Author: Akiko Design

The coronavirus pandemic has affected us all. The hospitality, service and arts industries have been hit particularly hard, but the reality is that all businesses have been affected in some way. For smaller businesses with less financial flexibility than big chains, the impact of COVID-19 has been enormous.  Looking ahead, this could spell the end for some smaller businesses, unless we do what we can to support them.

What does the closure of small business really mean? For consumers, it could be the end of our favourite chocolate brownie, baked to perfection at the café on the corner, or the closure of that hairdressers where you always got a great cut. It could mean the end of variety and vibrancy on our high streets.

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Photography is a key tool for any business – you can use photographs on your website, marketing materials and social media. So does your brand’s photography have a distinct style? And if so, have you ever put it into a style guide? Perhaps you know what you like and you style your photographs accordingly, but if you ever need to brief somebody else or hire a photographer, having a formal style guide can be very useful. 

Fortunately, today is World Photography Day, so this is the perfect opportunity to build a style guide for your brand’s photography! If you’ve never written one before, here’s a short guide to get you started. 

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Lockdown has had a huge impact on the UK economy, and many businesses have struggled to adapt and survive during this unpredictable time. For those that have made it this far, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as restrictions are being lifted and there are more options for businesses to open up again – in a new way. 

But after the unpredictability of recent months, how can you bring your customers back in a way that is safe and welcoming? How can you protect both your business and the people who use it? If you’re a business owner struggling with these questions, we have some advice to get you started. 

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Many of us are now going back to work and the morning commute, but with a difference – lots of people are starting to commute by bike. You might be considering this if you want to avoid public transport, get some exercise, or take advantage of the government’s new plans to boost cycle travel in the UK.  

Whatever your reasons, this is the perfect time to try out commuting by bike. National Cycle to Work Day is happening this week, on Thursday 6th August, so if you’ve always wanted to try it, why not make this the week you start? Here are our top tips to help you get into this great new habit. 

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Having a website is an essential part of running a business, whether you’re a one-person operation or a larger company. Your website doesn’t need to be big, complicated or flashy – it just needs to be clear and usable for your customers. 

However, for most of us, building a website is new territory, and there are all sorts of pitfalls that you can fall into when setting one up. If you want to make sure you haven’t made any glaring mistakes, now is a great time to give your website a quick health check – here are 5 common problems with business websites, and how to fix them. 

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Recent research by the meditation app HeadSpace shows that while most of us wouldn’t follow the lockdown lifestyle by choice, 85% of us have been able to take positives from it.

In this blog, we look at the positive effect lockdown has had on our ways of working, and choose some lockdown strategies we’ll be taking with us as life slowly returns to normal.

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Here at Get Ahead VA, our people are everything. We’re dedicated to growing our business all over the country, so our customers can access a wide range of highly skilled professionals wherever they are. We currently have regional offices in Leeds, Berkshire & North Hampshire, South Yorkshire and West Surrey, and we’re pleased to announce our latest addition: Suffolk & Essex.

Here’s 60 seconds with our Suffolk & Essex Regional Director, Sarah Yandell

Area of Expertise: 

Managing and facilitating teams at all levels in order to achieve organisational and strategic goals.

When and why did you join Get Ahead VA?

I joined Get Ahead VA in July 2020 after working in the travel industry for 30 years.  I loved my career in travel but with the disruption caused by Covid19, I decided it was time for a change.  After extensive research I found Get Ahead VA, and following a number of conversations with Rebecca and some of the existing franchisees, I was convinced that this opportunity fitted my skill set perfectly.

What did you do before you joined Get Ahead VA?

During my career in travel, I worked in all parts of the supply chain.  This included hotel sales;  travelling all over the world to source accommodation for a student travel company and setting up and running an award winning specialist tour operator.  I took a year out from my career in 2001 to do a full time MBA which included a dissertation with British Airways on CRM and loyalty programmes.  I continue to be passionate about delivering service which is beyond expectation.

Career Highlight to date:   

I feel that joining the Get Ahead team is a culmination of all my skills and experience gained in my career so far.  I have the freedom of running my own business, while still being part of an enthusiastic and supportive team.  The role enables me to work with small businesses locally and help them to achieve their business goals; while having a fantastic work life balance.

Plans for the future:

To grow the Get Ahead business in Essex and Suffolk by collaborating with small businesses in the local community and building a team of experts.

If your business could benefit from Sarah’s help, please get in touch on 07971 655771 or 01206 625535, or email sarah@getaheadva.com. To find a regional office where you are, please get in touch on 01483 332220 or email office@getaheadva.com. We pride ourselves on being the staff you don’t see, but the difference you do.

The idea of doing a digital detox – i.e. stepping away from technology to focus on real-life hobbies and in-person interactions – can seem challenging at the best of times, and especially so now, when we have even fewer opportunities for face-to-face quality time. But taking a digital detox could be even more important right now: since we’re being forced to spend so much time online, to do our work and stay in touch with our loved ones, the time we spend offline has become even more precious.

If you’re a business owner, you might be finding it particularly difficult to cut down on your screen time, as this may be the only way for you to communicate with your employees, network with others in your field, and promote your business to customers. After all, you can’t just put your phone in a box and stop checking your emails when you have a business to run! The good news is that a digital detox is still possible for you – here are some things you can do to give yourself a break from the screens, and to use them more mindfully when you need to.

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Life after lockdown – is it time to change the way you work?

We’ve all noticed the profound effects of COVID-19, both on the economy and on our everyday lives. Lockdown forced many of us to work from home, while for others it has meant furloughing and even job loss. But a great positive we’ve all gained is the opportunity to review our working life. Was it going well before 23 March, or is it going better now? Have we been ditched by our employers, or do we feel like ditching them?!

In this blog, we look at the impact of lockdown on our working lives, and invite you to ask yourself whether it’s time for a change.

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We’ve all noticed the profound effects of COVID-19, both on the economy and on our everyday lives. Lockdown forced many of us to work from home, while for others it has meant furloughing and even job loss. But a great positive we’ve all gained is the opportunity to review our working life. Was it going well before 23 March, or is it going better now? Have we been ditched by our employers, or do we feel like ditching them?!

In this blog, we look at the impact of lockdown on our working lives, and invite you to ask yourself whether it’s time for a change.

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