Kennedy’s World Chocolate Forum 2014

I was lucky to be invited to attend the Kennedy’s World Chocolate Forum on Oct 2nd 2014 at the London British Library. Running for the past three years, it is the only Summit in the world that has been created to discuss chocolate. 300 producers attend the event and some are from the biggest companies in the world.

Kennedy’s World Chocolate Forum 2014 anguskennedy

Kennedy’s World Chocolate Forum 2014
It was a truly extraordinary experience trying different type of chocolates and finding out about choices regarding their production.

Angus Kennedy, founder of the event, born into a publishing family that was already dealing with confectionary, is a very spiritually driven intellectual; he believes the soul will always lead you to what you are meant to do in the end. His major passion, beside chocolate of course, lies in writing and he has already written lots of books. He admits: “The best jobs are always the ones you create for yourself and not certainly the ones, you get offered!” A lot of people contributing to the production of chocolate are indeed entrepreneurs involved in creative stuff. Angus Kennedy, honestly admitted, despite every exams he took he failed, he became a prolific writer. He loves children and is aware of many issues that are often not addressed to make things better for them. He is currently writing a children’s book and, if he would ever become famous as a children writer, it would be quite ironic for children to get inspiration from.

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Mr Kennedy is aware it is always extremely hard when you set up a new business but he remarks: ”Success is the ability to fail continuously and be happy every time because one day you will succeed”. He was very close to achieve his biggest dream, having a TV programme about chocolate, but it did not work out in the end. Life is made of many knock backs but it is important to have the ability to be happy with failure and proceed even when keeping on failing. His motto: “You can succeed all the times but one day you will fail and you can fail all the times but one day you will succeed”.

His latest published book: ‘Good Reasons for Bad Things’ [reviewed here on Frost] is made of 222 maxims such as: “I don’t buy chocolate to stay healthy but I stay healthy so that I can eat chocolate”. Mr Kennedy, which is into tarots, numerologist, universalism, etc. He started writing maxims as he kept on waking up in the middle of the night at 2:22am; he looked into the meaning behind it and this is how he has 222 maxims in the book. As it happened to him waking up at the same time every night, he realised to have been chosen to write about things as if inspired by external forces. He loves writing to make people laugh.

As I randomly open his latest book, I read a maxim: “One must not be too friendly to the English, they are not used to it and the shock can be highly damaging to our health.” And he admits: “Rude!” I have a good laugh at it and certainly do not let that bother my interview proceedings!

He remarks, there has got to be a TV programme about chocolate one day because chocolate is a product that is the expression of freedom and represents a moment of pleasure. Moments of freedoms are very rare nowadays in the society we live in where we are more and more concerned about time and making money when, at least over the weekend, we should definitely be taking time away to relax and let go the week past behind. And this is where came the idea of his blog Friday Light, which quickly raised from 50 readers to 13.000 ones! Really I could not say Mr Kennedy does not come up with the most interesting ideas!

Without denying chocolate is the second most fattening product in the world together with butter it has yet to be understood the more cocoa butter you take out during the chocolate making process, the less it becomes chocolate, so there is no point even conceiving a healthy chocolate… it will be like making wine without grapes!

The most heated argument at the forum was regarding the global transit which is going to happen within the next 5-10 years; China, South Africa, Brazil, India and Russia markets
will be all doubling in size, which means there is not going to be much cocoa left for Europe. According to this trend for 2020 it will be needed to increase the supply of cocoa for Europe and the producers are discussing where it is possible to invest some money to increment some farming in Ivory Coast ideally accordingly to fair trade standards. It has been argumented the only problem with fair trade production is often the increased costs attached to it since the majority of consumers tend to go for cheaper products rather than the fair trade ones but of course the issue has yet to be raised to support, for what it is possible, the importance and fairness of acting within the fair trade production standards.

Written by Paola Berta

Is The Drive For ‘Quality’ Killing Education?

educationIs the consistent drive for higher quality or at least the control of quality effectively killing our educational efforts? It’s a question that has sparked some very heated debates among parents and among educators.

Quality should be the driver of education, working to improve FE at every level. Some would argue that the push for quality, rather than the delivery itself is distracting us from the mission at hand and additionally detracting from the level of education that we provide. In and of itself, quality is not detrimental. It is, and should be an integral provision of education that our country currently needs. With the right staff, and the right approach, we can use quality as the driving force for improved education on every level.

At any level, it’s the quality of educators that will determine the success of students. Lecturers, support staff, educational management and even non-academic support should all be aligned with the same focus; delivering and supporting a curriculum that leads to success.

Before we can improve education, the system within any FE organisation should be analysed to determine its effectiveness. This should involve benchmarking, as well as competition analysis. Benchmarking will determine the capabilities of courses and modules, as well as the support structures around them. Academic results only tell part of the story, because it’s the function of the whole organisation that leads to these results. Competition analysis can indicate where processes are working, and where they are failing. Studying competing universities, polytechnics, and private FE providers can provide insight in to why a particular system is failing, and adapting successful strategies to an underperforming institution can help to improve quality and deliver results.

Quality of leadership will be the determining factor in the improvement of education through the quality of FE providers. Directors, vice principals, and principals etc. will continue to play a key role in the decision-making process. They will offer tips and assistance in strategy and focus, and have the task of driving these strategies through their leadership teams. Through the trickle-down effect, lecturers, leadership, assessors, trainers, and other support staff will all have the responsibility to drive strategies that eventually result in improved education for students.

Because quality is a huge focus in education, from a government, and private institutional level, there is currently a high demand for skilled individuals in all areas of education. Academic and vocational lecturers of the highest quality are required to deliver learning in a way that is engaging to the current generation of students. Apprenticeship assessors and trainers are also required to facilitate learning and grade competency in the trade industries outside of traditional academia.

There is even a need for high calibre guidance counsellors, and student support professionals. These are the people who will be able to gauge the effectiveness of any FE institution, because they are the ones who can view the structure holistically, right down to the experience of students.

A strong leader will be able to build the right teams consisting of professionals from all areas, while fostering the change required that will raise quality in their institution. Are you prepared to raise standards in further education?

As a senior educator, it will be your drive that raises the bar when it comes to quality in education. Whether you’re tenured in your current role, or seeking your next opportunity as a senior FE professional, a market leader in academic recruitment has a lot to offer you. At Morgan Hunt, their vastly experienced education team have the knowledge and inside view of market shifts to help you discover the roles where you can make a difference, or to find the professionals that you need to assist you in delivering excellence at your current facility.

 

Maternity Burden On Small Business ‘Overstated’

1024px-Mother_Kissing_BabyWe found this very interesting at Frost: Small business owners over-estimate the burden of providing maternity protection to their staff a new review, conducted by a team of experts from Middlesex University for the International Labour Organization, has revealed in a new report, out now.

The review, led by Middlesex University Professor of Organizational Psychology Suzan Lewis, suggests that effective maternity protection has a positive rather than negative on SMEs and can have a range of positive productivity related outcomes for firms, as well as wider social benefits.

 

 

The team found:

SME owner-managers are often adverse to maternity protection regulations, fearing the time and costs involved can lead to a competitive disadvantage.

There is a link between maternity protection and improvements in performance and productivity, linked to enhanced employee satisfaction and commitment.

There are wider societal benefits of effective maternity protection including poverty reduction, reproductive health, gender equality, fertility rates, and economic development.

Commenting on the review’s findings, Professor Lewis said: “Anything that is going to impact the financial stability of a business is naturally of concern to its owner, and that is why it is so important to understand that many maternity protection practices can have little or no costs and considerable benefits.

Middlesex University Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR) Research Associate Dr Bianca Stumbitz added: “It is clear that a supportive workplace is crucial – one that is sensitive to gender-specific issues and that recognises the joint roles that both men and women play in family life.”

The report shows that women who know their employer will support them as they start a family and avoid stereotyping their role in the workplace are happier, more loyal and therefore more productive. For these positive effects to arise and maternity, paternity and family responsibilities to become a normal fact of business life, maternity protection and other work-family balance measures need to ‘fit’ into practices and interests of SMEs.

The review also found there was space for government to help ease any financial strain on small businesses complying with maternity provisions.

Professor Lewis said: “The economic reality means that if we want small business to implement strong maternity protections, some financial compensation by way of tax breaks or public subsidies may be necessary – and that is something policy-makers ought to consider seriously.

“Additionally, education campaigns designed to raise awareness and provide practical advice to employers struggling with maternity entitlement issues is also vital – especially information which highlights the potential productivity benefits.”

The report also highlighted the urgent need to address economic and cultural challenges facing working mothers in developing countries, which has largely been ignored by research.

Compiled for the International Labour Organization, the review was authored by Professor Suzan Lewis, Dr Bianca Stumbitz, Dr Lilian Miles and Dr Julia Rouse.

 

 

Foxcroft and Ginger

Foxcroft and Ginger was opened 4 years ago, Foxcroft & Ginger takes its name from its owners. Quentin’s family name is Foxcroft and his wife Georgina who is a very proud redhead. With their combined passion for food and relaxation and seeing as there was nowhere that offered a totally chilled out place to just sit, eat and enjoy the finer things in life, they set about brining a little place to relax, eat fabulous food, sip tremendous coffee and indulge in a spot of wine. They found a missing niche and they have certainly done a grand job of filling it.

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We where invited to sample the menu and see for ourselves that this place has ready got what it takes to make any hungry Londoner satisfied in more ways than one.

The decor is modern and industrial with exposed brick walls, wooden tables and benches that have comfy cushions. Very welcoming when you want to while away a few hours enjoying fine coffee, fresh orange juice and delectable food.

We where seated upstairs near the window, perfect for food photography. If you know me by now you will know I’m rather partial to a good foodie shot. Fashion and food are my favourite things in life and when you find a fashionable place to eat that makes the heart race a little faster.

We ordered our coffees, Ian went for the long black and I had the Aeropress, Mine was like nectar, no sugar or milk was needed although they did give me a nice little jug of steamed soya milk on the side. By all accounts Ian’s coffee was rather good too.

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We indulged in a drop of freshly squeezed orange juice that was sublime and complemented or brunch so well. Served in mini bottles they looked just perfect nestled on the little wooden table.

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Now for the main event….the food. I have never seen eggs Benedict served with pulled pork before so this is what I opted for. Ian had the hash brown, sausage, egg breakfast with Bloody Mary sauce.

My perfect eggs on perfect soft, lean pulled pork that melted into the sourdough bread so tenderly. This is what Sundays where meant for. Ian’s dish was accompanied by lots of nodding in my direction so I feel he felt the same.

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  FoxCroft and Ginger

We then paused for a while chatting about our weekend and how great the place was. Trying to pick fault but alas all we could come up with was that we actually live a little too far away and it meant we couldn’t make it our regular Sunday haunt!!

FoxCroft and Ginger

Never one to pass up on pudding even brunch has to have a sweet! Ian decided to go for a pot proper tea and a freshly made scone with jam. Keen not to pile on too many pounds I could only muster a herbal tea! Letting the side down I know, but did you see the size of my meal?!

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FoxCroft and Ginger

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Now we have to point out here that yes this is rather a picture packed review but seeing is believing and we needed to do this place justice, and you know me…photography and Personal styling are my main things, along with of course writing for Frost and my own fashion magazine!

All the food served at Foxcroft and Ginger is all made on the premises including the jam, scones, cakes and even the bread. Most of the cakes and bread are sold to other local establishments and they only purchase local produce for around the area.

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FoxCroft and Ginger

If you haven’t paid them a visit you really should, if you are lucky enough to live near by we are very jealous and wish we could sample the entire menu! Saying that we defiantly will be back as it’s top of our list as everything we saw served looked utterly beautiful.

Top marks for presentation, satisfaction, attention to detail and the staff where delightful and attentive.

We give it 5 stars here at Frost Magazine as all go this delicious food came in under £25!!!

Next week head over to SLBStyle.com and you can see the rest of our day filled with all the fashion and the London sights!

Follow them on Twitter @Foxcroftanginger.

Find them

3 Berwick Street, Soho
London W1F 0DR
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69-79 Mile End Road
Whitechapel E1 4TT

For more photography info checkout www.sarahbacchus.com. For styling head over to www.slbstyle.com and follow me on twitter @sarahbacchus

The 6 Secrets to Starting a Business Whilst on Maternity Leave

The 6 Secrets to Starting a Business Whilst on Maternity Leave

By Emma Walker

emmawalker

 

When you first get pregnant, you may think that you will go back to your current job without too many changes, and for some women this will happen.

 

But for others, when they’re holding their baby in their arms, they just know that things have changed forever and they might not want to go back to their job.

 

This is why using your maternity leave is a great opportunity to evaluate your career and decide what you want to do after your leave ends – return to your job, become a stay at home mum or start your own business.

 

Whatever direction you choose, just remember that you are doing what’s right for you and your family so please don’t feel like you have to follow ‘the rules’.

 

If you decide to take the plunge and start your own business, follow these 6 simple steps to make the transition easier:

 

  1. Decide on your business idea

Let me be very clear right from the start.  Running a business is hard work and definitely NOT a get rich quick scheme – if that’s what you’re after, you need to go elsewhere!

 

That’s why it’s really important to choose something that you’re going to enjoy doing a lot of.  Think about your past jobs, your hobbies, what your talents are – is there a business idea lurking there?  What can you do that you can get passionate about?

 

There are lots of business opportunities out there, whether you are selling your own products or services, or buying into a franchise or MLM business, you will find something that is a fit for your skills, experience and goals.

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  1. Get clear on the type of client you want to work with

You will spend a lot of time, and money if you’re not careful, on marketing so you need to make sure that what you do works.

 

This is where getting clear on who your ideal client is key and is something that you must take the time to do.

 

Really get to know the type of person you want to buy your product or service, this makes marketing so much easier.  By focusing on one type of person (instead of everyone), you can tailor all your marketing materials to speak to only those people – this is what will get results.

 

You want your ideal clients to see any of your marketing materials (your website, business card, leaflet, advert etc) and know that you are the person they need to work with as you obviously understand them, after all, you speak their language.

 

  1. Stand out from the crowd

The sign of a good product or service is if there’s already some competition, this means that people are already buying what you’re offering from competitors.

 

It is your job to make sure that you stand out from all your competitors in the eyes of your target market so that you are the only choice they should be making when they want to buy your product or service.

 

Think about what extras you can add that will really appeal to your customers and make them spend their money with your business.

 

The other thing you can do, that a lot of people don’t do, is make sure that you inject your personality into your marketing.  We all buy from people so be yourself as that will attract people to do business with you.

 

  1. Speak your customers language

If you’ve taken the time to really get to know your ideal customers, you should have discovered what their issues are and why they’d want to buy your product or service.

 

What is keeping them up at night, what are they prepared to pay anything to solve?

 

Knowing this can help you to create a marketing message that will show them that your product or service is the perfect solution they need.  You can turn their big problems into questions that will make them say yes to you.

 

  1. Manage your time

As a busy mum, we only have a limited time available to work on the business so you need to get focused so that you get all the important work done – instead of chatting to friends on Facebook.

 

Set up a schedule so that you know exactly what time you have available to work on the business and when you will be with your family – a great visual for everyone in the house to know when mummy is working so that there aren’t any interruptions.

 

Talk to your partner and get them on board to help you out – can they do some of the housework, help out with the kids more, do the cooking?  Anything that can free up your time to focus on the business.

 

Take the time to plan out what work you need to complete for the week so that you can get straight to work as soon as you’re in work mode – instead of wasting valuable time wondering what you should be doing.

 

  1. Plan for success 

Map out your goals for your business as well as the tasks you need to do to achieve that goal.  You then need to break those tasks down to 90 day chunks as this timescale is perfect to make you focus on what is important.

 

These tasks can be included on your weekly planning to make sure that you get them done and stay focused on achieving your goals.

 

If you’re struggling trying to fit everything in, ask yourself if the task to do on your list will move you one step closer to your goal.  If the answer is no, it can wait until a later date and you need to focus on something else that does move you closer to your goal.

 

Use your goals to keep you accountable so that you do achieve exactly what you want with your business.

 

There are lots of things to start and market a successful family friendly business but these are the 6 essential things you should focus on first whilst you’re still on maternity leave.

 

 

About the author

 

Emma Walker is the founder of The Mumpreneur’s Mentor and a busy mum of 2 little divas.  As a mums in business coach, she works with mums who want to start and market their own successful family friendly business as well as mums already in business who want to take their business to the next level without sacrificing time with their family.

 

Learn her ‘6 Success Secrets to Running a Family Friendly Business’ in a free training session. Get the details and register now at www.MumpreneurSuccess.com

 

 

Feathers 40th Birthday Bash

We spent a wonderful night celebrating with a charming family and drank some seriously exceptional cocktails. We chatted away to all 3 generations about life, family, pets and the passion of the clothing industry. To say I was in my element would be an understatement.

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Snapped with Lilly Pebbles

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Robert from Feathers

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The charming Richard from D.J. Limbrey Distilling Co

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The event was supported by D1 London Gin with the distinctive blue skull artwork created by Jacky Tsai who you all will instantly recognise his designs when I say “Alexander McQween” He was the intern that created the highly sought after fashion accessory that to this day is still coveted.

He is a passionate artist that’s so humble you just gravitate to him. We talked about all his up and coming creations, what inspires him, design, life and his culture. But mostly our love of fabrics, pattern cutting and all the fashion geeky stuff that makes me giddy. I’m really looking forward to seeing his new collection soon and letting you all know more about him.

The reason we where there was to celebrate with Feathers for its 40th birthday. Feathers is a beautiful family run business that first opened it’s doors way back in 1969. The Burstein’s gave the original boutique labels like Biba, Ossie Clark and many more. Now the stunning well established shop has a huge following and an even bigger reputation.

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2 Lovely ladies and our very own Catherine right there in the background. Almost a photobomb moment!!

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DJ Georgia Lewis was in the house!

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We made new friends!

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We nibbled on the best canapés

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Fabulous Stylists

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Edward Aydin from Fashion Broadcasting Corporation Styleisfashion.com

Style and fashion is what I live, breath and sleep for. I’m the kind of girl that goes to bed at night dreaming about all aspects of style, from shooting beauty, helping clients feel and look good to searching for one off outfits I or they will love for years to come.

My idea of a perfect day is browsing in a calm little boutique that I know will always be able to help me find the perfect outfit for my client or myself! Being able to find stunning items that will work on photo shoots or just to browse amongst the delightful clothes and mentally style an outfit from top to bottom I’m my head.
Feathers ticks all the boxes for me and even you are not close to the Knightsbridge store they have an online boutique that’s amazingly user friendly. The company are constantly looking for new and exciting designers to add to the store and website. Keeping it up to date for each and every season. There is something for everyone and quality is guaranteed.

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The lovely Alison from Felicities

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The charismatic Dominic Limbrey & The oh so talented Jacky Tsai

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3 Generations of the Feathers family all squished together! An amazing family and it was so wonderful to meet the Grandma that I adore now as much as my own.

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We have decided to go back very soon and feature the store for an article. They where packed to the rafters last night and it was one of the best fashion gorges we have had in a very long time. We filled up on perfectly made cocktails featuring the totally mind blowing infused gin created by D.J. Limbrey and glorious style.

The shop is situated right next to Harrods so you can’t miss it. It’s well worth a visit and even if you can’t make a trip there you have to follow this wonderful families boutique on twitter! If you are near by then pop along, say hello and wander about this beautiful store. If you have ever heard of them then you will thank me so much for introducing it to you! Now get those heels on and hightail yourself off for a gastronomic fashion feast!

Now if you have spotted yourself and want a lovely little link to your website to Twitter page, please don’t hesitate in contacting me @SarahBacchus and l will give you a mention with links. Both myself and my photographer husband Ian Bacchus had a great evening and came home with so many cards we lost track!!

Is Generation Z The Most Ambitious Generation Ever?

Club DKNY In Celebration of #DKNYARTWORKSNew youth report reveals today’s 16-25 year-olds as aspirational creators

 

  • Three in five young people want to run their own business

 

  • ‘Freedom to achieve my goals’ valued more highly than money

 

  • Two in five place ‘failure’ as their biggest fear

 

An in-depth report commissioned by Lucozade Energy has uncovered the UK’s youth to be a pioneering generation of self-driven entrepreneurs, despite the uphill struggle they face with securing a job after education.

 

The report, commissioned by the brand amongst 16-25 year olds, reveals that over half (62%) are interested in working for themselves or creating their own brand. The aptly named Gen-erators Z are a group of young people who have grown up in a world where technology exploded, making it more possible than ever for them to do what they want to; from publishing their own book, to being able to sell their products direct to consumers, they are now able to realise their dreams more than ever.

 

Hamish Stephenson, an 18 year-old filmmaker who chose to ‘invent’ his own career by making money from his passions, comments: “I have the attitude that I can do it, and nothing will stop me. Why not just do what you want to do, and what you are passionate about, instead of being stressed that you might not have enough money in the future, or you might not have a job.”

 

This emerging tribe of self-starters has clearly not developed without a catalyst; growing up in austerity Britain could be attributed to this rise in entrepreneurial spirit. Nearly three quarters (71%) admit to feeling under pressure because it is harder than ever to get a job and more than three in five (69%) feel they are under more pressure than their parents were at their age.

 

This sense of pressure can also be seen when considering young people’s biggest fears; almost two in five (38%) admit that failure is their biggest fear and 17% state that not having the energy or time to follow their passions and dreams would be the worst thing that could happen to them. It is clear that they are putting themselves under immense pressure to succeed on their own terms and they really want to make the most of every moment.

 

Despite this, today’s youth believe that society has a negative perception of them – considering them to be more interested in taking selfies than being a self-starter. 91% of 16-25-year-olds think other people, and society generally, has a bad opinion of young people today, with 36% of respondents thinking that people wrongly believe young adults are afraid of hard work. One in ten (10%) admits to spending nearly all of their spare time trying to further their career and more than a third of 16-25 year-olds questioned (36%) would say that their work/life split is around 75% work and 25% life.

 

Bejay Mulenga, a 20 year-old entrepreneur from London says, “My main goal is to keep on striving forward and to keep on being as efficient as I am now…anything I put my mind to, I just go out and get it. You don’t always get what you want, but if you put the work in, you kind of get it.”

 

This desire for career freedom amongst 16-25 year-olds could be seen as a rebellion against the restricting ‘job for life’ concept prevalent in their parents’ era. When given a list of 20 choices of life dreams, including making my parents proud (17%), owning my own home (22%) or earning good money (21%), the most popular aspiration was ‘to be able to live the life I want and have the money and freedom to achieve goals’ (29%). This ranked much higher than living debt-free (11%), which was significantly lower.

 

Dr Rupa Huq, Sociologist at Kingston University, comments: “The young people of today feel a need for the world to be a better place but also, one to have fun, and for that reason they are not that materialistic but seek a sense of satisfaction in what they do.”

 

Ed Hardy, 17 year-old founder of telecoms start-up Edge Mobile, believes it is all about prioritising happiness over boosting your bank balance: “Often people assume that if you’re a young entrepreneur you’re out for money. I think, actually, there is a change and money is no longer so important. Actually, happiness and doing a career that you enjoy (is) really fulfilling for you personally; it’s just so much more important now.”

 

www.generatorsz.tumblr.com

 

 

Mind The Gender Gap – Men (Apparently) Make The Best Bosses

Frost has come across a survey we are not sure about. Do men really make the best bosses? 56% of people in a staff bay survey thought so, but we would like your input. Do men or women make the best bosses or does gender not matter when it comes to leadership? Let us know by commenting below or emailing us at frost magazine@gmail.com

  • 56% said they thought men make the best office generals
  • Just 4% of those surveyed said “they didn’t mind” whether a man or woman was their boss
  • Survey comes on back of recent ONS figures showing gender pay gap has decreased since the 1970s but disparity between what men and women take home today still differs dramatically after the age of 30.

 

suitamnestypaulcostelloeThe gender gap might be closing in the office, but men still make the best bosses, that’s the message from a new survey by social media-based recruitment specialists, staffbay.com

 

staffbay.com, which uses social media to bring jobseekers and employers together, asked 15,000 workers which gender they would prefer as a boss, and 56 per cent of them said they thought men make the best office generals. Interestingly, 62 per cent of those questioned were men, and just 4 per cent of those surveyed said “they didn’t mind” whether a man or woman was their boss.

 

staffbay co-founder, Tony Wilmot says that, although attitudes are changing, there still exists a gender divide in the workplace.

 

“The results of our latest survey show that, when it comes to taking up positions of power at work, men still rule the roost. What is particularly shocking about our survey is that only 4 per cent of those surveyed are ambivalent about the gender of their boss.

 

Tony adds: “In 1953, Gallup ran a poll showing that 66 per cent would choose a male boss and only 5 per cent a female one. Thankfully, times are changing. No-one wants to live in a male dominated world, as this only deters young, female talent from entering the workplace.

 

“We know from seeing behind the scenes at staffbay.com, that there are more young females than ever applying for traditionally male roles, and we welcome this. Our message is: get yourselves out there – become the bosses and business leaders of tomorrow.”

 

The survey comes on the back of recent Office of National Statistics Figures which showed that the gender pay gap has decreased since the 1970s but the disparity between what men and women take home today still differs dramatically after the age of 30.

 

Figures show that in 1975, 16 to 18 year olds of both sexes were paid similar sums but this changed after the age of 18 with men earning more than women at every age group. At that time, the biggest percentage pay gap was for 38 year olds, with male employees receiving on average 61 per cent more than their female counterparts.

 

“It’s time for this to change,” says Tony. “By pushing themselves forward and showing their talents off to prospective employers, fast-rising females can make sure this gap closes. We urge them to do all they can to make sure the gender balance is equal.”