Contributors
Helen Stothard has over twenty years experience of helping business efficiently organise and complete their administration. In 2009, Helen set up HLS Business Solutions to offer a virtual executive business support service to coaches, trainers and consultants.
Helen is known for her pragmatic and Yorkshire spirit – and is regularly in demand for ideas and inspiration on how to improve administration processes, and implement social media within your business marketing mix.
Helen is an inspiration to many virtual assistants and people running a 5-9 business. She is one of the few people who have successfully made the jump from a 5-9 business to a 9-5 business. After only six months of running HLS Business Solutions, her proactive service and high standards were so much in demand, that HLS Business Solutions added in four team members – and enabling HLS Business solutions to deliver a full virtual executive assistance service.
Steve Knowles set up his own practice working out of a back bedroom 27 years ago. The business grew and now employs 17 people. The foundation of the business is the relationship they have with their clients, and their commitment to their success.
He has other business interests including financial services, property development and a software company based in America. Steve served as a Governor at the Sheffield College for five years before being asked to become Chairman of the Board of Governors. He is a past Chairman of the Sheffield Business Club and
is currently President of the Sheffield & District Society of Chartered Accountants. He has been married to Christine for over 30 years, and they have two daughters. In his spare time he is an armchair sportsman.
http://www.knowleswarwick.com/ Steve’s Blog
Emma Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation the ultimate resource for homeworkers in the UK, with more home business, lifestyle and technology advice than you can shake a stick at. Plus videos, competitions and a community forum.
Founded in 2006 , Enterprise Nation has grown to become the largest community of homeworkers in the UK. It also runs the Home Business Awards, puts together the annual Home Business Report and advises the Government on small and home business topics.
Emma (@emmaljones) is also the author of two books, Working 5 to 9: How to start a successful business in your spare time and Spare Room Start Up: How to start a business from home, which was an Amazon.co.uk Bestseller and Waterstone’s ‘Business Book of the Month.’
Emma wrote our very popular blog post on becoming a 5 to 9er
Nicola Wilson set up in business in 2006 after qualifying as a bookkeeper with the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers. She offers bookkeeping support, training and advice as well as being a great advocate of Xero online accounting. She is a Xero Certified Advisor as well as training others on how to use Xero.
Nicola has always worked with numbers as she was previously a draughtsman to Consulting Engineers in Oxford and then an estimator for a handmade tile and flooring company. She lives in Cheshire with her husband and two children.
Ryan Mittleman has been working in the IT industry for over 10 years, in both systems development and technical support formats.
Ryan setup his own IT Consultancy, WeWillFixIT in 2005, assisting both home and SMB’s get the most from their IT and Web investments.
WeWillFixIT provides various IT solutions including on-site and remote IT support, consultancy to SMB’s to help them make full value of their IT investment, IT sales utilising invaluable account management and IT knowledge plus access to the UK’s largest IT supply chain which alone brings huge savings. Basically anything IT related, Ryan and WeWillFixIT are there to help and fix IT.
When Ryan isn’t busy working (which is not very often!) he can be found spending as much time as possible with his wife Anne-Marie (@AVirtualAngel) and their 5 year old son, 1 week old daughter and 7 year old Staffie. Alternatively he can be found washing his beloved Range Rover, working on a DIY project or fishing!
Elaine Clark is Managing Director of Award Winning online accountancy practice CheapAccounting.co.uk.
CheapAccounting.co.uk provides cost-effective accounting to small businesses; combining online bookkeeping software with consultations with qualified accountants.
Sokratis Papafloratos of Trusted Places, part of Yell.com said this about Elaine and CheapAccounting.co.uk:
“By offering free advice and industry insight, company founder Elaine Clark has positioned herself and her business as a thought leader within the industry and a trusted adviser to accountancy firms.”
Amy Harrison runs Harrisonamy Copywriting for Entrepreneurs. She is author of The Copywriting Phrasebook which helps business owners and bloggers write killer web content and sales copy. Visit her site for your free “How To Be Yourself Online” worksheet.
Ces Loftus
Ces Loftus (known as @Ces_Creatively on twitter) is a brand image designer who specialises in helping small businesses create an affordable professional brand image and effective marketing that will influence ideal customers and help them grow their business. A work from home mum of 3, Ces overcame the adversity of her 4th son being still born at full term and has built a successful new cyber career by being innovative, self marketing and collaborating with others online. With a fifteen year career in brand image design before becoming self employed, she has taken her business from a struggling start up with no budget or funding to becoming a flourishing, respected and credible brand.
Dedicated to using her design skills and experience to help others do the same, Ces offers Intelligent VA’s a fantastic opportunity to get professional design for your own business free of charge, help your clients win business on and off line through compelling branding and earn an additional income stream by becoming a Biz Brand Buzz affiliate.
Twitter: @Ces_Creatively
Websites: www.creativelyminded.co.uk www.biz-brand-buzz.co.uk/blog www.supportivebusinessmums.co.uk/
blog www.the-light-direction.co.uk
Nikki Pilkington is a major name in the world of Internet Marketing. Renowned across Europe for her innovative, experienced team of Internet Marketing experts primarily working with SMEs, she’s made her name by delivering results. As an internet marketing expert for over 15 years (yes really!), Nikki can help your website to make money. She can do this through Higher Google Listings, Internet Marketing Training, Social Media Marketing, Google Adwords Management, Article Marketing and Internet Marketing Articles.
Nikki is a great believer in giving away free information, so she also produces regular Internet Marketing Articles, and offer free reports, which are available from her website: http://www.NikkiPilkington.com
Sarah Arrow is the Director of Special Projects for a same day courier company in the South of England. She also blogs. A lot. You can get on the list for an advanced copy of her advanced blogging e-book here.
