We'll be right back.
Greetings, welcome to what we are,
episode five of Visual PR Live.
Greetings to everybody watching.
Don't forget, you can put your comments,
your questions,
and we'll be able to put
them up on screen,
including your photo and
your username and everything.
So please do get involved.
Probably more a little bit later,
I'll talk about things.
It may conjure up some
comments from your own experiences,
some questions you may have.
good news is it won't be just for me.
I am going to be joined by
two wonderful guests very shortly.
To start with,
I just want to explain what
this is all about.
This subject is about the
power of collaboration,
combining strengths of
different people and different things.
And I'm going to start with
the things part because
it's much more obvious
collaboration people,
and my special guest Graham
Leefield is going to be
touching more in detail on
that because I've seen him
do this presentation before.
I wanted to just quickly
touch on how you can
collaborate some of your PR
and marketing collateral and effort.
People run off and do something.
Let me pick one of them as a podcast.
Everybody runs off at the
moment and creates podcasts.
And I do encourage you,
definitely do them.
But the problem is they then
just throw those out there
and wonder why they're
getting 10 downloads a week
if they're lucky or something like that.
The problem is unless you're a celebrity,
how are they going to find you?
It's the right thing to do it,
but to rely purely on that
and expect it to just work
is a risky tactic.
It's not the right way to go.
So we are working on
collaboration of efforts,
collaboration of assets.
And one of those, for example, visual PR,
we do these live, and this is live now,
or as live.
Sometimes we don't put them out live,
but they're still just hit
record and go because it
gives us that authentic, credible,
engaging conversation type
content that we create and
then it's really from that
one piece that the client
shows up for we're able to
then create a whole load
more assets and start
feeding from one to the
other so I'll give you a
for instance we create this
content here this episode
that would go out every
month every fortnight every
week depending on the client
from that we strip up the
audio and we put that as
your podcast we put all of
the descriptions and your
seo content is within that
as well your video
content's now on youtube
and facebook and linkedin
but youtube's the big one
it's the second biggest
search engine in the world
So we make sure the
description is what people
will find when they go
looking for particular
topics that you and your
organization experts out
and they find it.
But we then say,
do you want to carry on
listening while you're
walking your dog or you're
driving the car or you're working out?
Take them to the take.
Sorry, my phone's going.
That was very unprofessional.
It's like.
um yeah listen to it go here
to the podcast the podcast
then feeds do you want to
watch this because within
the episode they're
listening to it talks about
something visual feed them
back to the youtube video
we then create clips from
the full episode that then
your social media that goes out
The collaboration there is
that you turn around and go,
do you want to go and watch
the full episode?
Do you want to listen to the full episode?
And it's pointing you to both of those.
It's pointing you back to
your social platforms and
everything's collaborating.
Heck,
we can even transcribe the content
and we can put that as a blog post.
Remember that page that you
probably haven't looked at for two years?
It hasn't been a new post on for ages.
Well,
suddenly you're guaranteed every
single month
There is content that's
going to go up there that's
going to help the SEO of
your website that is going
to let you be found.
We embed the YouTube video
in it and we get in there
what we call link juice.
We're allowed to say that?
Yeah.
One of many terms.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Link juice.
We'll go with that.
Link juice from the YouTube
video in there.
And, of course,
you can put the podcast in
there as embedded.
And it will split you back
to the different channels
and everything like that.
Heck,
we can even do branded dynamic QR
codes that you can put
either in your printed PR
that are going out in
journals or papers or whatever.
Have a QR code that takes
them to the video and gives
you stats for how many
people have gone from that
magazine to watch the video in full.
Start getting analytics from it.
That pop-up banner that you
created a year ago,
Could have had a QR code put on it.
And yet even today,
we redirect it so it'll
always point to the latest episode.
It's able to be dynamic.
So we're suddenly collaborating.
Our marketing with RPR,
the different assets from
it all are working together.
Rather than making a bed and lying in it,
just one route we're going
and then getting frustrated.
We then get involved however
much people want us involved.
Do we just create,
go and break with everything?
Or we do it for you so that
we make sure everything's
going out to the right place.
Everything's connecting back
from one to the other.
It's just a really fun way
to do it because these
conversations are just naturally flowing.
It's not a script that
someone suddenly says, right,
you stand there and say that.
Okay, I'm going to talk about this now.
It's just genuine.
It's off the top of their head.
And from that one show up,
All this asset,
all of these assets are
created and then linking.
So that's where we come out
from the power of collaboration.
Now,
we ironically are doing a lot of work
personally collaborating as well,
because we don't
necessarily have to do as
much for you because we
work with organizations that do that.
for you work and we provide
the assets for them to do.
And one of them is my first
guest that I'm going to, I mean,
you're going to see both of them now,
but the first one I'm going to speak to,
I will introduce both
because it will feel weird,
is that first of all,
Make sure I get this right.
The CEO of Phoenix Enterprises,
Claire McDougall.
Hi, Claire.
I love it.
But the first person we're
going to speak to, no offence, Claire,
is Graham.
Yeah, I did, yeah.
Is Graham Leefield,
the founder of Gel Studios, who, A,
we work collaboratively,
easy for me to speak with, but B,
my big one is that I saw
you do a presentation at a
networking breakfast that
wasn't only me that was
impressed that resonated
with a lot of people what
was it two three months ago
wasn't it yeah I think it's
a total uh total boardroom
network yeah it was it was
um you know competition
yeah is the polar opposite
of collaboration
and I think what made it
genuine a really personal
place you know um it's
actually my business was a
birthday tomorrow and
probably about three four
years ago it was very much
we must go out we must we
must get this work we must
have everything internal
and the realization you
know when the pandemic hit
we had to pivot diversify
explore any new opportunities and
We saw a lot of other people's struggle.
Some were clients, some were peers.
And we had to really lead
from the front and change this mindset.
And the mindset really, by my own,
to be honest,
it was wanted to do really well,
but it walked off missing pieces of work,
you know, to people, you know,
it would be an outward spiral.
It's just not a good place to be.
So I came up with this idea.
mini paradox so classic oh
you may like that I said I
didn't do this at one talk
it's my old school kings
down here nobody knew what
a classic mini was
Basically,
if you're ever on the road and
you're going out there and
you see two minis pass one another,
what do they do?
Well,
they beep their horn and they do a
little park.
The VW's the big one as well.
The other ones as well, yeah.
If you see a classic mini going by,
you know if they see another one,
they will go mental.
Yeah.
Yeah, in a really, really good way.
Another thing, like my struggles as well,
I mean, this
go they'll tweet and I was
the most I used to have a
motorhome with my
motorsport comp all the
time if you pass another
motorhome owner yeah that
you would it was always a way
body would weigh yeah yeah
yeah you know all traffic
has been slowed down yeah
my point is I looked a lot
at the same car where you
know they're on the same
roads they're doing the
same thing they enjoy this
thing it's just a really
pure example of
collaboration and since
coming to peace with my
history um and what was
driving me talking about that little
The idea of being, you know,
an agency which
collaborates with other places,
referring work to them, income streams,
something I never had when
I was starting out.
But also working with
organisations such as Phoenix Enterprises,
you know,
we have a responsibility as a
sustainable profit to do
something more worthwhile
and benefit shareholders.
And that's why the B Corp
survey for that made complete
And that drive peak now is changed,
is more to, well,
if I can do that with a team of 10,
what can bigger
organisations do to commit to the cause?
You know, local impact and stuff.
And that's why I thought I
was going to put together that talk.
I've done that quite a few times now.
It's gone down.
It really is great to hear that feedback.
But it's also an element of
being part of it.
Because sometimes to collaborate,
people might not be in the same place.
So it's really important to
go first and to be brave
and to reach out for that one.
Maybe just to say,
I know that we've spoken before,
but I know we're in the same circles.
Can we go out for a coffee?
And one thing would
definitely come away from
that being bettering yourself.
Or equally,
knowing that they're not there yet.
That's part of the collaboration journey.
You go first, you start.
Sparks of thought, inspiration.
The other person in their own realisation.
So it's been incredibly rewarding.
The benefits in terms of the bottom line,
collaborating with other businesses,
work goes out, works really, really well.
You've got to have some
confidence to know that that
utopia will happen very well.
Well,
we can all strive towards working
towards a better place, right?
And I think that's certainly
what the B Corp movement at its core is,
you know, environmental,
which people think the B Corp will be,
but it's also about
community impact and it's
also about the wellbeing of the team.
There's this three really,
really key areas around
that and that's them.
Up until that point,
we've really been like
investors in people and that was,
you know, around one very,
very important thing that we just put
which is the people.
But for us going for the B2B certification,
that wider way of knowing
that we're running a business well,
knowing that we operate in
policies and pace,
actually adjusting our
incorporation documents to say,
we are here to benefit the
community and local places,
not just shareholder return and value.
I got an element of confidence,
certainly as a business owner,
to try to do what I
perceived as right up to that point.
Yeah, because it's all, you know,
we talk about the
competition or
collaboration being the
important business, but as businesses,
it's very easy for any of
us to kind of get caught in going, oh, no,
they're doing something, and I've got to,
you know,
there's enough business to go
around for business.
and but to take it not only
to accept that but also
kind of go actually we can
collaborate here in some
ways it doesn't mean you
live in each other's
pockets for goodness sake
but there are times and
places to go I haven't got
the uh you know capacity to
take any more of this on I
uh it's not quite right for
whether industry geography
type of work maybe who knows
such a variety of things,
to be able to kind of go,
I need to pass that to
someone else and not be
there kind of going,
I guess it's like the
Christmas present or
birthday presents you don't
give to receive.
But you've got to really get
yourself into that.
And to be completely honest,
that mindset shift came from a place of,
I can't carry on the way that I am.
So when you start running a
business in a situation that I did,
I had to make sure I had
enough money coming in, quite frankly,
to pay the bills, pay the mortgage,
And then the team grew and grew.
And that mentality about
wanting to do anything for
clients came from a really genuine help.
But when you're managing
around seven or eight people,
your margins are small.
You are getting stressed.
It's like these little
things that are coming in.
You've got to actually realize,
what are we actually better than them?
So it's quite easy for a
full service agency to do
anything and everything, you know,
and it's perceived that
we're going to do it.
And that has been our approach for a very,
very long time.
But actually understanding
that we want to only work
with people that are
interested in having
long-term commitments with us.
They see us as a provider, not a, you know,
a doer.
They want to be involved in the strategy.
We want to know their business really,
you know, really,
really well to ultimately
give them a great ROI with us.
It's like, well,
we've got a lot of clients
and a lot of inquiries that
just don't fit our mold.
And it's not worth taking those things on,
because I can't forecast a
business off the back of
short term relationships.
But also, it's the mindfulness stuff.
I get good night's sleep at
night worrying about
clients that might end
because we've done
something for them in a
specific way they wanted to
because they've not adhered
to our process.
This is where the
collaboration comes in hand, you know,
realising that we've got a
mission over here which is, you know,
great to bring in leads in
to other trusted partners,
but also to openly and
honestly share with other people,
regardless of their business history,
that there comes a time
where it shifts from paying
the bills to actually
sustainable work that you
and your team enjoy.
and that's that's that's
where I came from and and
I'm sure we'll come back to
this again but I want to
make sure I go but I've
kind of accelerated a
straight to all of the the
beef and stuff there but gl
studios you did call
service now make sure
everybody's clear what
those full services are
yeah so ultimately it's you
know look if you want to
spend a market budget you reach goals
we can either help you reach
those goals by a various
array of services, digital marketing,
website design, graphic design.
But it comes from a position
of real deep understanding.
So we are the agents that
love to ask questions.
We want to take time to get
something right.
We want to collaborate in
workshops so that we have
common understanding and
work towards goals which are achievable.
We've seen so much in the agency space.
It's all about onboarding people.
there's no real cold so what
happens when it comes down
to renewal we're not
getting an roi we're going
to leave that not to us we
used to be seen as website
builders that was very much
myself um the team at the
time but then realizing
that the website has an
important part to play in
other areas naturally
started to expand well
we've got graphics which
could be on social we've got
marketing in all of the
various many guises we then
use a marketing strategy
the website isn't part of
that you know all that all
that collaboration of
services and um you know
look here's a great example
we used you for our uh gel studios live
um you know old grail you're
like well we can get a
camera you know anybody we
need to have a shot of the
back or the equipment it's
very costly exercise you're
missing out the x you're
missing out the expertise
you're missing out on the
passion you're doing it for
the wrong reason to
collaborate with a trusted
company that makes complete
sense to do that and what
does that look like and
we've collaborated with um
for you know tomorrow yes and a couple
other things you know when
you introduce people as
trusted partners there's an
element there and also with
lockdown and everything
else the the landscape of
buying would change
knowing that they've
obviously contact which
build trusted relationships
to you know spread the load
so to speak people are so
okay with that now before
lockdown it's very very why
we want to treat under one
under one arena it's really
a case of just riding that
that way right I think
that's a way moving forward
also just other smaller
startups fantastic way to
really have a good night's
sleep yeah no and i
I think there's even a
collaboration that kind of
expands out of that, where it's,
you mentioned workshops,
that's something that's
fairly recent for you,
I'd say fairly probably isn't anymore.
It's been 18 months.
I was going to say, it's fun quite,
isn't it, when we're having fun,
but it's how,
you are not just going, no,
we've got to do up to
everything for them.
It's like also empowering
them to be able to do some
themselves is a big deal.
And you've now got this collaboration.
They're fully invested.
They're fully on board and
doing their bits and pieces.
But where it gets distinctive, actually,
you could do with someone
that naturally knows how to
do that to work with you.
But you're now empowered.
Everything for me,
the screams of
collaboration in the whole
services you guys have done,
which is why I asked you to
be the business guest for
this particular episode of
Visual PR Live.
The most recent thing of
collaboration which I wrote
was we were at the NTT
award in Birmingham last week.
And at the beginning, well,
at the end of last year,
we had a fellow from Flow
Software reach out and say, look,
we've got a client.
They want to redo their website.
we haven't got the design
scoping capabilities,
but we can build it.
So obviously spoke to him,
he'd seen my stuff,
talked about collaboration.
We went in,
collaboration started from
putting a proposal together, you know,
getting over to them.
We won that deal and beat
national agencies with
campaigns that were on the
television to win that.
Part of that was because, you know,
they are all about fair
qualifications in the
engineering industry to build gaps,
skills gaps.
one of the unique things
collaboration very much why
we're here yourself today
is that we say openly to a
client if you come to work
with us here that funds
budgets which enable us to
do stuff over here in the
form of you know hosting
sites for charity to
discount your rates
sponsoring good things
doing peter chips um all
that kind of stuff but the workshops
was amazing around those and
while they were distributed
to our office in swindon
and they were having
conversations I've ever met
in person wow ever
and we designed it and they
built it on time on budget
exactly what we said it was
and then we got invited to
these awards and to see
some of the stories of
people that had been
through that and we've been
involved with workshops
that we're getting to get
into the mindset people
that are you know looking
for t levels for employers
that are looking at things
I think um all through
solutions that we built
together that is the
collaboration because we
wouldn't have been able to do that
And all that.
No, 100 percent.
I mean,
that's just what delights me about
the whole collaboration.
And it was even ironic that
your speech wasn't just
sort of making me go, oh, my God,
I need to change.
It also confirmed some
things that I happened to
be doing and hadn't really
appreciated how important they were.
We just talked about that
before we went on air, didn't we?
I asked, you know, how's it been going?
Is it what you thought it was?
Your response was?
Being more distant, absolutely.
But no less fun.
No less fun.
That's, dare I say,
what it is about leadership.
You've got managers and
you've got leaders.
And I think that the mindset of, you know,
competitor or collaborator, you decide.
it's putting an idea out
there and that's our job as
leaders right it's to
inspire other people and
that doesn't necessarily
mean people are in our
organization it can be
other people outside of
that as well um I spoke to
you many times about
climate finance you know
find your why leadership
fantastic but anybody can
be a leader and this is
where what I'm trying to do
with my organization is
that anybody has the
ability to uh invoke check
do something different to
challenge the legal system
or when it comes down to our
mission statement building
strong you know sustainable
long-lasting relationships
from a place collaboration
partnership with our
clients yeah and I and I'm
you know well I'm on board
with that because obviously
I'm very privileged but I
get to uh I get paid to
travel around europe
commentating on my favorite
sport motorsport and from
that kind of led on the
voice over and radio and
hosting awards nights,
all of those kind of things.
It's really cool, and I love doing that.
We're in lockdown.
I've got to do Casting Circuit.
Tonight, I'm doing episode 83,
so they've not let me go.
They've not let me go at all.
And I did this show, and what I love
i love interviewing people
because I love hearing
their stories their their
knowledge their passions
their experiences but also
the way that they
articulate it I mean we've
been doing some wonderful
ones with festival tomorrow
those science shows I
forgot that I used to enjoy
science I hadn't done it
since secondary school and
I'm just glued to these
conversations going this is
amazing but it was a prime
example for me that that
collaboration is that visual pr for me
was I want to give a
platform for organizations
and individuals not to sort
of jump in front of a
camera and it to be a
corporate video with a
sales pitch and a script
and everybody's
uncomfortable doing it
everybody's uncomfortable
watching but to sit down
and just have this kind of
conversation that flows and
I get those you know those
those experiences the
knowledge coming out
And that's my kind of
collaboration that then
provides people with the
ability to get those out
that they've not really harnessed yet.
Whether you love it or hate it,
social media is here to stay.
We need to get everything out there,
don't we?
So, I mean, it makes sense.
And that was why I
desperately wanted to get you on board.
I did put up and I'm going
to put it up again.
So gelstudios.co.uk.
Get in touch.
And as you've heard, at the very least,
is that you may be able to
assist or it may actually
be that you advise who will.
Yeah, exactly.
The collaboration that's on board.
But leading us now
seamlessly on to our next
guest is the one thing I've always,
you know,
you and I personally get
together over calamari and gin.
but is you do you you try to
do as much as possible with
and I'm going to say with
because it's not just for
charities but with
charities collaborating and
what have you and that's
something that you're very
passionate about
yeah I mean I did it the
other day and it's now over
the quarter of a million so
if you were to put in all
the websites we've done
different we've made um the
the you know good
old-fashioned money in the
bank stuff over 11 years
it's been back yeah so um it's it's
It's all about attracting
people in terms of talent,
wanting people to be able
to know they're working for
an organization.
It's not just about what are
the norms now?
I get an Apple Mac,
they go home and they can
know so yeah working which I
started in lockdown
collective um we did that
there are a whole lot food
poverty and everything
that's fantastic all their
stuff still going around
and then evolved into um a
website every quarter um
now it's going like
marketing and supporting um
you know great events which
benefit you know young people the best
tomorrow we have a signal
festival coming about the
arts and they said magic
and it's just grown that
but the commitment that
like I said we will take
profits and they directly
go to other things and the
prp company comes in here
it's coming over there
that's the form of a
I mean, ultimately, it's a USP.
You know, people say never pitch well.
I love pitching first.
But the things that make me
unique and then compare
against everybody else.
So, yeah,
it's in everybody who's into that.
We're even in a...
sponsoring a local football game.
I'm one of the members of my team,
so it makes me feel proud
and filled with pride to
see a logo on a mat over
there and a little
sideboard on the side of a pitch.
It's got little brollies and
I'll go and wrap them up as
I football in the rain,
which is probably the rest of this month,
I don't know.
That's really come down to it, hasn't it?
pride that I want everybody
that works with me or even
clients that are associated
with it to feel.
And that's why we love
working with organisations
like Southland and doing anything we can.
And on that note,
this is why I've got this
section of every month's
Visual PR Live is it's
called the Charity Spotlight.
And it really came to me is
that I was working,
I was having a conversation with
a particular charity and he said, oh,
we do this.
And in my head, I kind of went, well,
I'm not going to go into
the details in this one,
but I kind of went, well,
I don't understand why that's necessary.
And I inadvertently almost
dismissed it in my head and
I got given a leaflet.
I skim read it.
I don't mean any disrespect for that,
but we're all busy.
It's what happens if it's a
lot of text to read,
we don't necessarily read it.
But when I actually did raise the question,
I said, I don't understand because of X,
Y, and Z. He then went, oh, no, no, no,
you've misunderstood.
And he went into more detail.
And I got it.
I got why it existed, what it was doing,
why it was doing it.
And he really made me
understand something else as well,
is that charities aren't
just about raising money.
In actual fact,
the raising money is there
to help achieve an objective.
And that's the most important thing.
What is the objective?
And how can people help them
achieve that objective?
Yes, funding is one of them,
but there could be practical exercise.
There could be collaboration
that we've been talking about,
all these things.
And that really lit
something in me that made
me realise I want to try
and shed a spotlight on more of these,
you know,
Steve Tombson,
Charities that we don't
understand about and this one,
I have to say, I have to admit,
is a prime example of one
I'm going to now look into
that charity spotlight
section and you've already
met her but we're going to
go into detail about this
particular charity.
Alone, we can do so little,
but together we can do so much.
Visual PR's charity
spotlight is about shining
a light on the amazing work
and objectives of charities,
as they do not do it for publicity,
but it is important that we
know about them, what they do,
and understand why.
Charity is not just about
making a donation,
it is about making a difference.
So there we go.
The charity spotlight, I just love that,
that we're really making a point.
The problem is, I'm a portfolio artist,
so you've still got to hear
me on that bit as well.
Sorry about that.
It's Chris Corso, hello, I know it is.
But massive welcome, properly now,
to Claire McDougall,
CEO of Phoenix Enterprises.
Tell us, what is Phoenix Enterprises?
So it's a mental health and
learning disability charity.
And people come in.
Outside the day,
the party is a warehouse
where people have come in
and they are working.
Instead of other charities
where you spend your time,
you might play crafts and crafts,
here you're doing hand-assembly work.
You come to us for really
one of two reasons.
Either you want to risk paid work.
We're a game changer because
we'll give you a real experience,
prove your skills, duality,
things like hygiene, time management.
But we also help and we help job searching,
ensure that you find the job.
And then the other reason,
there are those that don't want paid work,
but they want the dignity of work.
And so if they go down the path,
they go to the Blundstone Island.
Another placement.
They're whinging about their
path or whatever.
They can come in because
they're in the workforce.
So you meet everybody.
They're such a joint, friendly tribe.
Everybody's working.
Interestingly, the customers,
the plastic collaborations,
we work with so many partners.
Customers pay us.
the work our people do.
The pairs that are commercial,
what we do is we're slower
than a business that makes
money doing hand assembly.
We can only go at the pace
of the skills they've got.
But that covers 40% of our overheads.
And then the balance,
we fund these and grant
hundreds of grants, et cetera.
So collaborations for us,
anybody that either helps
us with services, websites, PR, marketing,
places, jobs with us,
anybody that's got hands to do work.
And we actually get jobs in from Harrods,
you know, I mean, it goes far afield.
It's not just in the hand assembly.
Because presumably,
you were talking about how having that...
forget the word I'm supposed to use,
but you're really trying to
get back as an organisation,
is that those organisations
are going to have it within
their mind as they're going, hey,
we need the work done anyway.
Let's give something back.
And we go through that route
and we accept it.
We don't ask quick.
We got less control, whatever.
But what a wonderfully
rewarding way for them to
have that work carried out.
And in terms of collaborations,
the more that you can help out,
so if somebody's helping you,
if you can help out back by
giving them some positive PR,
by giving them a great case
study they can put on their website,
social values.
so that they can shout about
the contribution they're making.
I mean,
you try to find those sweet spots
where people get payback.
So we do have loads of corporate teams.
There are at least 12
organisations this year
will do volunteering days with us.
So they bring in the,
you were saying earlier,
you have team members that
haven't seen each other for months.
sitting there doing hand-in-hand,
talking to our service users, giving back,
being really proud of themselves,
the organisation that lives
in these volunteering days.
And then, lo and behold, they'll go, oh,
we've got a charity Christmas raffle.
And the opportunities then
just... It just spreads, doesn't it?
It just naturally spreads.
Exactly.
You're not forcing that.
A phrase that comes to mind
with what you're hearing
there was a song,
but it was great before the song,
is give a man a fish and
he'll eat for a day,
teach a man a fish and he'll eat forever.
I said that without singing it as well.
That's gone.
A bit of arrested development there.
But for me, that's what really,
I immediately picked up,
we've got an ice cream van
in the background now as well,
immediately picked up on that,
giving them dignity, worth,
growing as well in terms of the knowledge,
the skills,
the CV that they can actually
get and look after
themselves going forward
possibly a little more.
The people that just don't
even give them a chance,
they get that opportunity
to go and do it.
I just love that it's not
just we're a charity that's
going to do it for them.
They've got to step up in
helping them do that.
I think that that's the
beautiful way to do it.
But the problem,
the reason why I do these
parallel spotlights,
you're on our doorstep.
You're in Dalgian industrial
today in Swindon that just
took us eight minutes, I think,
from our office to get here.
And it's probably about that to go.
Yeah.
And I didn't know it existed.
And that's the problem that
we face in this world of
too much information almost, isn't it?
But, so yes,
we need to get better at
shouting about what we do.
But equally, so it's almost like, yes,
if you're in Sweden, you know,
you'll now have heard about
us getting in touch because
we can collaborate and do something.
But equally,
so anybody who has to be watching this,
if you aren't currently
working with at least one,
but also not a number of charities,
really do because you know
they are sweet spots they
are the givebacks and you
know work in a
collaborative way so it's
not about just building
some money you know it
might be about time it
might be about giving some
expertise you know whatever
skill you've got you know
you will have HR experience
even if that isn't your
core yeah you know charity
you need this everything so
whatever it is there's this
contribution that you can
make that will be appreciated
and they look don't be shy
to look for the sweet spots
you know don't be shy to
say actually it would be
great if I got a case study
out I'm delighted that's
what makes it strong and
then you find yourself
climbing and being nervous
for the damn charity but
along with an end and then
the mp happens to help you
out so it goes on you know
No, exactly.
I mean, that was, Graham,
it was yourself that
suggested that I turn to
all the business guests we
get on to make it a charity,
which I know was the
impossible task for you, Graham,
with the fact that you're
involved with so many.
And it was kind of like...
with my involvement,
tried to select the one.
And I think, ironically,
even better than you anticipated,
because the collaboration
that we're discussing here
is fully relevant in this
particular party.
How many people are...
To say the truth,
how many people are you looking at?
How many people are working
here at any one time?
So at any one time, about 60 people.
And every year, we help just over 100.
So the reason is we are
aiming to move those who
can onto paid work.
For the first time ever.
but people take a different
amount of time to move on.
The shortest we've ever
succeeded is about 12 weeks.
And others might be,
and it amazes you that after five years,
suddenly the breakthrough
moment and somebody moves on.
Also,
somebody often moves on to a job and
you say, and they come back to you.
But it's about building that
resilience and bit by bit,
they will then move on.
Well,
I have in one of my other companies
where I do public speaking
training and things like that,
and I've got this analogy
that we can even apply to, say,
when you learn to drive a car,
where when you first start,
you're subconsciously incompetent.
You don't know what you don't know.
Then you become consciously incompetent.
you know what you should be
doing but you're probably
running at it so you keep
practicing you keep getting
instructed but you then
have to accept you go to
the next phase which is
consciously competent which
means you can do it but
you've got to keep
reminding yourself you've
got to have the point of
that before you eventually become sub
And the reason why I go
through that detail is that
people get frustrated
forgetting that they need
to be that consciously competent.
They think they can jump
straight to the subconsciously and go,
why can't I remember?
Why isn't it second nature?
And that will set them back a lot.
They'll give up.
They'll go, forget it.
I can't keep remembering.
It's like, you will.
It's repetition.
You know,
if we now think what we're driving,
I don't have to think
mirror signal manoeuvre.
just all happens now but I
went that wouldn't have
been the case to start with
and so it's about making
sure and you guys have
provided as I can see safe
space that is not just the
the packing as a prime
example down there I saw
that there's some strategic
spaces that look like it
teaches life lessons and
all sorts of things like
that is that a right
perception absolutely and
it's a person-centric
approach so whatever you need
And sometimes it happens right,
but sometimes it happens off right.
So, for example, somebody,
you aren't going to fall
into it unless you feel
some element of passion towards it.
You suddenly find a glimmer
that somebody's into gardening.
It's about them taking you
to a garden place or motorbike.
Mark was taking somebody
down to a motorbike.
wherever they were both
equally exciting finding
that each person will make
them overcome itself the
anxiety barrier and if it's
disability then it's those
other barriers but it's
about finding the right
place for each individual
and you mentioned about the
the disabilities or
difficulties it's a very
wide spectrum that is
incorporated within that
Very much so.
And I've learned so much.
Interestingly,
I've been here two years and
we were saying, is it what I expected?
What I hadn't expected is to
like the people so much.
And everyone is diverse and
people talk about diversity,
but I hadn't an idea of
what that really means in the real world.
And the joy and the
different things you gain
and benefit from
by being open-minded and understanding.
I mean,
I always think the most obvious
examples of that is autism
and other associated...
I've even struggled to put it
I know that they are challenged,
but they're such special
people because they're far
more intelligent than us.
Superpower in many ways.
Yes, 100%.
Their memory, they're intelligent.
It's just phenomenal.
I've got some colleagues in
the motor racing commentary
circuit that are on the
spectrum at varying levels.
And honestly, their recall is ridiculous.
And it's like going,
I could never have that.
And so as soon as you
understand that whilst some people
Behaviours,
I don't really know how best to say it.
It might be different to our norm.
there are things that they
can do miles better than we ever can.
And it's about understanding
and accepting and working
with those differences.
I'm sure I probably said
those things in a disrespectful way,
but it's just... And apologies if we have,
because it's really... 100%,
but I'm meaning it in the
absolute most positive
possible way that I can say it,
because it is incredible.
And I get your comment about
being the people.
How long has the charity been going?
We had our 20th anniversary last year.
Wow.
So, long time.
Going back to how
organisations can help charities,
I think one of the things
that we're probably weakest
at is marketing and promotion.
And I think the reason for
that is the running of a charity.
You'll have somebody in a
CEO position who clearly
has the financial ability,
the management ability.
You know that you've got
safeguarding absolutely
right you really risk and
you know the actual
governance piece I think
most charities are pretty good at
The thing that they might be less,
you know,
effective at is just
understanding how to do
good PR and marketing.
Because that often isn't the
skills that you'll have come in with.
And your time is so focused
on the running that the
promotion probably comes first.
So in terms of, you know,
if you are somebody out
there listening that wants to give back,
that is something that
they're crying out for.
and you're knocking at the door,
but they might not know it.
So it's about, you know,
helping them understand.
But Jill already, so, you know,
we had a website that was
fairly scruffy and two of your guys,
and they really sat down with us,
understood.
who we were as a charity, what we were of,
what was the core message, you know,
made us concentrate on who
is our key audience,
who are we talking to.
There was no point in us
going on socials that were, you know,
not met, that we wanted to,
what was it all about?
Yeah, it's all about that strategy piece.
I'm very much somebody which
is like things on my feet.
My team will probably kill me for this.
But understanding in turn is really,
really important.
So getting somebody to come
along and do something is fine,
but understanding
internally is really important.
why don't we see if people
like yourself who need to
understand the strategies and direct,
get them into our offices
and we'll put a day on.
We'll do a strategy day.
Let's see if we can get for charity,
sort of, you know,
people that are in charge
of making decisions and
direction and we'll put a day on.
And you can come by and we can...
probably collaborate there
you go all the different
issues which all of you
individually have with a
view that you can come out
of that with some sort of
individual marketing plan
and then at least you know
a direction yeah yeah and
that's calling on story I
think you know it is then
it comes back to the phrase
I used earlier about teaching how to fish
um and and they'll be
forever and I think that
that's a key thing and
that's what I love about it
where does your personal
involvement come from where
what brought you here yeah
Well, isn't life like that?
It's one of those funny
things where all your
skills then suddenly line up in a row.
It was actually one of the
previous trustees rang me up and said,
you don't happen to be free, do you?
We have a CEO vacancy.
And, you know,
the timing was just right for me.
But I've got a grandmother
who set up a physical
disability charity way back
in South Africa.
So, you know,
these things just come together,
don't they, in one explosion.
There you are.
Is this now take all of your
focus or you do another thing as well?
I've got another random job.
Yes.
No, I know that.
I think we always get that one.
You know, earlier you were like, oh,
I don't know how to frame this.
I don't know how to work this.
This is where me and my team
learn from collaborating
with organisations like yourself,
because there's a piece out
there in terms of the value
that you could consult to smaller,
larger companies,
them aware of opportunities,
things in the workplace.
So, you know,
we recently moved into my new office.
We had somebody come round there,
obviously audited for
suitable disability access.
That was like a nationwide
organisation that did that.
Surely that work, like yourself or others,
where there's education, seminars,
just another way of naming the charity,
but also then delivering
that knowledge that you
want in your droves here, back to small,
like myself or maybe other
people or whatever in local places,
to give them that education.
Well, this is it.
So anybody who wants to
genuinely address inclusion,
actually have a bunch of you
know with real lived
experience you know we can
absolutely chat about what
it's like if you wanted to
make employability
accessible if you're amazon
with warehouse and you
genuinely want just come
talk to some of our people
you know that's what it's not theory
being brave is and you you
are brave that one of the
career and saying you were
being brave then we are a
society where we don't know
we don't know whether we cause
disability or a condition,
we worry about how that proceeds.
That was brave to address
that and to say you weren't
aware of doing it.
There are quite a few people
that have HR incidents
because they've just
handled something wrong
because they've not known
how to do something.
And that is a cornerstone of inclusivity.
It does go both ways.
As long as it comes from a
place wanting to do things
right and as long as
they've got the right we
brave colleagues we can't
say things in a way which
might be technically wrong
but we understand where
we're coming from that's
where the reassurance from
organizations like
education police can really
bolster that I feel really proud
No, I do,
and it genuinely has been
wonderful to hear all about
the charity here.
I have put up on the screen
phoenixenterprises.co.uk, all one word.
You can go and find out more
a little bit about that and
get in touch with the team.
And I think it's fair to say
that this conversation has
been very decently taken by
Claire to more than not just Phoenix,
but to the wider community.
both charitable world and
with the various challenges
that have been looked after,
that there are other places
that we can be supporting all of this.
And I love the description
about various different
ways that we can be doing with it.
And that's what the
spotlight was all about.
Yes,
there's still funding required and I'm
not trying away from that.
There is most definitely
funding is required.
However,
the spotlight is trying to make
people realise there are
multiple ways to support a
charity to achieve its
objective and its wonderful objectives.
We walked in here and we
were instantly greeted with
just such lovely smiles and brought up,
let me go and find out, yep,
you can come upstairs.
And they're just, it was so helpful.
um it was wonderful and I i
love that whole feeling
that it's it's given in
that sense of purpose back
sense of of helping them to
go and achieve it's not
just doing everything for
that that really resonated
with me a lot so phoenixenterprises.co.uk
Do you have any final other
words that you'd like to share, Claire,
or have we covered it all?
You've covered it all,
but if anyone's interested
in anything more, please get in touch.
Please, definitely, definitely.
And your website will have
all your contact details, doesn't it?
Graham from GEL,
thank you for the
collaboration piece in particular,
and obviously all the great
work that you and your team
do over at GEL.
Lovely to talk to people
like yourself about issues
which not very many people
are talking about.
No, exactly.
And I've got that on the screen again.
I know Graham won't mind.
It's been wonderful to speak to you both.
Thank you so much for being
wonderful guests on Prism PR Live.
Thank you for those that have watched.
been an absolute joy to
share this conversation
with you you can see that
this is why we do it is it
the conversation just flows
and we could sit here
probably another half an
hour at least very easily
talking about this but
we'll leave you in peace
now I'll be back next month
keep your eye out to see
what episode six will be
all about it'll be the same
it'll be a business guest
and a charity spotlight but
from gel studios and of
course in extent of us
myself chris doors from
video pr see you next time cheers
Bye.