< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY Networking is a term that most professionals recognise, but that many misappropriate. W hen approached correctly, and with the right intentions, networking is a process by which long lasting and mutually beneficial business relationships can be formed. However, the term is often stigmatised as pestering everyone in your contact list for a job and adopting a pushy, ruthless, and overbearing demeanour. This has caused networking, lest they be associated with these qualities. When approached as a two-way street, networking can be professionally and socially enriching, by getting to know likeminded people better and finding ways to support each other’s growth. It can be difficult to know how to make the best impression, so let’s explore some top tips to up your networking game. Attending a professional networking event can be a valuable chance to showcase yourself, forge fresh connections, and potentially secure a new job. According to recent studies, a significant proportion of job vacancies are filled via networking. To succeed at networking, it’s crucial to show genuine interest in your contacts and put in the effort to build a rapport, demonstrate your trustworthiness, and exchange information and expertise. Adopting the mindset that every person has something to offer and to gain can be instrumental in becoming an accomplished networker. Before attending the event, it’s prudent to ensure you are as up to date on your industry as possible. Doing some research, perhaps even attending a few seminars, will prevent you from feeling out of your depth. This will mean that you can bring more value to conversations with your peers, thus attracting the attention of high-quality individuals. The art of the network The art of the network 50-52.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:29 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link CORPORATE HOSPITALITY © stock.adobe.com/Monkey Business When approaching someone for the first time, first impressions matter. There are some simple etiquette tips to bear in mind. Firstly, ensure that you are appropriately dressed – a white button up shirt, dark trousers and a matching blazer work well on both men and women. To show a little e more personality, shirts in jewel tones such as deep red and green can help you stand out, whilst remaining perfectly professional. Secondly, keep your right hand free for a handshake when approaching someone. Having to shuffle papers to free your hands can create awkwardness and gives an impression of being disorganised. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly in this modern world, follow up your discussion on LinkedIn or social media. The best networkers hone their relationships over long periods of time, never expecting the person to perfectly recall their meeting. Reaching out over social media within a few days, including a brief recap of your chat, will help the person to recall you and appreciate your continued interest in them. Some good will is also required here – allow around a week for the person to return your message to avoid coming across as pushy. For more seasoned professionals, online networking can seem unnecessary, or sometimes new-fangled and elusive. This attitude could be costing you many opportunities. Establishing a robust online presence on professional networking sites can prove advantageous in attracting like-minded individuals and drawing the attention of recruiters. Ensure that your profile stays up to date, encompassing all relevant experience, interests, education, and qualifications. This practice can foster new career prospects and propel career advancement. Creating an online network can be equally valuable as establishing one in real life, affording opportunities for professional growth and expansion. Social media and professional 52 Á 50-52.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:29 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY networking platforms are frequently employed by professionals to cultivate their networks. If you have a long- standing social media presence, you may already possess contacts in your network with whom you can form more profound connections. Initiating your networking endeavours online can also open doors to a much larger pool of individuals in diverse locations, enabling you to connect with people who may be otherwise unapproachable in person. For instance, you can leverage social media to re-establish contact with former classmates who may be operating in your industry. The wider pool of contacts is especially important when you consider that the best networking should be done based on the quality, rather than the quantity, of the people you connect with. This means seeking out individuals who have the ability to make a difference, often through mentorship. When seeking out a mentor, ensure you thoroughly research them, and explain why helping you would be beneficial to them. This knowledge can help you identify ways to add value to their professional life, leading to higher quality connections. This could be your unique perspective on their line of work, or assured future loyalty. If you currently work in an office, consider approaching your colleagues and inquiring about their own networks to potentially connect with other individuals in your industry. This approach can facilitate introductions to new people with the added benefit of an endorsement from someone familiar with your professional abilities. As a novice networker, endeavour to support the career growth of others in your network. The more you invest in aiding others, the more likely they may reciprocate in the future. Moreover, this can foster deeper and more meaningful relationships with your network connections, creating a sense of satisfaction and genuine appreciation for the person. Networking with the aim to contribute value, rather than gain it, showcases your sincere desire for industry improvement. Ultimately, networking should be approached in a similar way to making new friends. Lasting relationships require compatible personalities and a give and take attitude, so putting your best foot forward is paramount. Whilst personal topics would not generally be appropriate within the first 4-5 meetings, letting your personality shine through allows your contacts to understand your unique assets and feel invested in seeing them develop. The best way to achieve this is to combine a well-rounded sense of humour with a genuine passion for your industry. Keep on top of developments within your field and share your opinions on them. This way, you don’t have to awkwardly pitch your greatness to contacts, they’ll be able to see it for themselves. © stock.adobe.com/Inti St. Clair 50-52.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:29 Page 3FEATURES Corporate Finance Relocation & Inward Investment Online Training Energy & Environmental Management Security REGULARS Commercial Property Motoring Corporate Hospitality Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in May 2023 - Deadline 19th April Visit us at www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox 53.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:29 Page 1OUT OF OFFICE Sarclad employees’ hike raises £2,000 for Turkish earthquake relief funds More than two dozen employees from specialist metals industry supplier Sarclad have stepped up to the challenge of a 10-mile sponsored hike in the stunning surroundings of the Peak District’s Hope Valley. Rotherham-based Sarclad has a strong network of customers and contacts in Turkey, and had a team on the ground in the country at the time the earthquake struck, project managed by Alan Breeze. Alan, who came up with the idea of the sponsored hike, said: “I was very impressed with the Sarcald team who pulled together to support this emergency. We are really delighted to have raised over £2k for the relief campaign so far and would welcome further donations.’’ Innovative project launched to accelerate crop harvesting The University of Lincoln is part of an innovation to deliver an accelerated programme of robotic crop harvesting for horticulture and is one of just three projects to be chosen for a share of £9m funding from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ Farming Innovation Programme. The project, called Agri OpenCore, aims to tackle the lack of seasonal labour in the UK horticulture industry and is looking to accelerate the delivery of robotic crop systems for horticulture. Many crops have gone unpicked this year, leading to large amounts of unnecessary waste. President of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Minette Batters has said that the waste in the food sector is an ‘absolute crisis’. The Lincoln Institute of Agri-Food Technology (LIAT) at the University of Lincoln, UK, is partner in Agri-OpenCore alongside project lead APS Produce Ltd with Dogtooth Technologies Ltd, Wootzano Ltd and Xihelm Ltd. There is currently no robotic harvesting system that can match the speed of human picking. Agri-OpenCore aims to make progress in this area by cutting the time and cost of developing a robotic harvesting system that achieves parity with human picking. To deliver this, Agri-OpenCore will develop the world’s first open development platform for agri-robotic harvesting, aiming to develop commercial robotic systems for tomato and strawberry harvesting that achieve human-picking-cost-parity in two years. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Derby based Aquabox filters provide safe drinking water for earthquake victims Derbyshire-based charity Aquabox is gearing up to send water filters and aid to victims of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Its volunteers are working hard to respond to the natural disaster and already have 300 units ready to send out. The charity is now working with international partners to establish secure access routes and is calling on the generous British public to help fund its invaluable work. Established in 1992, Aquabox offers displaced people the gift of safe clean drinking water and humanitarian aid. The charity has so far sent more than 110,000 aid boxes to disaster zones and conflict areas around the world. Its ultra-filtration hand pumps convert polluted water into clean, safe water for drinking, cooking and washing. The World Health Organisation estimates that the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have killed 47,000 people and left 26 million people in urgent need of assistance. When disasters strike, there is an urgent need to provide safe drinking water as supplies are damaged and contaminated with water from sewage and drains. 54-55.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:30 Page 1 Derbyshire science company gives over £28,000 to Mind after holding its own Olympics Employees of Lubrizol, a science company with a Derbyshire headquarters, have helped support large numbers of people across the country with their mental health after raising a whopping £28,282 for mental health charity Mind. Employees at the chemistry company raised the total through sponsorship after holding their own “Lubrizol Olympics,” which involved them completing the 5,882 miles between Britain and Tokyo in Japan, where the Olympic Games were held in 2021. Covid lockdowns meant that Lubrizol’s employees had to come up with imaginative ways of swimming, cycling, rowing and running the distance, before coming together in a series of joint walking challenges. Lubrizol’s charities and communities committee had set the company a £25,000 target, but staff ended up achieving a significantly greater amount. Committee co-chair Tom Grazier said at a recent charity day held at its HQ in Hazelwood near Belper: “This donation to Mind is our biggest donation ever as a company, by a significant margin. It’s been a huge effort and it’s down to how much time people have given to this, and at the end of the day, how generous our employees have been.” OUT OF OFFICE www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Fundraising target quadrupled as MHR employee shaves head in support of mental health charity Mind 20-year-old Nottingham local, Martin Bassey, has ‘braved-the-shave’ this week and raised over £1,200 for mental health charity Mind – more than four times his fundraising target of £300. Martin works in the marketing department at Ruddington-based HR, payroll, and finance specialists MHR. Contributions have come from friends, family, colleagues and a £500 donation from MHR itself. Martin’s mobile barber arrived at MHR’s office on Monday morning where the transformation to his new, sleek look was filmed live for his JustGiving page. At any given time, one in six working-age adults have symptoms related to mental ill health, yet mental health services are often lacking funding. Mind states that care services are largely under-resourced, understaffed and overstretched, and that is despite significant awareness being raised around mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin recently understood what it is like to be negatively impacted by poor mental health and realises the importance of a strong support network of friends and colleagues. He is an advocate for those without this structure and for the lifesaving support charities like Mind offer the vulnerable, particularly young men with the male suicide rate standing at 15.8 per 100,000 – almost three times higher than for women (ONS). Three women trailblazers from East Midlands win national award and £50,000 each From VR training tools for drivers to reduce road traffic deaths to children’s prosthetic limbs that grow with them, Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards will empower three pioneering women from the East Midlands to scale their innovative businesses. These three women entrepreneurs are amongst this year’s 50 winners of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards who are developing novel solutions to major social, environmental and economic challenges. Each winner will benefit from a £50,000 grant, one-to-one business coaching, and a suite of networking, role modelling, and training opportunities. Coinciding with International Women’s Day (Wednesday 8 March), the Awards reflect the government’s ambition to give more support to women innovators and business leaders. The range of innovations from across the UK are vast, from health tech to education and from protecting lives to new ways to play music. The entrepreneurs from East Midlands are recognised today on International Women’s Day which is encouraging people to “embrace equity.” 54-55.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:30 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk For more information visit www.emc- dnl.co.uk/ events/ east_midlands_manufacturing_and_trade_c onference_2023704053393/ Developing a Profitable eCommerce Website Wednesday 19 April East Midlands Chamber, Commerce House, Chesterfield The draw of eCommerce is undeniable. The dream of sitting on the beach watching sales come in, knowing the team back home is taking care of fulfilment whilst you sip on your favourite drink in the sun is one most of us would be happy with. The reality is usually a little different to that. eCommerce, just like any business, is rarely a get rich quick scheme. Moreover, it can be a lot of hard work, however the rewards can be fantastic too so don’t be put off. Planning and execution is key to the success of an online business and in this East Midlands Manufacturing and Trade Conference 2023 Thursday 6 April West Park Teaching Hub, Loughborough Through a range of keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops the 2023 Conference will pick up on the major economic, political, and technological challenges experienced by the manufacturing and engineering sector over the past year and the opportunities on the horizon, including the development of new and emerging markets. Developing the theme of the East Midlands as a Centre of Trading Excellence, the session will explore how we best utilise our amazing assets of industrial heritage, universities, airport and location to build on our reputation as a centre for making, moving and innovating. Additionally, the event will consider how we grow our competitiveness in the right way, ensuring a just transition to net zero. events two-part workshop we’ll work through the necessary steps it takes to develop a profitable eCommerce website. For more information visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/developing-a- profitable-ecommerce-website-tickets- 590069252017?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse Lincolnshire Business Expo Tuesday 25 April Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln Launched in 2016, the Lincolnshire Business Expo has seen hundreds of Lincolnshire businesses from all across the region exhibit their products, services and expertise to thousands of delegates. The Expo is free to attend, but guests are asked to register online at https://lincsbusinessexpo.co.uk/ Lincolnshire Business Week Wednesday 24 May The Engine Shed, University of Lincoln Lincolnshire Business Week Business Social Media Bootcamp Tuesday 11 April D2N2 Growth Hub, Derby Many businesses use social media as part of their marketing strategy. It offers an efficient and effective way to communicate with your target market, generate leads and sales and maintain a community of fans. Many companies don’t take full advantage of social media. It’s a big topic to cover. This two-day bootcamp is designed to take delegates through the labyrinth of social media and come out with an actionable plan to use it for the benefit of their business, whether they are a novice or someone with more expertise. For more information visit www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/social-media-bootcamp/ © stock.adobe.com/SewcreamStudio © stock.adobe.com/Aleksei 56-57.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:32 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Accelerator Showcase is a great opportunity for gaining valuable insight into the business network. The showcase is an opportunity for startups to gain visibility, make valuable connections, and potentially secure funding or partnerships. It is also an opportunity for investors, customers, and partners to discover promising startups and evaluate their potential for investment or collaboration. For more information visit https://lincsbusinessweek.co.uk/ Ebony Expo Black Business Market Nottingham Saturday 29 April Queens Walk Community Centre, Nottingham After the success of last year’s events, Ebony Expo are very excited to announce their first market of the 2023 year, which will also mark their one year anniversary! One year of putting the spotlight on Black Lincoln Property & Business Investment Expo Wednesday 26 April The Bentley Hotel, Lincoln A well targeted event aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets, the Lincoln Property & Business Investment Expo has everything you require for a great day of networking and business generation. For more information visit www.businessshowsgroup.co.uk/lincoln/ Mental Health at Work Conference Wednesday 26 April Bragborough Hall Business Centre, Braunston The conference offers a wealth of information and practical advice from industry experts from Mental Health professionals, a superstar bestselling Author, HR Consultants, Coaches and Educators. Helping employers to keep up to date with the rapid pace of changes so they can adopt best practices within their business. Attendees will hear how some of these successful people have helped to shape businesses by improving company cultures, enabled line management by upskilling, coaching businesses leaders, protecting businesses and resolving the challenges brought about by mental health through new strategies and innovations. For more information visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental- health-at-work-conference-tickets-382968026677 owned businesses and encouraging the local community to reinvest in Black owned brands. This unique event will showcase a carefully selected number of black owned businesses. This will be a great opportunity to check out a vast array of products from small black owned businesses , there will be something for everyone. For more information visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ebony-expo- black-business-market-1-year-anniversary- celebrate-with-us-tickets- 572859216337?aff=ebdsoporgprofile 56-57.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:32 Page 2Here’s Frazer’s collection of the weird and wonderful ‘news’ that came his way over the last few weeks. And finally The world of Frazer 58 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk The sound of anger Ever heard something in the workplace that makes you irrationally angry? Now, we’re not talking about your workmates and their stupid opinions, or when someone tries to convince you the new Lion King CGI movie is better than the original. No, we’re talking about a little-known condition called misophonia. Apparently this is a condition 20% of people in the UK have and it causes you to become irrationally angry on hearing certain sounds. A recent study helped bring to light the condition and researchers are delving into why it happens, but it’s thought this might be a reason for some workplace issues as well as interpersonal ones. The only problem in Frazer’s eyes is that the examples given by the researchers included the sound of someone sipping tea, the sound of heavy breathing, and the sound of someone chewing food loudly. Now the first two Frazer will give you, but anyone who doesn’t feel immediate rage at someone chewing away with their mouth open in the workplace has, in Frazer’s humble opinion, much bigger problems than misophonia. Close your damn mouth! We hardly knew her! I think everyone at this point will agree the government has been a bit of a crazy ride of late. There was an old interview in which Boris Johnson once said that when a conversation isn’t going your way you should put a dead dog on the table. The idea is to distract people with something shocking so they forget about whatever you did wrong that they were up in arms about. Well it seems that Liz Truss might have employed the same technique – albeit unintentionally – because a recent survey by Online Casinos of 2,000 adults in the UK asked their samples who the last PM before Rishi Sunak was, and 54% of those responding listed it as Boris Johnson, forgetting about our record-holding Liz Truss entirely! Given her record however, she might not be too unhappy about being forgotten. Sniff sweat to fight anxiety According to some eggheads who know a lot more about psychology than Frazer does, a study of people suffering from anxiety decided (as you do) to test whether their anxiety went up or down when sitting in a clean-smelling room as opposed to one laced with the sweat of other people. Frazer isn’t sure why this came to their minds – a practical joke, perhaps? Either way, the shocking results were that those in the rooms with the body odours reported a 39% reduction in anxiety when offered traditional treatments as opposed to those in the clean rooms who only reported a 17% reduction. Since we already need to fight stress in the workplace, this might be a solution we can put into practice, though I can’t help but think Peter Jones won’t be too amused when you take the pitch to him and squirt eau-de- sweaty-man in his face. © stock.adobe.com/ Andrey Popov © stock.adobe.com/moodboard © Simon Dawson / No10 Downing Street, OGL 58.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:32 Page 1East Midlands Business Link Bricks 2023 A celebration of those helping to create the landscape for the next generation EAST MIDLANDS The prestigious East Midlands Bricks Awards are back for 2023! Shining a light on the region’s property and construction industry, this year’s event will take place on Thursday 28th September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. The East Midlands Bricks Awards, organised by East Midlands Business Link Magazine, is an independent awards and publicity programme recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. Visit www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk for more information. BUSINESS 59.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 14:33 Page 1Next >