We know a picture paints a thousand words…but here’s some words !

3 months ago, we were all hit with the COVID crisis and faced uncertain times. As a small family-run business, helping small business owners, we were all in the same boat and all hit hard.

Our set of skills is limited to leading businesses as well as dealing with crisis situations (short and long term).  So, we made it our mission to stay positive, keep our heads clear and not panic, and help our business community:

– Understand the situation that was unravelling around us.

– Understand their financial situation from both a business and personal perspective.

– Plan what they could do to minimise impact.

– Look to reinvent themselves.

Prepare for the down then the up.

We called in subject matter experts like Steve Briginshaw, Jacqui Mann, Antony Batty, and ran weekly Live Zoom sessions on Managing Finances, advice on Furlough, SSP, self-isolation, and on Insolvency.

Whilst Jacki (like so many of you) was juggling home-schooling two 8-year olds, I was on calls all day, every day (even Fridays!) with a single mission to support our community of small business owners – not just clients, but partners, colleagues, friends and ex-clients. During this time, we were hit too, so busied ourselves at 5.30am with new courses and planning how we could protect and enhance our own family business.

As we see the county starting to open up, we’ve taken a breath and a step back to reflect on the last 3 months, 8 days.  We’re certainly not out of the woods yet, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and everything we’ve focussed on will help put us and our small business community in the strongest position possible.

We’re grateful for our community who we’ve shared a lot of worry, tears, honest feedback, love, frustration, advice, speculation and laughter with over the last few months.

Not once have we acted purely in the interest of ourselves and proud to have stood by our maxim:

‘How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything’.

Here’s a summary of our Life in Lockdown so far…

(Jacki’s version has more gin-related emoji’s in)!

Martin Norbury

Investor | Business Mentor at Advocate | Author of I don’t work Fridays