Enterprise Nation

Going Global: What do you think?

15/03/2010 15:48:16

Working from home 'no inhibitor to growth'

We already know that home is the most popular place to start a businesses in the UK and we've watched those business grow right here on Enterprise Nation. But research carried out by the University of Strathclyde is confirming that being home based is no inhibitor to growth. In fact, quite the opposite:

"The proportion of home based businesses deriving more than half of their sales from overseas customers – although very low (at 6%) – is actually greater than for other SMEs," said Professor Colin Mason.

What Professor Mason's research seems to suggest is that there are a small proportion of home businesses that are exporting a lot. Or are there lots of home businesses exporting a little... :-)

We want to hear from you

Do you sell your products or services overseas? What are some of the issues you've faced in doing so? Or would you like to expand globally, but don't know how? Are you confused about the law or tax issues?

I'll be joining Emma Jones and Global Entrepreneurship Week organisers on Thursday, March 18th to talk about this and to represent your views.

So, leave your comments below or in a special topic in our business forum. I'll also be asking over on Twitter, so you can share your thoughts there too, and on Facebook, as well.

Thanks! – San Sharma

Photo credit: IronRodArt - Royce Bair

19 inspirational quotes for homeworkers

15/03/2010 12:53:40

No bird soars too high, if he soars with his own wings - William Blake /via @StepUpFinance
When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free - Charles Evans Hughes /via @swingsandpretty
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door [or a shed, or a conservatory...] - Milton Berle /via @EmilyCagle
A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for? - Robert Browning /via @Karina_Anne
[Entrepreneurship is] the truest way for an individual to express creativity in the world - Rick Alden, Skullcandy /via @iddictive
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – this is to have succeeded - Ralph Waldo Emerson /via @workingorder
Some people want to achieve immortality through their works or their descendants. I prefer to achieve immortality by not dying - Woody Allen /via @Karina_Anne
And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom - Anais Nin /via @sarahsalway
It's not about how much you know - @Shedworking's 'old college tutor'
The painful things seemed like knots on a beautiful necklace, necessary for keeping the beads in place - Anita Diamant /via @workingorder
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm - Ralph Waldo Emerson /via @amypurdie
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky /via @TheCVClinic
When a man does not know what harbour he is making for, no wind is the right wind - Seneca /via @workingorder
Do something you love so much you'd do it for nothing, then do it so well that people will pay you for it - Anon /via @workingorder
The only limit to our realisation of tomorrow will be our doubts of today - Franklin D Roosevelt /via @DavidRWike
It doesn't matter who you vote for, the government always gets in - Anon /via @thefixedfactor
Never eat more than you can lift - Miss Piggy /via @judyheminsley // Good advice for kitchen table-based homeworkers!
Life is like a tenspeed bike. Most of us have gears we never use - Charles M. Schulz /via @mark_tetzner
This water tastes funny - has someone spiked it with vodka again? - Anon /via @TheCVClinic // We won't ask who Tom shares a home office with!

Thanks to all of our Twitter followers who tweeted with their favourite inspirational quotes. Find out about following us on Twitter and joining us for #watercoolermoment on the link below:

Join us for a #watercoolermoment on Twitter

Photo credit: Desirée Delgado

Home and Away: Work from home and cut congestion

15/03/2010 10:24:37

UK CBI: Road travel 'needs big overhaul'

Here in the UK, the business organisation CBI has said there needs to be a "radical overhaul" of road travel in the UK to avoid future gridlock.

One of its suggested measures was to increase working from home.

"For too long, Britain's roads have been a cause of frustration and delays for our businesses and commuters," said CBI deputy director-general John Cridland.

"Now is the time for fresh thinking on the roads."

Road travel 'needs big overhaul' to avoid gridlock - BBC News via BuyAssociation

US Expert: Telecommuting means 'billions in savings'

Across the pond, author of Undress for Success, Kate Lister, has come up with some impressive statistics to do with how much Americans could save if they worked from home.

The bottom line, according to Lister, is a potential saving of $500 billions to the US economy:

Businesses could save over $100 billion — that’s $8,300 per employee — in office rental, electricity, employee turnover and absenteeism costs. There are other potential savings in security, maintenance, parking, and, of course, coffee.
More than 218 million barrels of oil could be saved which, at the price of $80 per barrel, translates to a savings of $17 billion, and could reduce Persian Gulf oil imports by 28 percent.
Employees could save between $3,400 and $10,500 in transportation and other work-related costs, not including eliminating daycare or taking account of the home office tax breaks that many telecommuters are eligible for.
More than 73,000 people could avoid traffic-related injury or death, together with almost $8 billion worth of accident-related costs. Telecommuting won’t wipe out traffic accidents, but it could make a dent in the numbers.

Read more about Kate's report on the link below:

Telecommuting Means Billions in Savings - WebWorkerDaily

Home businesses 'ahead of the curve'

Of course, these statistics, from the UK and the US, take into account employees working only part of their week at home. As ever, home business owners are ahead of the curve and the savings are passed on to customers.

San Sharma
Social Media Consultant and Web Designer, Author, Moonwalker, etc.

Photo credit: thespeak

Q&A with Amber Energy Consultants

15/03/2010 09:33:58

What does your company do?

We provide a service to businesses looking to lower their energy costs. We do this in two ways; achieving a more competitive rate on their current level of energy usage and working with the business to lower their usage. We also focus on various accreditations that businesses can work towards, such as Carbon Neutral company status, and/or Planet Positive accredited.

Do you think you made the right move in leaving the bank?

I have done everything myself so far; from developing and building a website using online guides, to working on a strategy to develop my services and get into bigger businesses. I am loving the challenge and get great satisfaction from a hard days work. Being my own boss has taught me to separate being a director of a company and an employee. Did I make the right move? Absolutely!

What is the one thing you are most enjoying about working from home?

Having the shortest walk to work. When it snowed and our competitors were under-staffed we were able to show our willing, and determination, to ensure all their queries were dealt with.

What are your plans for 2010?

I want to grow the business without compromising on our core principles. We value all our clients and it’s essential to our business success that clients use us again (& hopefully again!).

It’s also important to stay ahead of the competition and diversify our offering to clients. Our aspiration is to become the trusted business partner for all things energy related.

Nick Proctor, AmberEnergy Consultants

Home business affairs

15/03/2010 08:48:11

Contribute your views

Peter Grigg is head of policy and research at Enterprise UK. He introduces us to what the Manifesto is about:

“The Enterprise Manifesto is a collaborative space for entrepreneurs to submit, comment on and rate entrepreneurship policies that could make a difference.Enterprise UK Chair, Peter Jones, will be taking the recommendations to political and business leaders at the end of April. We are particularly interested in getting as many views as possible from entrepreneurs.”

If you’d like to contribute your views on anything related to business support or how you think the Government (whichever party takes power) could encourage enterprise, then click on the link below and let your views be known!

The Enterprise Manifesto

Homeworking & Co-Working: Like peanut butter and 'Jelly'

12/03/2010 12:23:55

What is Jelly?

A Jelly is a casual co-working event and there's loads happening in over a hundred cities around the world. They usually take place in someone's house, a coffee shop or office, and they're great for homeworkers, like us. The host provides somewhere to sit, wireless internet and - all being well - interesting people to talk to, collaborate with, and bounce ideas off.

And all you need to bring, according to the Jelly website, is a laptop (or whatever you need to get your work done) and a "friendly disposition."

Here's a video about Jelly. Don't be put off by the young and trendies of New York!

What is Jelly? from Amit Gupta on Vimeo.

Origins

As you can see from the video, Jelly started off as a New York thing, like yellow cabs, pretzels, Sex and the City, etc.. But, like those things, it's gone global.

At the beginning it was just two guys, Amit and Luke, who worked from home, but missed the creative brainstorming and camaraderie of a traditional office.

They started inviting friends to work from their place one day a week, and the proximity led to some good ideas - like making this practice a regular thing. Hence, Jelly was born.

From New York to Yorkshire

And now Jelly is coming to your town. We're hearing loads from our members and our followers on Twitter - some that are attending, some that are hosting.

Judy Heminsley (@judyheminsley), who's written this awesome guide to starting a Jelly, is helping host one in Frome in Somerset (find out more). And we've already mentioned co-working facility, IndyCube, who are hosting Jelly events in the run up to their official launch in May.

Closer to home - or to Emma, at least - is Jan Minihane (@JanMinihane), who's setting one up in Shropshire.

"Jelly co-working events allow homeworkers, freelancers, even office folk the chance to work in a more collaborative environment," says Jan. "Especially for those who work at home alone, it can be an isolating experience, so the chance to be in the same room as like-minded business people and to be able to look up from your laptop and ask 'Does anyone know how to..' or 'Does anyone have a client who..' is invaluable."

Follow Jan on Twitter for updates or let her know if you're up for a Jelly in Shropshire.

Jelly + Enterprise Nation

We'll be at that Shropshire Jelly once it's up and running. In the meantime, we'll keep you in the loop, as they spring up across the UK. We're working on a Google Maps mashup too - so you'll be able to see Jellys near you soon.

Jelly + You

And if you want to start your own Jelly, this aforementioned guide from Judy Heminsley (@judyheminsley) is excellent.

How to start your own Jelly - Work From Home Wisdom

Find one near you and find out all about Jelly on the links below:

Jelly wiki / Jelly website

San Sharma
Social Media Consultant and Web Designer, Author, Moonwalker, etc.

#watercoolermoment
If it's the camaraderie you miss, working from home, why not join us for a #watercoolermoment, every day at 11am on Twitter? Find out all about it here.

How to give great customer service

12/03/2010 10:07:39

Steps to success

To give a service that delights your customers does not require a huge customer service department. Just follow these simple steps

Identify your market – what type of lifestyle do your customers have? Where do they live? What do they like doing/drink/eat/no. of kids/car they drive etc
Phone a sample of your database and do a detailed interview and ASK your customers what they think, what they would like you to do that you don’t do already, where could you do better, what they like
Send out feedback forms or use survey monkey to survey your customers and then act on the feedback
Take your idea to its logical conclusion – don’t just settle for token gestures, do it properly. For example, we provide family friendly holiday accommodation, so we don’t just provide a cot. We go the whole hog and provide everything parents need.
Be courageous and innovative – stand out from your competitors by daring to be different.

Wendy Shand is founder of Totstotravel.co.uk

Going global: pack your payment provider

12/03/2010 07:57:53

Be broad abroad

Michael Norton knows a thing or two about growing businesses across borders. When he joined PayPoint, his first job was as International Director. He’s now MD and has recently authored a report on e-commerce trends in the UK. One of the points we noted with interest was this one:

“36% of businesses have been able to grow through access to global markets as a result of trading online”

Michael suggests that to make a success of trading overseas, it’s important to present a wide range of payment methods as cultures (and naturally currencies) differ. For example, did you know that payment by credit card in the UK is high whereas in Germany it’s much lower so will put off customers if this is the only option you offer on your site.

There’s information on the topic of online payments on Michael’s site and we’ll be back soon with more information on the topic of going global!

PayPoint.net

Third spaces: Indycube

11/03/2010 15:48:49

When do you open your doors?

Indycube launches on May 4th, when the full range of membership schemes will be available to users. Up until then we’re operating free ‘workatjelly.com’ events and taster rates (£10 inc VAT) to encourage business owners to try out coworking and see if their venture would benefit from collaborative working at ‘The Cube’. We’re also using the time between now and May 4th to ensure the services on offer match the needs of users.

What’s your background?

I’m a Management Accountant and run a consultancy business at the Media Centre, Cardiff. I enjoy working on exciting new ideas, and my business has benefited from working alongside other entrepreneurs – indycube is effectively an opportunity for me and others to keep doing more of that…. good for your soul and good for your pocket!

How should I make the most of Indycube?

We’re two minutes from the M4, with stacks of free car-parking - so the space will benefit businesses from Cardiff and from across the Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Newport and Bridgend.

Some businesses may use indycube as their full time base (as I do), and have access 24/7; others may rather just drop in a few times a year, when they want to impress a client. We’re 100% flexible, and your only tie-in is for the day or month you’ve paid for. With daily rates from £10 (inc VAT), we’re hopeful that entrepreneurs will find themselves returning to indycube because it generates more profitable business for them.

What of your plans for this year?

It’s important to get micro businesses to try out working at ‘The Cube’ – I’m convinced that more collaborative working is the key to commercial success, and we’ll be running free ‘Jelly’ events alongside our normal membership and pay-as-you-go rates on a regular basis. The success of indycube will depend on the amount of businesses that make use of the facilities – we think it’ll make a real difference – and together, we can build a sustainable community of like-minded business owners working alongside each other.

Mark Hooper, Indycube
Images courtesy of Freespirit Images @cameranick

Slideshow: Your home offices

11/03/2010 15:05:03

Feel free to leave comments and links to your home business beneath your picture on Flickr.

Or add pictures of your home office to our Group's Pool on the link below:

Enterprise Nation: Home Office - Flickr

Photo credit: DILO 21 Mar 07 - Keyhole by Auntie P

Q&A with Nick Williams

11/03/2010 11:20:36

What do you do for a living?

I inspire people to new possibilities in their work and educate and encourage them to create successful businesses doing work they love. I do this through writing, speaking, coaching, events, broadcasting, products and programmes. I help people understand and believe that their work doesn’t have to be a form of suffering but can be a joy and blessing.

How do you help others do the work they were born to do?

Firstly by example, secondly by sharing with them the nine signposts that I have developed that ‘point’ people at the work they were born for. I help them find and follow their personal sense of purpose, joy and passion and how to create work around it.

How did you get involved in this activity?

I was dissatisfied and unhappy selling computers to banks in the City of London and felt there was a greater life beckoning. I asked myself those bigger questions, like, “Well, if I haven’t been put on this planet to sell computers to Japanese banks, why am I here? What would truly inspire me?” The answers began to come but I was afraid of the change this would entail so resisted for a long time, but eventually started moving in the direction of my heart.

What one piece of advice would you offer to someone starting a business?

To trust in themselves and their dreams. Be willing to move in the direction of your fears so you can grow bigger than them. Learn to get support and collaborate and become skilful at finding clients.

What are your business plans for 2010?

To grow our London platform of events, speakers and community and have digital versions of our events available for those who cannot make the live events. I want to write another book and develop some more programmes this year and step up my mentorship activities.

Nick Williams is co-founder of Inspired Entrepreneur

If you're not clear about the work you were born to do, download a free copy of a nine part programme to become an inspired entrepreneur at: www.inspired-entrepreneur.com

Enterprise Nation in the Yorkshire Post

11/03/2010 10:41:59

How to make your dream of home working become reality

Photo credit: farmhouse by tricky™

Slip in to something a little more…

09/03/2010 19:25:44

Felt

The manufacturers of these rather funky felt slippers recommend “a minimum per day usage of 2 to 4 hours” or .. even better .. "if you can pull it off we highly applaud all day usage for a truly transcendental experience!”

Sounds perfect for the home business owner. Available in grey and a rather eye-catching red.

Felt slippers

Freud

For the rather more crazy-minded, these Freudian Slippers are said to be “available in three sizes and ideal for wearing around the house. They are perfect companions when you're all alone.”

Freud Slippers

Functional

One concept we do promote on Enterprise Nation is multi-tasking and what a way to go about it with these ‘vacuum shoes’ that clean as you walk about the house. “The Slipper Genie contains microfiber fingers that pick up dust, pet hair, and other dirtiness, as you shuffle around your home aimlessly as usual." Hey. Less of the 'aimlessly', please :-)

Functional Slippers

And to end with a blast from the past; a post in 2007 that offered 5 reasons why you shouldn’t work in your pyjamas. But it doesn’t mention not wearing slippers!

5 reasons why you shouldn't work in pyjamas

Emma Jones: My Mum, the ‘mumpreneur’

09/03/2010 15:28:14

Business in my blood

As my brother and I were growing up, Mum ran restaurants. This led to a childhood of being driven around town in sign-painted cars (promoting the restaurant of the time), talking cashflow at tea time, and weekends and summers of waiting-on work. The experience created the person I am today; where working weekends feels right and normal, and a love of business comes as second nature.

I learned from the best in that Mum was resourceful, innovative and great at PR! She’s still at it today, still in business and still making a difference to all who come in to contact with her.

My Nan once said ‘you can’t be nice and succeed in business’ – I think my Mum has proved her wrong.

Happy Mothers Day to all you hard-working Mums!

Two artists, one house. Can it work?

09/03/2010 14:04:44

Who became their own boss first?

We had both been working as 5-9ers for a while with Paul making the first move to working part time on his photography business. He works part time as a Data Analyst (three days) and four days as a very passionate photographer. His main interest is in fine art photography, but he also enjoys photographing events and portraits and is always on the lookout for a quirky angle! I still work full time (in tourism and arts development) and work on my business at nights and weekends.

How did you meet?

We met when I moved back to the UK after living in Germany for a few years. I went to college in Bournemouth and met Paul through my sister and a friend of hers - we all went out for a drink one evening and that was it! We have been married for nearly twelve years now.

Did you follow your passion in business?

Yes. Paul has been a keen photographer since childhood when he first made a pinhole camera and then had his own darkroom. He has now moved onto digital photography, which I feel is even more creative.

I have always been crafty and enjoyed knitting, sewing and making stuff. I used to knit and sew without using patterns, just making it up as I went along – not sure I would wear those creations now!

Does your work ever overlap?

Yes! Paul takes all of the photographs of my jewellery and now he has taught me how to use Photoshop to edit them and put them on my website. It is very satisfying to be able to do it all ourselves. I help him market his business and we are always bouncing ideas off each other and of course, celebrating every success, however large or small.

Do you work from separate spaces?

No, we love sharing studio space and can work happily together for hours at a time, interrupted only by the occasional “what do you think of this?” or “shall we have a nice cup of tea?” It’s normally me who suggests we stop for tea and biscuits!

Do you help each other out with business advice?

It’s really important to us that we support each other and also offer constructive criticism if needed. We work well as a team and he is really strong on all the technical stuff so he sorts me out if I get stuck with my website. I have the patience of a three year old, so he is the calming influence when I am ready to throw my computer out of the window!

I help him with ideas for promoting his business, suggesting new clients, etc and I also sit for him if he needs to practise a new portrait idea or to test new lighting techniques. I don’t go with him when he goes off to do his beautiful seascapes or abstract photography, though, as there is a lot of standing around and waiting for just the right sky, light and so on, so it’s best if he does that on his own.

What are your respective business plans for 2010?

For Paul, it is to do more gallery work and continue to promote his fine art work as much as possible, to raise his profile and also build up his local client list. He currently gets a lot of his work through word of mouth referrals and he wants to develop this very valuable network further.

For me, I want to work more on PR for my business and get some coverage in the national media. I am extending my range of wedding jewellery and I want to develop my skills and learn new silversmithing techniques.

We are also dipping a toe in the world of social media and both have Facebook pages and I am getting to grips with Twitter. It is a busy time for us, but very enjoyable and exciting.

Survey respondent's "Truly Ace" netbook prize

09/03/2010 08:33:19

Netting a netbook

"It's very small," says Amanda, owner of Truly Ace design. "And way more portable than my old, clumsy laptop."
Amanda won an HP Mini 5105 business class netbook by filling out a Home Business Survey on our website.

It allows her to meet with clients on their premises, without suffering "heavy laptop elbow."

"I'm going to get more into photography this year too," she says. "So the netbook will allow me to upload and edit photos 'on the hop', instead of having to wait until I get home."

What is a 'netbook'?

Netbooks are small, light and inexpensive laptops, somewhere between computers and smartphones.

They're designed to be used on the move and are built for wireless communications, sometimes via mobile phone networks, so you can always get online, wherever you are.

Actual computing specifications are usually a bit lower with netbooks. They might have smaller hard drives, for examples. But since so much of what we do and where we store our files, pictures and music is online anyway, this isn't really a disadvantage, especially if you're buying a netbook as a second computer.

Sponsor

Thanks to kindly sponsor HP for Amanda's prize! Find out more at their pretty cool Business IT Advice mini-site on the link below:

Business IT Advice - HP business answers

San Sharma: My mum, the 'mumpreneur'

09/03/2010 07:28:43

Both of my parents moved to the UK from India in the early 1960s, before their 10th birthdays. By the time they were introduced, my dad was already running a business, selling watches that looked a bit like more expensive watches.

But it wasn't until they were married that they ran a business together. And it was a home business. They lived in the flat upstairs and ran a grocery store on the ground floor.

It was into this home business that I was born. And is it any coincidence, that now in my twenties I'm running a business from my home too?

Some of my earliest memories are of my mum, talking to customers with a kindness I've not seen again in retail or in customer services. She'd remember to ask them about their children by name, always with a smile, and make sure she'd have in stock the products her customers would request, even if it made little economic sense.

She's been an inspiration to me. Her name's Saroj and she's turning 60 this week too! So, happy birthday, mum, and Happy Mother's Day.

San Sharma
Social Media Consultant and Web Designer, Author, Moonwalker, etc.

Homeworking in the movies

08/03/2010 17:36:12

5. The Godfather

"You must see The Godfather," replied @shedworking, when I admitted at #watercoolermoment than I hadn't seen the Coppola classic. "There's an offer you can't refuse!" wrote @rtaltd, which I imagine is some sort of reference to The Godfather.

Why's it in the list? According to @rtaltd, "Marlon Brando, as the Godfather, held meetings at home... thus it was a home based business."

4. Home Alone

By the end of his week 'Home Alone', Macaulay Culkin was already cooking for himself, doing his laundry and defending the house against moronic burglars. Who knows how long it would have been until he'd start running his own home business?

Not sure, based on that theory, that it should be on this list, but @chrisodonoghue seems to think so!

3. The Net

"We're sitting on the most perfect beach in the world," says Jeremy Northam in The Net. "And all we can think about is -"
"Where can I hook up my modem?"
Oscar winning actress, Sandra Bullock stars in this thriller about the homeworking computer analyst who gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity - spotted by @shedworking.

2. Pretty Woman

@mooosh suggested Julia Roberts/Richard Gere romcom (and one of @emmaljones's favourites) Pretty Woman. Well, it is one of the oldest home businesses, I suppose...

1. Where the Wild Things Are

But the home business box office number 1 has got to be Where the Wild Things Are, as suggested by @outtherehq. "The mum tries to work at home, while her kid tells her a story." Bet you know at least one kid who keeps you from working sometimes! Where the Wild Things Are is really good, by the way. You should check it out, if you haven't seen it already.

And join us for #watercoolermoment on Twitter, 11am daily.

San Sharma
Social Media Consultant and Web Designer, Pop Culture Critic, Author, Moonwalker, etc.

Photo credit: Jerry Maguire, available on Amazon.co.uk

Cover your motoring costs with AMAPs

08/03/2010 17:30:30

Road Map? No, AMAPs

If you use your private car for business activities, then AMAPs is a way of covering your motoring costs.

The best thing about AMAPs is they are tax free. The government has set the target at 40p for the first 10,000 miles in a tax year; and 25p per mile thereafter. Be sure to keep a record of these business trips, recording the mileage.

Claim the expenses on your tax return and watch your tax bill go down!

For more information on managing your car as a business asset, visit Ralph’s site on the link below.

Ralph Morton, Businesscarmanager.co.uk

Do women have to work for themselves to work for equality?

08/03/2010 12:30:53

Big win? Or big fail?

Kathryn Bigelow's big win at last night's Oscars was a triumph for women in film - and timely, on the eve of International Women's Day. But as the first woman to bring home the best directing trophy and only the fifth ever to be nominated, is Bigelow's success an anomaly in a male-dominated workplace?

Despite the Equal Pay Act of 1970, women still only earn 83p to the male pound, which is actually illegal. Gordon Brown says that only 10% of directors in the UK's top 100 companies are women. And in parliament only 291 women have been elected, compared to 4,559 men since 1918.

In other institutions, like the media, there are still twice as many men on television than women, despite the fact that there are more females in our population than males (by one or two heads per 100). Sky News is hoping to rectify that, for one day only, by handing over the entire station, it's presenters, producers and editors, for International Women's Day - basically a day off for male members of staff!

Sisters doing it for themselves

These statistics are at odds with what we see amongst self-employed home business owners at Enterprise Nation. Our members are an almost equal mix of men and women and our books and blogs are full of successful stories that ignore the gender divide.

So, what do you think?

Are women who run their own businesses exempt from the discrimination of a male-dominated workplace? Is working for yourself the only way to achieve equality? Or are you treated differently as a woman even though you run your own business?

Let us know what you think in the comments and find out more about International Women's Day and Kathryn Bigelow on the links below:

International Women's Day
7 businessy things we learned from the Baftas - Enterprise Nation

San Sharma
Social Media Consultant and Web Designer, Pop Culture Critic, Author, Moonwalker, etc.

Photo credit: onehundredeightythree/threehundredsixtyfive by Morning theft