s events can be found at http://bit.ly/StABCEvents.

New business learning events at St Andrews Business Club

SABC Secretary

By Alistair Morris, President

Since the start of the Club’s 2017-18 Season last September, we’ve been delighted with the feedback we’ve received on our events programme from the growing number of business people attending them.

 

So far at least 80% of attendees taking our post-event survey have typically rated their event Excellent or Very Good overall. And many have gone on to join the Club as a result.

Today we’re announcing the details of our business learning events for the rest of the season.

Business learning

The event topics, some of which were suggested by members, have been chosen to provide you with essential information on today’s key business issues you can use straight away. They will be:

VIP tour

As a result of the positive feedback we’ve had about the Members & Guests-only Business Visits held so far, we’ve taken the opportunity to arrange an extra business visit to a site which will play some role in the business lives of many of us in the next few years – the University of St Andrews’ Eden Campus at Guardbridge. Members and their Guests will enjoy a VIP guided tour on June 27.

Networking

Opening most of our events to non-members – so they can get a taste of the business learning and networking we offer – has proven to be popular too. And the minimum 45 minutes networking time built in to our events is being well used!

We’re expecting plenty of that at our St Andrews 10 x 30 event on May 9, where Members will be drawn at random to present 10 slides for a maximum of 30 seconds each on a topic of interest to all. It promises to be a fun night!

Whether you’re already a member, a past one or someone new to the Club, we’d be delighted to see you at our events this year. And hear what you think of them – so we can keep making the Club better.

Details of the full season’s topics, dates, speakers are here

Details of membership benefits and how to join the Club are here

For latest news from the Club, its members and the North-East Fife business community, follow the Club on:
– Twitter
– Facebook page
– LinkedIn

Prepare your business for Making Tax Digital at The Old Course Hotel

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Mark Gibson and Elaine Cromwell, Partners at Thomson Cooper Accountants, will talk about how businesses should start preparing for HMRC’s Making Tax Digital programme, as well as the why and how to choose of online accounting packages, at the next St Andrews Business Club Learning Lunch.

People doing business in North-East Fife are being invited to join members and guests of St Andrews Business Club on January 10 to hear how they should start preparing their business for HMRC’s Making Tax Digital programme.

 

In the second Learning Lunch of the club’s new season, to be held at The Old Course Hotel from 12.30pm, Thomson Cooper Accountants Partners Mark Gibson and Elaine Cromwell will talk about how businesses should start preparing for this mandatory change to filing tax information online.

They’ll also outline the other benefits of switching to Web-based accounting and how to choose the package best suited to you.

Anyone wishing to learn about this important business topic, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.

A full list of this season’s events can be found at http://bit.ly/StABCEvents.

New venues for St Andrews Business Club events

SABC Secretary

St Andrews Business Club is delighted to announce that, following a review of the venues it uses for its events, it has come to an agreement with The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews for it to be the exclusive event venue partner of the Club from January 2018.

 

The Club’s events will now be held in the business meetings facilities of The Old Course Hotel and its associated venues around the town, with each event allocated an appropriate location based on its individual requirements and anticipated attendance.

The first event to be hosted at The Old Course Hotel will be the Learning Lunch on January 10, which will see Mark Gibson and Elaine Cromwell of Thomson Cooper Accountants explain how businesses should start preparing for HMRC’s Making Tax Digital initiative, the other benefits of online accounting and how to choose the package best suited to you.

Speaking about the agreement, Club President, Alistair Morris, said: “St Andrews Business Club is delighted to have forged this business relationship with The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews. We know from our recent business visit to the hotel that this collaboration will provide our members, guests and visitors with the highest standard of event venue and hospitality.”

Helen McBride, Resident Manager at The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, said: “The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews is delighted to be the official host for St Andrews Business Club from 2018. We very much look forward to welcoming all our fellow members to the hotel for its forthcoming events.”

Full details of all the club’s events, most of which are now open to non-members, can be found on the Events page.

The Old Course Hotel

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Club Members and their guests enjoyed a tour of the upgraded facilities at the five-star The Old Course Hotel as well as a festive social event on December 6. Martin McAvoy takes one tour group into a room.

Club Members and their guests enjoyed a tour of the upgraded facilities at the five-star Old Course Hotel as well as a festive social event on December 6.

Bordering the renowned 17th ‘Road’ Hole of the Old Course, the Old Course Hotel overlooks the famous links courses, the West Sands Beach and the beautiful Scottish coastline. This prestigious AA Five Star-awarded hotel has 144 rooms including 35 suites and is recognised as one of Europe’s leading resorts.

Members were welcomed with glasses of prosecco and festive canapes by the hotel before President, Alistair Morris, added his welcome and introduced the Club’s newly-appointed Marketing Communications Intern, Comora Love-Mitchell, a 3rd Year student at the University of St Andrews.

Refurbishment

The Old Course Hotel’s Resident Manager, Helen McBride, then talked about the major refurbishment work done last winter (including replacing the roof tiles with a rubber alternative made from recycled car tyres – to better resist errant golf balls!) before joining colleagues Phyllis Wilkie and Martin McAvoy in conducting tours in groups. The rooms, business and dining facilities were not short of ‘Wow! factor’.

Everyone then enjoyed further networking, seasonal food and drink before departing very happy into the early gusts of Storm Caroline.

For information about The Old Course Hotel, go to http://www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk

NEXT EVENT: The Club’s next event is January 10: Preparing for Making Tax Digital + Networking

BOOK NOW: Please book your place on Eventbrite by 12:00 Monday January 8 2018.

For more photos, go to the Album on our Facebook page.

Event to teach NE Fife firms how to avoid risk of €20m GDPR fines

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Loretta Maxfield of Thorntons LLP will talk about The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) at St Andrews Business Club’s first learning lunch on November 22.

People doing business in North-East Fife are being invited to a November 22 event where they can learn how to ensure they don’t incur fines of up to €20 million or more when the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force next May.

 

In the first learning lunch of St Andrews Business Club’s new season, the joint event with Fife Women in Business will hear information law expert Loretta Maxfield of Thorntons LLP explain what GDPR is, how it will affect businesses, what they need to do to ensure compliance and the penalties if they don’t.

The lunch will be held at the New Golf Club from 12.30pm till 2pm and will also include time for networking at the start.

Anyone wishing to learn about this important business topic, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.

Full details of all the club’s events, most of which are now open to non-members, are available here.

‘How to survive Brexit’ event for NE Fife firms

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Dr Billy Grierson (left), Stephen Westwood and Dr Shona Dobbie will describe how companies can develop a Brexit survival strategy.

It’s not yet clear what form Brexit will take, but St Andrews Business Club’s November 8 event will help company owners and managers develop a Brexit survival strategy for whatever happens.

 

Three highly-qualified experts will speak at the event, to be held at the New Golf Club from 5.30pm.

Former Alliance Trust economist Dr Shona Dobbie gives independent economic, political and demographic advice to businesses. She will provide a politics-free understanding of the economic consequences of Brexit.

International businessman and entrepreneur Stephen Westwood has fulfilled roles as Chief Executive, Finance Director and interim executive across multiple business sectors for corporations in the UK and the US. He will deliver an appreciation of the actual and perceived impacts of Brexit on business.

Innovation and business consultant Dr Billy Grierson spent more than 30 years working for Ciba and BASF developing an understanding of how companies fail to solve problems and what tools and techniques can be used to improve their success rate. He will outline the framework to start the process of thinking about what opportunities and challenges your business will face and what you can do about them.

Anyone wishing to learn about this vital business topic, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.

More reasons to Meet, Learn & Join in St Andrews Business Club 2017-18 Season

SABC Secretary

By Alistair Morris, President

Since the Club’s AGM in April, the Committee has been hard at work all summer on ways to make membership of the Club and attending its events more directly useful to members and non-members.

The season and changes we’re announcing today are based on the results of detailed market research interviews with members and non-members last Summer as well as ideas and other feedback from members over the last year.

One of the questions we asked ourselves was ‘What is the Club’s purpose?’ Looking at the original 1950 constitution (which we’re seeking to update soon), we saw two key activities – meeting other businesspeople and learning for business. They’re still important to succeed in business today, so you’ll find them at the heart of the 2017-18 season.

Learning

Learning event topics, some of which were suggested by members, have been chosen to provide you with essential information you can use straight away on today’s key business issues. They will include:

Details of the final learning events in the Club season will be announced later. If there are topics you’d like covered, please email us with them.

Inspiration

Professor Sally Mapstone, Principal of The University of St Andrews, is the keynote speaker at our ‘Inspiring Women’ event in March 2018

We know from past seasons how much hearing high-achieving people such as Lord Mulholland, Alban Denton and Kevin Grainger sharing their stories and lessons can inspire and educate others. So we’re delighted Professor Sally Mapstone, Principal of the University of St Andrews, has agreed to give the keynote speech at our ‘Inspiring Women’ event on March 7 next year (the eve of International Women’s Day).

But first, on October 11, Alan Mahon, co-founder of craft beer social enterprise Brewgooder, will be among a panel of entrepreneurs sharing their stories and advice at the University of St Andrews Enterprise Week Keynote Event which the Club is contributing to in partnership with the student committee. Members will have access to a Club priority allocation of tickets for this event. Click here for more details.

Networking

To aid the business networking part of our purpose, since last season all Club events have included scheduled time for networking. This year we’re going a step further and opening most of our events to non-members – so they can join members and their guests and all enjoy the benefits of meeting more people.

We’re also adding informal facilitated networking lunches to the schedule – for a small number of people to discuss over a light lunch how a business issue or problem was or can be dealt with. The first will be held on March 28.

New formats, times & more events

Those of you familiar with the Club will have spotted a new word there – ‘lunches.’ One of the event format changes we’re introducing this year as a result of member feedback is having our daytime events at lunchtime rather than breakfast during the GMT months – so you don’t have to get up in the cold and dark to attend. See the event listings for details of dates and times.

Another new event format we’re trying is holding a Pecha Kucha-style event on May 9. Members will be drawn at random to present 20 slides of 20 seconds each on a topic of interest to all. It promises to be a fun night!

Also as a result of member feedback, we’re extending the Club’s season into May and June for the first time, which means members will be getting even more value from their annual membership fee and non-members will have more opportunities to join in, meet and learn.

New Membership benefits

The right to present at our Pecha Kucha-style event is one of several new membership benefits we’re introducing this year. But why else should you join the Club?

Other new benefits include:

  • One free Guest at each event
  • Member profile, logo, contact info and link listing on Club website (Coming Soon)
  • Opportunity to write a guest blog post for the Club website once a year
  • Access to Club allocation of tickets for external events, such as the General Election Hustings earlier this year
  • Free display of flyers at events

Those join the following benefits which members already enjoy:

  • Access to Members & Guests-only events
  • Free access to evening events
  • Opportunity to be the expert speaker at a Club event
  • Company feature post on Club social media channels
  • Opportunity to have social posts shared on Club channels (Twitter & Facebook)
  • Opportunity to host a Club ‘Business visit’ event

Anyone joining the Club by September 4 will be able to join members and their guests in an exclusive tour of the new five-star Kinnettles Hotel hosted by owner Fraser Ogston on September 6.

Members will also enjoy a VIP tour of the upgraded facilities at The Old Course Hotel on December 6 as part of a festive Club social. The Club year will end with a Members & Guests-only social barbecue on June 27.

Membership still only £30 per Season

That’s a fantastic range of benefits for just £30 annual individual membership – the best value it’s ever been.

Still not convinced? You can read here why some members joined, what they’ve gained and enjoyed since.

Want to join the Club? Find out how to do that here. Existing members will receive their renewal reminder next month.

New Corporate Membership option

If you think some of your colleagues would also want to join or renew their membership, you should consider the new corporate membership option we’re introducing. It’s just £100 for five named members of an organisation and includes some extra benefits over individual membership. Go here for full details.

Whether you’re already a member, a past one or someone new to the Club, we’d be delighted to see you at our events this season. And hear what you think – so we can keep making the Club better.

  • Details of the full season’s topics, dates, speakers are here
  • Details of membership benefits and how to join the Club are here
  • For latest news from the Club, its members and the North-East Fife business community, follow the Club here on Twitter and like our Facebook page