The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 58: December/January 2021 | Page 14

BUSINESS REVIEW OF THE YEAR

What has success looked like for your business in 2021 ?

Success , a simple word which can mean different things to different people . This year , and in 2020 , it has taken on a new meaning when it comes to business . For many business owners , success has simply been survival .
By Fiona Scott
For others it ’ s meant embracing great change within their business which will alter that business and its operation for the future . The resilience of the SME community to be agile and flexible has been both inspirational and breath-taking .
Here at The Business Exchange , we made changes which have allowed us to continue to operate when many magazines have fallen by the wayside . Just some of the ways we ’ ve done that include :
• Posting hard copies of the magazine to homes and business addresses directly , free of charge ( and at no added cost to our advertisers ) when we could no longer deliver to communal spaces or office receptions through the lockdowns . We gave people a reason to escape from their screens and offered a sense of connectedness even though we were apart .
• Holding virtual events , webinars and networking , and this year using a hybrid

Brightwood Training

First up is Vicki Stewart of Brightwood Training Ltd which offers training courses and qualifications in becoming an accredited Forest School Leader or Outdoor Learning Leader . Vicki was in the RAF and designed leadership training programmes . Much of that learning was outdoors . model of both virtual and in-person to keep everyone feeling safe and secure .
• Sharing more content and stories online to support local businesses as much as possible .
For other businesses it ’ s meant much growth , some by sheer luck that those were the services or products in demand , or by securing contracts directly related to the management of the pandemic and all that came with Covid-19 .
Every business owner , of any brand large or small , should recognise and celebrate the success as that ’ s what powers them through those days , weeks or – as we ’ ve seen in the last two years – months of stress , worry , frustration and anxiety .
We ’ ve asked five Swindon and Wiltshire businesses to tell us about their ‘ success ’ over the last 12 months .
“ My love of the outdoors actually began in my childhood in the Lake District . I grew up spending time and learning outdoors and I ’ ve always loved it . When I left the RAF , this was a natural progression for me . I started offering courses in 2011 and then formed a limited company in 2013 .”
Vicki , 44 , who lives in Highworth and is also a lecturer at Bath Spa University , found something unexpected happened this year . Demand for her courses has more than tripled .
“ Prior to Covid-19 , I would normally run
two Forest School courses each year and one Outdoor Leadership Course with up to 12 people on each course . The courses are quite long and intense and are often taken up by teachers .
“ This year something different has happened . Between April and September , I ’ ve run three Forest School courses and five Outdoor Leadership courses . The former all had 16 per course and the latter 25 . I ’ ve had students from Bath Spa seeing it as a positive addition to their CV as they seek employment , more teachers than ever
wanting to increase their skillset and many people who are wanting to change their careers .
“ I ’ ve also been contacted by numerous schools wanting to implement programmes , now appreciating far more the power of being outdoors for learning and mental health .”
Vicki has had people come to Wiltshire ( she has permission to work on National Trust land ) from Surrey , Wales , Somerset and across the South West . She is now looking forward to offering larger businesses
team building events around outdoor activities in 2022 .
“ I think it ’ s wonderful and I ’ m very grateful . I ’ ve always known personally that being outdoors aids learning and supports wellbeing . The pandemic has shown how nature is a powerful force for good for everyone and my business is evidence of that .”
For more info : www . brightwoodtraining . com

Awdry Bailey & Douglas

Tim Hotchkiss , Partner at law firm Awdry Bailey & Douglas , has also seen growth and change in the way the company delivers its services .
He said , “ By being flexible and proactive we were able to achieve our key strategic objectives that have put us in a very strong position as we head into the second half of the 2021 / 2022 financial year and beyond .”
This included opening a new Swindon office at 2 Gateway North ( opposite the David Lloyd Health Club ) which led to a recruitment drive and the company plans to grow its Swindon team even more .
This office was the latest move in a long history as this company can trace its roots
back to around 1750 and it all started in Devizes . In 2021 the modern company has seven partners , more than 100 staff and five Wiltshire offices .
Tim said , “ At ABD we believe our people are the heart of our business and as a firm we place great value in personal development , team spirit and acknowledging success . I am delighted to be able to say that the recruitment drive in Swindon , and indeed across our four other offices , is set to continue .”
One new team member is Kelly Rogers , an experienced solicitor who joined to strengthen the firm ’ s litigation department . Kelly worked in London prior to moving to Wiltshire and has significant experience in dispute work and has become known for her ability to provide sensible , practical advice and an empathetic service to clients .
For more info : www . awdrys . co . uk
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