In this issue
Local business news
How Artificial Intelligence can support your business
Reigate & Banstead 2025
Coast to Capital Growth Grant Programme
Take time to step back, recharge and reconnect
Surrey's Greener Future
Advertise in Borough News
What's on
Business Support Grant Consultation

Have you received a business support grant?  Please give us your feedback by 2 September.

Don't miss out on these great networking events
Book your space now

AUGUST

 

9 August 13.00-14.00 Natwest Accelerator tour - Brighton.  Book you space to have a look around the accelerator space in Brighton, a fully funded programme to help your business start, scale and succeed.

 

14 August-16 August 9.30am-1.30pm StartUp Croydon 3-day New Business Seminar. Book your space now

 

20 August 13.00-14.00 Natwest Accelerator tour - Brighton.  Book you space to have a look around the accelerator space in Brighton, a fully funded programme to help your business start, scale and succeed.

 

21 August from 9am Redhill MicropreneursCo working, Co-Tribe, Redhill. Find out more

 

21 August 3-5pm Complimentary WordPress & Digital Marketing Clinic, Reigate Manor. Book your space now

 

30 August 12-2.30pm Crime Against Business in Surrey - Your Q&A,  Reigate Manor Hotel. Book your space now

 

SEPTEMBER

 

3 September 9.30am-12.30pm Sustainable Business Tour of Canon, Reigate Find out more and book your space.

 

10 September 8.30-10am Gatwick Diamond Business - Bank of England Business meeting at Grant Thornton, Crawley. Book your space

 

11 September 12-2pm LEARNING LUNCH: How Artificial Intelligence in finance can support your business – Esther Guy and Natasha Baker, A4C Group. Book here.

 

12 September 8.30am- 5.30pm Grow your Business Show, Epsom Downs racecourse sign up as an attendee or exhibitor.

 

17 September from 9am Redhill Micropreneurs co working day. Co Tribe, Redhill Find out more

 

18 September 3-5pm Complimentary WordPress & Digital Marketing Clinic, Reigate Manor, Book your space now

 

19 September 7.45-10am Surrey Chambers of Commerce Apprentiship Forum, Nescot College Book your space now

 

19 September 5-7pm Morrison Solicitors R&R Connects, Reigate Rugby Club. Book your space now

 

27 September 11am-12pm Gatwick Diamond Business, Cyber Awareness, Hartsfield Manor. Book your space

 

OCTOBER

 

2 October 4.30-7pm Redhill & Reigate Business Forum Panel Discussion, Town Hall, Reigate. Book your space now

 

11 October 10am-12.30pm Getting more out of Linkedin, with Nicola McDonald (£30), Reigate Manor Book your space now 


16 October 12-2pm LEARNING LUNCH, Getting the most from LinkedIn with the ever-popular Emma Turner, My Social Secretary. Book your space now

 

NOVEMBER

 

13 November 11am-2pm LEARNING LUNCH+ Google Digital Garage Comes to Reigate & Banstead! Book your space now

 

DECEMBER

 

11 December 12-2pm LEARNING LUNCH, Feather Duster to Stick: how to deal with late payers. Andrew Athineos, Athena Collections. Book your space here.

 

Join your local Business Guild

 

Business Guilds are a great way to be part of your local business community. 

 

Banstead - fully committed to helping Banstead become the most vibrant village in Surrey in which to live and work. We are a group of local businesses that recognise our responsibility to the greater community.


Redhill - enhancing Redhill as a place to live, work and do business.


Reigate - a local united voluntary voice from the business community, promoting commerce, events, activities and opportunities for the benefit of Reigate.

 

Horley Association of Traders - HATs is an open group that all traders and members of the public can join. We continue to drive awareness of Horley as a town and to promote local business growth.
Funding/Consultations
Funding and awards

Reigate & Banstead Business Support Grant Do you have a business based in the borough with less than four employees? Are you looking to grow?  Why not apply for our Business Support Grant of up to £1,000? 

 

Successful business grant applicants will also receive one year's membership to Enterprise Nation. 

 

Do you need start-up funding for your business?  Struggling to get funding from a mainstream provider? Have a look at responsible finance provider Fredericks Foundation, who may be able to help.
Tools
It's quicker to report things, make payments and apply for services online.
Take time to step back, recharge and reconnect
by Mary Maysante from Maysante Consultancy Ltd
 

The panic most people feel these days when the low battery indicator comes up on their phone is unbelievable. Most people will not even contemplate the possibility of their phones running out of juice and take steps to ensure that their phones are either always charged or recharge them if they start to run low.

People ought to take the same level of care to recharge their own batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that ‘Work-related stress (WRS) is the second most commonly reported cause of occupational ill health in Great Britain’ and a research commissioned by the Myers-Briggs Company reports that nearly a third of workers struggle to switch off outside of work, putting them at a risk of stress. Holidays are essential for everyone to recharge. It’s a period for relaxation, stepping away from the usual routine and doing something different in a way that would typically help the individual to relax. It is important that people are able or feel able to switch off from work to allow their battery to recharge during holidays.

Planning ahead is key to having a good Summer break; the best time to go on holiday are times that are likely to have minimal impact on the business. If at all possible, Summer breaks must be scheduled to coincide with quiet periods within the business or when most key clients are away themselves. However, some may prefer to take their holiday during school breaks to allow them to spend quality family time. Accommodating individual preferences wherever possible may be very beneficial to organisations.
 
Handover – put plans in place for adequate cover whilst away. Effective delegation of critical business tasks to team members, deputies, business partners or associates ensure continuity of service to clients. Setting clear boundaries around what decisions you must be informed of whilst on holidays will give people the confidence they need to carry on when you are away. Doing so will also help prepare you and put you in the right mindset for holiday.
 
Trust – having trust and confidence in your team, deputies, business partners or associates gives you a peace of mind whilst you are away. There will be less need to worry about everything going wrong as you know your team has got everything in hand and you will not come back to chaos.
 
Communication – Informing your key clients about how long you are going to be away for and what arrangements you have put in place before going away will help reassure them.
It’s much better than them receiving an out of office response to an urgent email.

Out Of Office Notification - enable your out of office reply to email correspondence, stating clearly who to contact during the period you are away. Switch your work mobile phone off but redirect your calls if at all possible. Leave a voicemail greeting stating you are away with limited access and provide an alternative contact number for clients.

Switching off – finally when you are on holiday, every attempt should be made to switch off. Gently easing yourself into holiday mode by doing things you love, things you enjoy doing – non work-related activities, which will help you to eventually relax. Resist the urge to check work emails, follow-up on ‘that phone call’, review those documents or join in that conference call, It may be hard to start off with but will get easier as time goes by.

Carrying a small notepad for noting down ideas and thoughts whilst away is a great way of getting things off your mind. Try not to get too much into the details of how, when, where and so on. That can be done once you are back at work.

Check in – In some cases, it may be impossible to totally switch off. Set aside some time, say an hour a day when you check in either via email or phone for updates if it is absolutely essential for you to do so.

Relaxation during holidays – remember that it is your chance to recharge! An opportunity to step away from work and be able to take a fresh look at things when you get back. Challenges sometimes become much clearer when you are a bit calmer. You are likely to be more positive after a relaxed holiday and will definitely have more energy to add value and to provide a better service for your clients.  

Dealing with workplace emergencies – sometimes things do not always go to plan and there may be the need for someone to be able to get hold of you whilst you are away. Leave a contact number for emergency situations with emphasis that it is to be used only for emergencies. If contacted, do the best you can to enable those in delegated positions to deal with the situation at hand.

Everyone deserves a break! Take the well-deserved rest. Use your holiday to recharge your battery.

Website    www.maysante.co.uk
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