My Little Black Book = Services I have used for my small business.
When running a business even as a Business Consultant, I need to outsource services and enlist specialist help.
Here is a list of the services that I have used and why. Some of them may have affiliate links attached which means that I might get a small commission if you choose to sign up or enlist services from the provider.
It doesn’t cost you anything but that’s my benefit of sharing what I know with you all. Some may have a discount code that has come directly from the company to me and to you so we both benefit.
I have split these into categories as below so if you are looking for something specific please click on the appropriate category to help you find it.
Bookkeeping, Accountants & Financial Advice
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Money Principles have been supporting me and my family for all of our financial advice since I met Doug Prince, the then owner early in my career in the 90’s.
Money Principles is a family-run business providing reliable and professional independent financial advice to a broad range of clients.
Alastair and Henry have taken on the business from their late father and we have now introduced them and their services to our daughters and friends to support them too.
Money Principles are strong advocates for tailored advice and they believe that by embracing technology, they can offer a standout proposition.
They can combine all of the modern benefits of a cashflow model and an interactive client portal, with a personal, real, adviser experience.
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Clare supports me with all things financial for my business. She introduced me to automation which has saved me SO much time ( Xero & HubDoc to name a few )
She is a Xero expert and can help you set up the software and give you a tutorial to get you started.
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Holland Hahn & Wills are Chartered Financial Planners and Wealth Managers. They deliver financial peace of mind, allowing clients to enjoy a worry-free retirement and concentrate on what really matters. Their focus is to build close and lasting relationships with clients and their experience and attention to detail sets them apart as experts on the psychology of retirement.
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I met Libby at a Sales Retreat and we were room buddies. We got on straight away and we talked about our respective businesses and had some symergy.
Libby is straight talking and explains things clearly which is what you need from your Accountant.
If you need to clearly understand your numbers for your business and make them work for you to grow and scale then contact Libby for more information about how she can support you.
https://icebergaccounting.co.uk/meet-libby
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Inder and Krena have supported me with filing my Company accounts for several years.
They have always been very professional in their approach and explained all the detail in order for me to understand annually how I am progressing.
Their advice and attention to detail know no bounds and I highly recommend their services.
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Based in Harrow in London, Custodia Financial Services offers Life-Centred Financial Planning and personalised wealth management solutions to help you achieve your goals.
I met Viral at Zoco Networking and he is a true professional with a wealth of financial knowlege.
Take a look at his services here – www.custodiafs.co.uk
Business Services & Courses
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I recently attended the CSR-A course to understand more about how getting a CSR Accreditation for a business can help growth in the future.
CSR ( Corporate Social Responsibility ) is now a buzzword acronym that everyone wants to understand and ensure they are adhering to. All businesses are now ensuring that everything they do has a positive impact on the rest of society and the planet, now and in the future. Every decision and choice they make will have a defined impact and CSR will be woven into the heart of every business, attracting like-minded employees, customers and suppliers.
My next step is to gain CSR Accreditation for my business and to spread the word as a CSR Enabler. If you want to know more then please do book a free 30-minute call with me.
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I have recently embarked on the Help to Grow Management Programme at Kingston University.
Here are the details
- 12-weeks of learning designed to fit alongside work commitments
- develop a bespoke business growth plan to help your business reach its full potential
- get 1:1 support from a business mentor
- learn from peers and network with businesses just like yours
I will report back in a few months with my feedback.
https://www.kingston.ac.uk/short-courses/courses/help-to-grow-management/
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I met Vicki Moore the owner of It’s All About The Wrapper at the Linkedin Local Guildford Networking event and we had a 121 very soon afterward and later at other in-person networking events. I usually thank people with an Auxilium Consulting card and lilac highlighter and have now added a bar of chocolate to this. Recipients were delighted and I soon ran out and needed to order some more. It was an easy, prompt & professional service and the recipients were delighted. Other Businesses saw this delight from my Clients and soon got FOMO, so ordered some themselves and so the networking world goes around.
Thanks Vicki – great service and great chocolate too!
Catering & Events
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I first met Nikki when she was catering for a huge networking event. The array of scrumptious food was amazing and THE best breakfast food I had ever tasted.
In “Lockdown’ Nikki has managed to pivot her catering business and has wonderful new products e.g Letterbox Bites. To get the real understanding of how scrumptious they are you will need to buy some, but take a look at her website and you will see an array of biscuits, brownies and cakes not to mention workshops & tutoring and eventually the catering she can provide for those endless parties we will all have when “Lockdown”ends.
Nikki provided my Father’s wake food, my sister’s 60th Cream Tea party and I have purchased countless letterbox bites for presents to surprise my clients, colleagues & friends and have also bought and adored her Advent biscuits and await my Valentines bites any day soon.
Check her out! Her famous biscuits have been on Breakfast Television!
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I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca Michael from Compliments Catering a few years ago at a Cookery Demonstration held by The Really Helpful Club. Rebecca cooked up a storm with various recipes from Mushroom Quiches to Pavlova, Lemon Drizzle cake, Banana and choc chip loaf and Carrot Cake with NO SUGAR!
Compliments Catering also provides a mouth-watering experience for any celebration, corporate events, Weddings and all fine dining.
Take a look and see for yourself how Rebecas assured and relaxed style of catering makes every occasion memorable and so mouth-watering you want more.
www.complimentscatering.co.uk/celebrations.
Charities
Love Kingston, formerly part of Kingston Voluntary Action, recently achieved independent charitable status, and the Kingston Charitable Foundation was established in February 2021.
Kingston Charitable Foundation will continue to build on the excellent reputation and heritage of Love Kingston. Love Kingston is the community engagement and development area of the new Kingston Charitable Foundation, which will continue to grow the charitable fund, in-order to provide grants to charities, both now and into the distant future.
https://www.lovekingston.org.uk/
Working together we can help to ensure every patient experiences outstanding care and the best possible outcome, by transforming our patient environments, acquiring cutting-edge equipment, supporting high-quality research and providing patient comforts that can make much such a difference.
What we’re fundraising for
As we look beyond COVID-19, we are committed to supporting a number of projects. For further information, please click on the links below:
– Extending the Royal Eye Unit to create a dedicated medical retina unit
– Developing a paediatric day care oncology suite
– Creating tranquil spaces in our surgical and care of the elderly wards
– Enhancing the paediatric service’s outdoor garden area
If you would like a more considered discussion on one or more of these projects, please call 020 8973 5040 and speak to Rob or Tracey.
Established in May 2006, Bullies Out are one of the most dedicated and ambitious anti-bullying charities. Through their award-winning work with individuals, schools, youth and community settings, and the workplace, they provide counseling, education, training, and support to thousands of people.
Through their innovative, interactive workshops and training programmes, they use experience, energy, and passion to focus on awareness, prevention, building empathy, and positive peer relationships all of which are crucial in creating a nurturing environment in which young people and adults can thrive.
This is a topic close to my heart having been bullied myself at school for several years.
Take a look at the website link below to see all the wonderful services they provide and access to a wealth of information on this topic.
RBKares is a group of volunteers that aims to mobilise the community to respond at pace to needs that arise within the borough of Kingston upoin Thames amongst hospital workers, carers, refugees, and other vulnerable groups.
They keep our ears to the ground about people in need, key-workers needing a morale boost or groups to whom we can lend our creative, craft and sewing skills.
Having supplied hospitals, care homes and key workers with scrubs, face-coverings and scrub-bags throughout the pandemic via Sewing4Kingston, they developed a strong relationship with the care homes and saw the extreme conditions they were working in. They wanted to thank them so we set up RBKares to deliver some Christmas kindness.
I have recently donated 2 sewing machines and thread to RB Kares and look forward to seeing them in action.
Take a look at their website www.rbkares.org.
They were established in 2006 and since 2016 have been situated in Chessington in a unique space allowing the children they care for to have their best day and lots of fun.
If you are a local business looking to volunteer, donate, or become a patron, then take a look at their website or get in touch with Laura directly.
Coaching
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I have attended several Coaching Workshops run by Amanda in 2018 and 2019. As a result of this we have recently collaborated on two Workshops that we have been running together , ‘Be Desk Smart’ and ‘Be Time Smart’. Please do email me alex@auxiliumconsulting.co.uk for more information and dates for these workshops and I will be happy to send you some information and links to book your place. Amanda also has various workshops herself so do take a look.
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Yasmin was my Mentor on the Help 2 Grow programme ( Cohhort 35 ) held by Kingston University in 20203 and we worked together over a series of 10 x hourly sessions.
From the start Yasmin and I got on well and she really got to know my business and who I was as a person which helped her to craft each session to make them impactful, fun, insightful, and informative.
She often challenged my thinking in so many ways as well as confirmed my thoughts and directions. Each week the 1-hour session “packed a punch” of learning, actions, and thoughts, that helped me build on goals I have for my business and will ultimately help me grow as a person and be sustained for the future.
Yasmin was always interested in what I was doing and my viewpoints and was always ready to challenge me and question any comments to help deeper dive or confirm ideas. She provided a weekly email “roundup” which helped me remember some key areas of discussion or actions and kept me accountable and on track. She always provided great links to ideas and areas of relevance and interest, showing that she understood my business, the industry I work in, and my personality.
It has been an absolute pleasure to be mentored by Yasmin and I have looked forward to every session with her. I will miss her guidance but what she has inspired me to do, is be a Mentor to others.
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I have attended several Coaching Workshops run by Rachel in 2018 and 2019 which covered “Your Vision of success’ and ‘Formulating packages” for your business to help you grow and thrive.
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I have known Amanda Johnson for several years and been part of her VA membership group during that time. When I transitioned my VA business into the Consultancy space earlier this year, Amanda was the obvious choice to support me on this journey.
The sessions we had together were ‘kick ass’, motivating, explorative, supportive and were focussed on pushing me from the starting block. They made me feel more confident about my service offerings and built on my knowledge and recent learnings so that I am now able to provide professional and tailored services to my clients that showcase my experience in the consultancy space.
Thank you Amanda, it was a pleasure working together, lots of fun and I look forward to my future with positive growth.
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I met Karen networking and we immediately clicked, so when seeking some Coaching she was an obvious choice.
She is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited Transformational coach working with small business and career professionals.
I have had some sessions with Karen and she has taken me on a significant journey to transition into the Consultancy space with confidence. Reviewing where I started with her 3 months ago to where I am now, I have made significant progress and can step into my space with clarity and driven focus.
Having Coaching is one of the best things to get you back on track and move you from that momentary X roads with a clear vision ahead.
Sustainability
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If you are looking for the home of sustainable and plantable products then look no further than A La KArt Creations for ideas for gifts, cards & stationery.
Tropic Skincare
https://tropicskincare.com/
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Natural skincare, make-up, and beauty products that create a healthier, greener, and empowered world.
Take a look https://tropicskincare.com/
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http://paragongreencleaning.co.uk/
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Beautifully recycled products from cashmere jumpers, all handmade in Britain.
https://www.turtle-doves.co.uk/
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Furnish your world for next to nothing.
Saving second-hand office furniture and equipment from corporate clearances – giving it to you for next to nothing
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OLIO connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. This could be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables, bread from your baker, or the groceries in your fridge when you go away. For your convenience, OLIO can also be used for non-food household items too.
OLIO is super easy! To make an item available, simply open the app, add a photo, description, and when and where the item is available for pick-up
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/olio-food-sharing-revolution/id1008237086
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The Daily Difference is a free email that will connect you to the Carbon Almanac Network. Every day, you will get an opportunity to join thousands of people from all over the world in taking action and making a significant positive impact. It’s not too late. The earth needs passionate people like you to spread the word and create meaningful change.
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Family run and based in Scotland Cascadye are all about making it easy for people to embrace low plastic living. From simple day to day sustainable swaps to plastic free packaging they believe that cutting down on single use plastic should not mean compromising on the beautiful products you have in your life.
They like to think that when lots of people make small, positive change with the environment in mind it can make a big difference.
A little like trickles of water becoming small streams which flow together to form rivers which spill into one another to create something powerful.
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Small Business Britain is the UK’s leading champion of small businesses, supporting all 5.8 million small businesses in the UK – no matter their location, their sector, or their ambition level.
Through a series of reports, events, and campaigns, Small Business Britain champions, inspires, and accelerates small businesses in the UK to foster growth and increased confidence.
I have attended various webinars and courses hosted my Michelle Ovens OBE and I highly recommend them.
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https://www.oddbox.co.uk/
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https://uk.whogivesacrap.org/
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Valerie Munro is a chartered horticulturist who offers a unique garden mentoring and plant problem-solving service, at your elbow and in your own garden.
Call her your garden coach/tutor, plant agony aunt or even your garden secret weapon – the results will be the same. Auntie Planty’s mission is to help you create a wonderful garden without breaking the bank so you can garden with confidence.
Valerie came to my garden and provided a comprehensive review of all the plants, shrubs, and bushes, telling us in detail how to care for them and the dos and don’ts.
We have followed her advice and our garden in BLOOMIMG!
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Amazing aromas for your toilet
Each flush provides a wonderful fragrance, cheerful design and a powerful foaming action that cleans your toilet. Choose your own favourite fragrance or try them all!
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The Good Business Charter
Stand out from the crowd and lead the way through Good Business Charter accreditation
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Join the refill revolution.
How it works
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Sustainable products
Earth’s best home and personal care products, delivered when you need them.
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Subscribe & save
Save 10% when you subscribe to our bestselling refills. Cancel and adjust at any time.
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No more plastic waste
Free returns of our refill pouches for reuse and recycling.
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Small Business Britain is excited to deliver the Sustainability Basics programme, in partnership with Oxford Brookes Business School, to help small businesses make the most of the opportunities of sustainability.
I completed this well run course with fabulous speakers and highly recommend it if sustainability is on your radar.
This free programme (and community of like-minded businesses) gives each entrepreneur the basics they need to supercharge their sustainability planning, reduce their impact on the planet, and turn their sustainability plans into a fantastic commercial advantage. Sign up to the course here.
My sustainability Statement outlines my efforts to achieve a sustainable business model and is always a work in progress, You can find out more about it here
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Small99 Hero breaks your Net Zero journey into small, simple, achievable steps.
Their intuitive tool tells you what to do and how to do it.
Small99 Hero automatically tracks your progress so that you can easily communicate it to customers and show the world how serious you are about becoming Net Zero.
All actions are aligned to SECR and SBTi standards and CMA greenwashing guidelines. We’re constantly updating according to the latest legislation so you can be confident that Small99 Hero will keep you compliant.
Get started with a free 1 month trial today by using code HERO.
After that, your entire Net Zero journey, including your sustainability progress page is just £15 per month.
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Avery & Brown is a brand consultancy. They are trusted partners to purpose-driven businesses which want to put sustainability at the heart of their growth. They are also working on #OperationRegeneration: their mission to become a regenerative business – one which gives back far more to society and the planet than it takes.
A consultancy built from humble beginnings – united by passion to build a better world through strategy and creativity.
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This calendar was created by Avery and Brown and Small 99
Looking for good sustainability-related events can be a bit of a needle/haystack scenario. Either there’s just too much to look through, or you find out about an event too late and end up missing out.
Avery and Brown and Small 99 wanted to present a solution to this common frustration, so they came up with The Sustainability Events Calendar — an online directory of the best sustainability events in and around the UK (for now!).
If you’re struggling to find great sustainability events in your area, or you’re frustrated by the poor usability of the larger event sites, then you’ve just found your new home.
Avery and Brown and Small 99 have collaborated to bring you the ultimate guide to the events the world can’t afford to miss and two UK business focused on making the world a better place.
Together, they saw a gap in the market for a free, simple and accessible events calendar concentrating on the causes they care about.
The site will improve as more events are listed and as it attracts more regular visitors. You can support us by submitting an event and spreading the word!
FishBox - Fresh fish deliveries
https://www.fishbox.co.uk/
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https://www.fishbox.co.uk/
Milk & More - Doorstep Deliveries
https://www.milkandmore.co.uk/
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https://www.milkandmore.co.uk
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https://smolproducts.com/
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The Green Web FoundationShow the world your website is hosted green and check on this website.
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Networking for Good (NfG) is a rapidly growing business referral community for a new era of networking online.
If you are looking for networking with a difference, purpose and meaning then NfG is for you.
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Help restore the planet through a monthly subscription
For less than the cost of a cup of coffee per week you can become climate positive.
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Grow your own forest
Plant at least 12 trees per month and watch your forest grow. You’ll be creating employment for local families and restoring wildlife habitats.
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Reduce carbon pollution
Give back more to the planet than you take. You’ll fund the highest standard climate projects to accelerate our transition to a sustainable future.
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Challenge your carbon footprint
Set yourself goals and embark on the rewarding journey to low-carbon living. Once you become aware you won’t stop!
Have a positive impact on the climate for as little as £4.70 / month
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Carbon Kapture grows seaweed to absorb CO₂ and then traps the carbon. We have started a project which could change everything. It has the potential to outperform the scale of the rainforests we continue to destroy. The problem is that trees don’t become useful at sequestering carbon for anywhere between 10-40 years. By focusing on growing trees alone we will not meet the climate deadline – we need a better solution.
Carbon Kapture combines one of nature’s most effective forms of absorbing CO₂ with technology designed to lock the carbon away for hundreds of years. It’s a solution which absorbs CO₂ instantly, one which works 30x more quickly than trees, one that we can repeat each year, and one which allows us to trap the carbon and then store it safely in the ground.
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WOW, what a story behind his business. Ally who worked as a commercial diver around the world found himself working on the #salvage of a ship that was carrying 1937 tonnes of #shredded #plastic.
He saw the devastation this plastic had on marine life and he set about making pots from #discardedplastic, #fishing ropes and #netting he found on the #beach.
He has gone from #making small pots and #selling them locally to a Scottish #manufacturer producing them on a larger scale ! Congratulations on an amazing journey!
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Kingston Business Community is a free-to-join community of Kingston-based businesses and organisations of all sizes and sectors, from well-established to start-ups.
The Kingston Green Business Community aims to help members to save resources, as well as reducing their environmental impact and running costs.
Collaborative work with academia, sustainability experts, and other organisations will lead to the co-creation of solutions to reduce local emissions and access funding.
You can join the community by completing this form.
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I met Alex Chell in a Mastermind Group and was delighted to see that she and her business had started their sustainability journey.
Auxilium is always looking to align with businesses with a similar ethos and so if you are looking for “brilliant branding and design to stand out with confidence and purpose” then look no further than Ardington Creative.
Copywriting
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I attended a workshop using her strategies about, ‘How to write more powerfully for your business’, and also ‘Communications calendar strategy and planning ‘ run by Jude in 2019
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Lisa supported me with copy for local Advatorial in 2019.
Ergonomics & Homeworking
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Tim Richards has many years experience in Furniture and promotional Merchandise Sales.
Front Foot Drive establishes long-term relationships with their clients and working with them means that you benefit from many years experience on a comprehensive range of furniture, & business supplies.
I have purchased my Office chair and am really pleased with the design and comfort. The selection process was aided by Tim all in budget and delivered promptly straight to my door with minimal assembly.
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I often refer to this website for very useful information as they are the ergonomic experts. They provide a great deal of guidance from products to use, training, DSE assessments, events and seminars and downloadable advice sheets. I have qualified as a Display Screen Risk Assessor with Posturite in 2020 and now offer this as a service.
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Have you ever made a costly mistake buying office equipment that you had not tried and tested first?
Visiting the Health Home & Office showroom in Surrey will ensure that you purchase equipment that meets your needs. Phil Johns and his team will find solutions for you that also suit your budget.
Do not hesitate to book an appointment with Phil and his team to get attention to your needs and an opportunity to try all the products set up in the showroom.
Fashion and Colours
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I attended a Colour Consultation Workshop with Anita, which included a personalised colour wallet to help me chose colours to wear confidently in business.
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https://www.houseofcolour.co.uk/find-a-stylist/profile/5524
GDPR
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Jo Brianti runs JLB Business Consulting and she provides solutions on how to get systemised using the right tools to be GDPR compliant.
She loves nothing more than data audits, checking your policies and looking at your cookies. She brings order to your GDPR world.
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Annabel of KoffeeKlatch has provided me with legal documents and contracts for my business since 2017. She has immense legal knowledge and is an avid supporter of the VA industry, providing professional guidance and support in a straight forward, honest and amusing ” ducks in a row” way
https://www.koffeeklatch.co.uk/
Please the following code to receive a 10% Discount at the Checkout ! AUX10
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Suzanne Dibble is the Small Business Legal Expert and the guru of GDPR ! She has provided me clear and concise in depth advice on GDPR and resources, ensuring my compliance since 2018 and going forwards with any legislative changes.
Graphic Design, Content Creation, Branding & Printing services
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I met Helen networking recently and we had a 121 about her service offering so that I could recommend her to my clients. However, it wasn’t long before that phrase popped into my head ” do what you do best and outsource the rest’ and of course……I then quickly engaged Helen’s services to put together a ‘bank’ of Canva pages for all my Social Media posts which I could use interchangeably.
Sometimes we are so time poor that being creative quickly doesn’t happen. With Helen’s templates, this makes my life so much easier and I actually enjoy creating my posts and sharing them with you all. Take a look at my Instagram feed https://www.instagram.com/auxiliumadmin/
Great work and swift turnaround with a clear understanding of my requirements and expert eye for detail and creativity. Thank you so much Helen.
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I met Alex Chell in a Mastermind Group and was delighted to see that she and her business had started their sustainability journey.
Auxilium is always looking to align with businesses with a similar ethos and so if you are looking for “brilliant branding and design to stand out with confidence and purpose” then look no further than Ardington Creative.
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I saw Sam’s work and was totally blown away by her sketching talents and also her skills in capturing the essence of people’s businesses and books they written in a visual.
So it was a no-brainer to commission her to sketch Auxilium as one of my assets.
Here is mine
Take a look at her work for yourself.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-warburton-acim/
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I met Karen recently at a networking group and we had a 121 to chat about our respective services.
Her experience and confidence in the graphics world made her the ideal person for me to start working with, to bring my project I had been working on alive
She worked with my scribbles and diagrams and listened to what I wanted to achieve and the end result is just as I had imagined, except she was the expert enabling my vision to be born.
It was a pleasure to have met you Karen and to have worked with you on this project.
I have NO hesitation in recommending Pink Lemon Design services highly to everyone.
Thank you.
Yolk Design Ltd
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Sarah Henderson of Yolk Design Ltd loves nothing more than “hatching ideas” to help her clients realise their creative capabilities, find their business personalities and with a voice that speaks to the right people.
She and her team connect emotionally with their clients to deliver impact and make a difference to small companies and charities, helping them to attract clients and interested parties and also push the boundaries of what is achievable.
I met Sarah in a membership group and I quickly enlisted her services to provide an ‘Insights’ report on Auxilium to help me highlight and focus on key messages about my USPs and how to get this across in my messaging to my clients, social media and for my new website coming in the last quarter of 2023.
Working with Sarah is fun, friendly and very professional and she quickly gets to the core of what your business attributes are and she then finds ways to bring them to life.
Not only all of the above, but she is a talented artist and some of her work can be seen on her website – take a look. ( I cannot wait for my commission to arrive! Look for the owl! )
My Bluprint Ltd
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I met Mark Attwater, the owner and founder of BluPrint Ltd, at KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Blu Print Ltd is a progressive Lithographic and Digital print supplier with a fast growing and experienced design agency.
My Blu Print Ltd supply print to the very highest standards and I am delighted with my A5 flyers as they look bright and professional and in line with my ethos made with recycled materials.
They provide a vast array of products and services to suit all budgets so take a look at their website for more information.
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I met Jonathan Docksey, the owner and founder of Design JD, at two different networking groups, KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and also Zoco Networking.
Design JD are a boutique agency based in Sutton, and “boutique” means you liaise with the same team and benefit from having the same contact point every time.
You can work with them on just one thing, or ask them to ensure your brand is consistent across all your customer touchpoints.
After we met networking we then had a fantastic 121 meeting getting to know about each other’s services and how we can support each other.
Herewith is the guest blog that I wrote for the Design JD‘s audience and I hope you find it useful and do also check out all the creative services they provide and how they have helped their clients.
Guest Blog – Do you need to unravel your “spaghetti brain” to grow your business?
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I met Claire Harrison the owner and founder of West9 Design Ltd, at KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Claire Harrison, is a multi-disciplined creative and conceptual graphic designer with over 20 years’ experience in the design industry.
She integrates her creative energy with a client’s business mindset and supports them with branding, print & digital creative solutions.
She loves nothing better than seeing first-hand the impact of her brand work – seeing a happy client genuinely elevated by their new branding and watching their confidence and energy rise is her passion and joy.
Take a look at here work here.
Health & Wellness
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I met Patricia a few years ago at a local online Networking group. We had a 121 and quickly we realised that we could collaborate on DSE risk assessments with her providing aftercare for my Clients with health and posture niggles.
https://www.holisticptstudio.co
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I have known Pam and Imogen Custers for many years and when they told me about Relatability I knew they had hit upon something that would help so many people.
I completed their course – Coping with Covid – Create Calm and Build Resilience and found it so useful. The course is taught on a very easy-to-use platform, has great videos in every module, and information which you can digest at your own pace ( very important with this subject ). Pam’s voice is so soothing and gives you so much confidence.
If you are considering providing health and wellbeing advice for your staff or just want to use this yourself, I can highly recommend this valuable course and all their services.
www.relatability.co.uk
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I met Erica a few years ago at a local online Networking group. Erica works from her treatment room in Kingston Upon Thames, which is easily accessible from Hampton Wick and Teddington. She also works as a mobile therapist working within a radius of approximately 5 miles.
I have recently finished a series of 6 session reflexology sessions that are highly recommended.
https://www.alittleholisticoasis.co.uk/
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I met Talya Stone and Aliya Jasrai at a local Networking event and at that time they were running their own Health and Wellbeing businesses. They soon collaborated and formed ‘Self Love Today’. I have attended their events and more recently their ‘Lockdown Power Hours’, which I highly recommend.
www.selflove.today
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HR & Training
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I met Martin Vodden from Croner at a local online Networking group. Croner was set up over 75 years ago and provides Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety services. We had a 121 meeting and realised that we had some synergy with our businesses and could support each other in these areas.
If you would like to know more about Croner and how they can help you, please email Martin Vodden with a referral “Auxilium” where he can offer you a 10% discount on services.
Please do email Martin Vodden at Croner martin.vodden@croner.co.uk or call him on his mobile 07866 030619
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I met Julie at Kingston Chamber and we are now firm friends. Julie has many years of experience in HR & Training and works with individuals and businesses to design and deliver bespoke, people-based HR solutions.
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I attended the 6-Week CSR course as I wanted to understand more about social responsibility. It was such a well-run and professional course and I now feel knowledgeable about CSR.
Good Social Responsibility policies drive corporate change for the better and with well-defined objectives and measurable targets, you can gain a CSR Accreditation which will provide the foundation for steps towards running a more sustainable and ethical business. In the coming months, I will be working towards obtaining a CSR accreditation for Auxilium and ultimately supporting other small businesses to attain this themselves via various service offerings.
There will also be a new page on my website telling you more so watch this space for CSR information. In the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me for more information.
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I have just finished the Elevate Circle Sales Training programme with Enfys and it was FAB……
The Elevate Circle has become a wonderful community to share and build on the knowledge and expertise Enfys Maloney – Sales Trainer has delivered – I for one am staying with the Elevate Circle after the first cohort ends and making sure that sales rocket in 2022.
If you want to find out more click the link below.
https://www.salestrainingwithenfys.co.uk/blog/the-elevate-circle
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Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training course that teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
You’ll learn to recognise warning signs of mental ill-health and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe.
You’ll also learn how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.
What’s more, you’ll gain an understanding of how to support positive wellbeing and tackle stigma in the world around you
Insurance
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They provided me with Professional Liability, Cyber Liability and Public and Products Liability cover and have done so since 2017.
Please ask for Peter Smits and mention Alex Hughes – Auxilium Admin and he will be happy to provide you with a quote.
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E&G Insurance is an independent local insurance broker with a national reach based in Wimbledon, London.
If you require insurance for something unusual, something you don’t know much about, or where you are looking for a better deal, they would like to help you.
With access to many of the country’s best insurance databases, they can help with most insurance requirements, from personal home and travel insurance to standard public liability, Men’s Shed needs to tailor commercial business insurance, through to many niche aviation and cargo insurance needs.
When required they work with specialist providers: such as for home insurance for thatch properties, travel insurance with a medical condition, or commercial insurance for small market stalls. Their experience and specialism mean that they can ask the most important questions to ensure your tailor-made policy provides only what you need and at the best price possible.
IT & Cloud Services
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Tristan Martin was recommended to me by several people and after he completed an IT health check for my business, it was very clear he was the man, and TL Martin were the team, to support me for my IT and Office 365 needs.
The switch to him was seamless and very professional and he kept me updated at all times. Tristan makes sure he understands what your needs are and then personalises what services you need to make sure all areas are covered. Communication with all his team is via whats app and they respond straight away.
Thanks to all the TL Martin Team – you are providing a fantastic service and I have peace of mind that if anything goes wrong you will be there.
Legals & Contracts
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Annabel of KoffeeKlatch has provided me with legal documents and contracts for my business since 2017. She has immense legal knowledge and is an avid supporter of the VA industry, providing professional guidance and support in a straight forward, honest and amusing ” ducks in a row” way
https://www.koffeeklatch.co.uk/
Please the following code to receive a 10% Discount at the Checkout ! AUX10
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Suzanne Dibble is the Small Business Legal Expert and the guru of GDPR ! She has provided me clear and concise in depth advice on GDPR and resources, ensuring my compliance since 2018 and going forwards with any legislative changes.
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I met John Edward from Mandara Wills & Estate Planning several years ago at a Networking Group. I have listened to his talks on Wills and Lasting Power of Attorneys and quickly decided that not only did I need a review and rewrite of my Will, but that a Lasting POA would be a very sensible way of getting my Health & Welfare and Property and Financial Affairs in order.
Not only did John do them for me, he also completed them for my husband, brother and sister – a real family affair!
At all times John was professional, efficient, and thorough and explained every step of the process with exact precision and care. I would highly recommend John for these services and by the way, he does Mortgages too!
Magazines
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I met Louise at Flexpo and subscribed to her Homeworker online magazine and purchased the beautiful hardback copy too in 2019. Louise also supported my Time Smart workshop with a discount to my attendees for the subscription. I am looking forward to the next hardback copy.
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Brand You Magazine is a 60-page, refreshingly creative, bi-monthly business publication in, aimed at female entrepreneurs, available in print or digital format. With each edition, they share the journeys of businesswomen and entrepreneurs from all over the world, and in all kinds of industries.
I featured in the April 2022 Edition.
Take a closer look for yourself – https://brandyoumagazine.co.uk/
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Salmon is a Magazine for an ethically informed Kingston and asks citizens of the borough to consider investing in our local community in a totally different way whether that means saving, spending or giving, we can do this locally.
The magazine ‘Salmon’ was named so because it is designed to give a voice to local business, local charities and local community groups because all of them are sensitive to their environment.
Read all about Salmon here or access the latest magazine here
Networking
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Fabulous Networking is a collaborative network that I have been part of for three years. There is a vast array of meetings to attend. It is a friendly group of people who you can call on for advice and give advice to which builds confidence and speaking skills and builds on the “know, like, trust’ ethos.
Come and join one of the meetings and see for yourself.
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I met Sarah and Caroline several years ago when I set up my business and started Networking. I have attended several workshops and they are so professionally run and varied and cover all aspects of business life, health and well-being. The events and workshops are good fun and I have made some great connections and friendships.
You can Join their FREE, online community to share recommendations, discover expert advice and make great connections. Their network inspires, informs and empowers you in every aspect of your life, supporting you in your career, your business, your health and your family.
Take a look at their website and directory or better still join their Directory and advertise your business for all to see.
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I came across the Chamber a few years before I started my business and so when I finally set it up, they were my go-to place for advice and support. Having joined it quickly became a great source of networking and many people I have met are now firm friends.
They provide a variety of networking events which help you to connect with other business owners and become part of a very supportive community.
Take a look for yourself or I am always happy to chat about my experience and involvement.
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A digital networking solution focusing on lead generation and brand awareness.
Gittgo was created from an exclusive survey of over 20,000 business and homeowners looking for the top 100 trade and services that people require for their everyday lives.
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ZoCo was born during the lockdown of 2020 and set up by Nick Blanchard, Head Honcho, and Networking master! So far, all meetings (and there are 12+ meetings a month currently) are over Zoom, hence the name ZoCo = Zoom & Coffee!
ZoCo brings a fresh approach to networking which is fun and professional where friendships are made in a collaborative, knowledge sharing and supportive environment.
If you are interested in attending, please get in contact as I can get you a code to attend your first meeting FREE.
I co-host the ZoCo Kingston in-person meetings starting September 2021 – If you would like to join us here is the link to book your place on the Eventbrite Page
Meetings are every 2nd Wednesday of the Month from 10 am – 12 pm and are held at the Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club
We look forward to welcoming you to our next meeting.
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For over 10 years Networking in Surrey (NiS) has provided a free resource helping local business people to optimise their networking activities.
Keith Grover has tirelessly updated us all on all the fantastic events in and around Surrey. It is free to join and add all your details so take a look and sign up
Online Tech & Office Management Services
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Sarah has built my new WordPress website which launched in 2020. She also manages and updates my site making it secure on an ongoing monthly basis. Sarah is a whizz at many software applications and is currently supporting me with Mailchimp and my landing pages and lists, to make sign up slick and efficient. Always a very professional, high-quality service, and I highly recommend her services.
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I met Hana at the PA show a few years ago where she demonstrated the Office Management Portal (OMP) to me. Immediately I could see the power of how this could help EAs, PAs, VAs, and everyone who runs an Office. I signed up straight away and it has been an invaluable tool ever since.
Being a member of the Portal not only provides me with tips and advice, but it also has a useful directory of services and suppliers, a members forum to share information and network, a diary of useful events and training, a useful list of terms and acronyms, and is well thought out and easy to use.I believe the most powerful section is the Templates. How many times have you searched for a template or wasted time reinventing the wheel? Well, look no further as the OMP has hundreds of templates on just about everything you need from office plans and moves to events, HR, business continuity, health and safety, and much much more.
I have also attended so many useful webinars that Hana has conducted herself or invited guests to speak on a specialist subject. They have all been really informative, well attended, and professionally run and I have continued to learn so much about our amazing Industry. So, if you want to have useful tools in your kit bag, then look no further than the OMP you won’t look back.
If you are interested in signing up please use the discount code AUX25 which gives you 25% off at The Office Management Portal
Photography
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Annie provided me with Headshots in 2017 and updated them in 2019. From the start she put me at ease and it was such a fun experience, and the Headshot Photos on both occasions were amazing, especially the latest ones !
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I met Jo networking and have seen some of her stunning work. ‘She captures your unique story, naturally and authentically.’
She is an advocate of Women in business and loves nothing more than putting camera shy people at ease.
From Family, New-born and Business Photography there are so many reasons why Jo would make the photo shoot such a fun and memorable occasion.
www.jorobbensphotography.co.uk
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Paula provided me with ‘Business Brand Images’ in 2019 which I used across my new website and all social media and branding. Paula has a knack of really understanding the message that you want to convey and the resulting images accurately portray this for your business.
Products I Use
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I have purchased and used various products from this company e.g. ‘Minimate’, a cardboard sleek laptop stand which comes in a portable case, and a ‘Moft’, a Laptop stand that sticks to the case of my laptop with flexible positions.
Please also use the following code to receive a 10% Discount at the Checkout ! DM10
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Are you a note-taker like me and are forever finding a pad to write on?
Have you got a pile of notebooks and need to find some notes that you wrote a while ago?
I have recently invested in a Remarkable2 and what an amazing tool it is for storing all your notes in one place, in files and notebooks and also syncing to all of your devices.
So now you can replace all of your notebooks with just 1 and write on a surface that feels like paper!
This is a link that will get you a discount off your purchase
Research Services
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Rachel is passionate about helping some of the most inspiring and exciting organisations to make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people.
She specialises in capturing, measuring and articulating the impact of the work you do and then helping you to maximise your impact.
Impact is more than counting numbers. It is about measuring the difference you make. The impression you leave. And the value you create.
She helps clients to uncover their impact and to showcase it in the most powerful ways.
I enlisted Rachel’s services to undertake a Rapid Impact Review of Auxilium’s SOW services.
Get in touch and find ways to show the world the difference you make!
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I have attended Social Media Workshops run by Emma in 2019 & 2020. They are very useful and help bring your Social Media plans to life with structure, consistency, plans and results. If you book a course with Emma with my name as a reference we both get 10% off a future course.
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I have been using LinkedIn for a while but recently decided to focus more on this Social Media medium. I attended Jen Taylor’s LinkedIn Kickstarter Level 1, 2 & 3 courses to make sure that I was utilising all LinkedIn’s features and to ensure that my profile was fully optimised to get the best results.
After making Jen’s suggested changes to the profile including keywords, my connections increased, my direct messages with contacts increased, views of my profile shot up, post views increased by 60% and searches for me increased by 70%. I look forward to watching this increase even more as I get more adept a t using all the functions.
I did have a process with LinkedIn, but after this timely review attending this course I have a clearer content plan of how to utilise LinkedIn, with a positive focus on creating and effecting valued posts and engagement for my connections, reaching out, connecting, engaging and growing my audience.
My weekly sessions held me accountable, and Jen’s support ensured that I moved forwards each week with confidence. I am now using LinkedIn and building my network with my Ideal Clients in mind.
Even if you have used LinkedIn for a while Jen will gently guide and support you on your journey to LOVE LinkedIn, making it your go to medium that builds your informative network for you and your business – Thanks Jen.
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Having been part of The Elevate Circle for some time I am now proud to say that I am an affiliate for Enfys’ wonderful sales training programme. If you sign up using my links (see below/ above) I will be given commission.
I became an affiliate because I 100% believe in the results this programme can give you and have found it to be a highly enjoyable, impactful programme that I am now happy to endorse and recommend.
If you have any questions or want to chat please let me know and I’ll happily tell you all about it.
Take a look and see if The Elevate Circle might, like it has for me, been just what your business and sales needs.
My links are here for you
VA Services & Information
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I was a member of APVA from when I started my VA business and during that time was tirelessly supported by the team. I was an accredited member which meant all my business practices were checked and met the strict criteria. I attended many webinars and Elevate Conferences all of which provided me with expert content and opportunities to learn and grow in the VA industry.
I have now moved into Business Consultancy but the APVA was instrumental in my early years in my VA business. Thank you to all the team for their support.
Take a closer look at the wealth of information and memberships at APVA
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Shelley Fishel of Tomorrow’s VA has a wealth of experience in Microsoft Office. I met her in person 2 years ago at the PA Show in London. I also saw her in action in a fab workshop and knew she was the whizz that everyone had told me she was. I have since bought a lifetime access to her HUB and all the courses in there are a MUST if you are a VA on a mission. The courses will give you confidence in all the Office 365 components and will catapult you to dizzy heights !
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Amanda Johnson and VACT were a hugely valuable source of information and support during my first year in business. I would highly recommend getting in touch with her and getting involved in her membership community and joining in on her informative webinars and events. I have been inspired and challenged in this arena and I am now looking forward to where my business reaches in its 4th year. Thanks, Amanda – you are Awesome!
I have also engaged Amanda’s Coaching services to help support me on my transformation journey from VA offering a vast array of business support services to a Virtual Business Manager where I am a business support partner helping with strategic projects to help a business grow and stop overwhelm for a business owner at an X roads.
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Sarah has built my new WordPress website which launched in 2020. She also manages and updates my site making it secure on an ongoing monthly basis. Sarah is a whizz at many software applications and is currently supporting me with Mailchimp and my landing pages and lists, to make sign up slick and efficient. Always a very professional, high-quality service, and I highly recommend her services.
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SVA (Society of Virtual Assistants) was formed in 2005 by a group of 7 Scottish virtual assistants who wanted to improve the reputation of the industry – it quickly mushroomed into the largest organisation for UK based VAs with nearly 3,000 members.
I joined the SVA a few years ago and have found the website very useful and have listened to Caroline Wylie at various webinars and conferences.
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I met Angie networking in 2020 and she has a wealth of business technology and software experience that she provides from her business Angie Brown PA
She also runs a Facebook group that provides bite-sized training on various platforms to help you learn lots of different and new things.
Website Design & SEO
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I met Mark Rouvray several years ago while networking and have had the pleasure of his wisdom at several talks about websites and SEO.
If you are based in the Kingston upon Thames / Wimbledon area he is your local Activ consultant and can help you to create an online presence that really works for your business. You will also benefit from his experience of many years in corporate business and 13 years at Activ to help small businesses grow through online marketing.
He is your personal consultant to guide and advise you, whether you want to just get started or take your business to the next level.”
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I met Liz Garrigan of TPG Design at a Kingston networking event. We had a 121 and Liz outlined all the services that they offered. This was very useful to me as I work with many CEO’s and Business Owners supporting them with strategic projects some of which are launching and revamping websites with effective SEO.
One of my Clients needed to move their current website onto a different platform and TPG were able to support in this process moving it from Wix to Shopify.
We all worked together to ensure that there was a smooth transfer of information and the service from TPG was friendly and professional from the start and I felt very confident that the new web site would match my Client’s expectations.
Networking with Liz has provided me with great contacts at TPG Design and I look forward to referring more of my clients to them and working with them myself!
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Chell Web & Design provides bespoke graphics and website design services, creating great visual communications for your small business.
She works closely with all of her clients from start to finish and is happy to help with rebrands.
Take a look at her wesbite for more information.
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I met Silvia a few years ago at a Networking meeting and realised that she had a wealth of knowledge.
I have listened to her talk and attended a recent SEO course which was full of expert hints and tips and also contained an Audit of my website.
Sales & Social Media