The Heathrow Experience

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Sarah Bacchus

The new Heathrow Terminal 2 opens on the 4th of June 2014 and its set to be the best, most opulent and tremendous one yet. With 62 fabulous shops and fine dining areas all for you the traveler. This meticulously designed experience is all about the passengers. Making it a truly wonderful visit, you will just long for more time to wander about, shop and even have a luxury relaxing massage, shower and a nice rest before your flight. This sounds too good to be true but trust me I had the chance to test this all out recently and boy oh boy was it good!! Each shop has travel in mind and each and every one has thought of everything from keeping the kids happy to keeping you completely spoilt rotten.

Thomas Pink has a new state of the art personalised digital touch screen shirt maker. The Personally Pink gadget where you can choose the shirt, collar, colour, size and all the little details of your choice and they will create your shirt and get it specially delivered to your home within about 4 weeks. You now can be your own shirt designer and no one will have the same as you!

Cath Kidston, the British known institution of vintage kitsch is the best place to drop in for gifts and all those amazing holiday items you always want to purchase last minute. The shop will feature unique travel inspired designs at the terminal.

The amazing Sunglasses Hut have a very cool device called the Magic Mirror that allows passengers to try on frames with virtual technology!! I spent ages trying on the coolest new designs. The store is set to also feature a Luxury room with some High end fashion brands. On leaving the event I looked into my goodie bag and low and behold they had popped a pair of the latest Folding Ray-Bans in the bag! What a fab event and we all got totally spoilt.

Having some fun at the even! Its not all work and no play at Frost. Work hard play hard, haven’t you heard our motto!!Dixons Travel is my kinda place. This new Leica camera is on my ultimate wish list. All hand made and a photographers dreamy dream. I did joke and pretend the pinch it but with a price tag of around £4000 I decided it wouldn’t be a good idea if they ever wanted me for a Photo shoot!! Now on the other hand these babies below are more in my price range, the latest sound box that connects to your phone wirelessly. The sound that was heard coming from these was tremendous. I need one for photo shoots that are in extreme places without electricity. Just imagine this dinky little number by the pool playing your favourite tunes or sitting sipping a nice glass of red while watching the sun go down, with delightful chill out music in the background. Whats brilliant these are just under £100 too!At the World Duty free bar we got to sample the cocktails and whiskeys. I opted for my all time favourite that is a Virgin Marry. I have to say it was possibly the best one I have ever had. Compliments to the gentleman creating them.The World Duty Free section will be offering whisky tasting, complimentary facials, massages and treatments, all are amazing I can reassure you. Now for the highlight of the day for me and that was the Plaza Premium Lounge. This will be the only independent lounge offering the most exquisite taylor made massages. With an incredible array of highly trained and courteous staff, this company has you and only you the passenger at the heart of what they are offering. First class treatment that fulfils every wish, every tiny little desire you might require. It will have 5 sleeping suites, shower rooms, business centre facilities, Wi-Fi workstations, private resting areas and a free restaurant, not just a cold buffet either, but with really sublime hot food, delicious Moorish premium dishes . For just £38 you can have 2 hours of access that includes all the above and you could even have a an exclusive wellness spa massage, you must book when you know you are visiting Terminal 2 as the massage I had was sublime. All this and there is also a Champagne bar. I really need to book a holiday and hope for delays!! Their ethos is service and superior service at that. Sleek, contemporary and accessible to everyone, Five star luxury at reasonable prices. Their products are delicious too, and the candles…well the candles. You will just have to visit them to experience this for yourself won’t you! Tearing myself away from all that for a spot of salmon sampling and caviar slurping. Nothing else would have done it mind you. Caviar House and Prunier offers incredible Balik salmon, caviar, chocolate and champagne. Every one of us at the event was overwhelmed at the flavours. I was instantly taken back to my childhood sitting on my fathers boat, lapping up the sea breeze and the salty air. This caviar not only tasted triumphant but made me feel like I had been whisked off on holiday. The ice bar was amazing, full to the brim with treats.With all this going on at the Terminal would you need anything else, oh yes you could. Personal shopping is the ultimate experience in its self and at Heathrow its all complimentary. With over 400 outlets at your disposal you can book a consultation with one of the accredited stylists fluent in 38 languages. Heathrow has thought of everything thats for sure.Now for some fun foodie news as Heathrow also welcomes Heston Blumenthal and his fantastic team to Terminal 2, with the opening of The Perfectionists’ Cafe. Celebrating all this is British from burgers made by grinding the meat grains in the same direction to create the most juicy and delicious burger you have ever eaten. Crunchy fresh cooked chips with a wicked batter coating. Pizzas cooked in wood burring oven and the option for a 15 minute menu if you are in a hurry.

I can’t wait to fly with Heathrow and want to thank them so much for hosting the mind blowing #ExperienceT2 it was by far the best press day I have been to this year. With 2.5 Billion invested in this development you are really in for a wonderful holiday right from the moment you step into the airport. Right what flights are setting off from Terminal 2….?!!!

Follow them on Twitter @HeathrowAirport and Follow me too if you like for more reviews, fashion and fun on Twitter @sarahbacchus Jump on over to www.slbstyle.com for more lifestyle, fashion and beauty.

Ginger Gelato Winchester

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Sarah Bacchus

Italian gelato has to be amongst the most delightful things in life. Chocolate, strawberries and Oreo cookies just about level at the top too. Cakes and fantastic coffee being a close second.

Hold on what do we have here…A new little deli…an ice cream parlour…NO its a full on Italian gelato dream, coffee house and they have cake too, not just any cake. This is the brain child of Ginger Tea For Two. All the wondrous harmony from the tea shop across the road but with a twist. Italian flair, Italian excitement and REAL Italian gelato. Made with love and devotion and with the best ingredients you can possibly get. Chatting to Claire Owen the manager her passion for the recipes is heartwarming. Who knew so much went into gelato.

Just feast your delectable little eyes on that little lot. I almost had a Vicar of Dibley moment..you know the one where she says “I’m going in” and dives right into the chocolate fountain. Only my lactose intolerance held me back!!
We got to try out each and every single flavour and choose our favourite so we could take some away and enjoy while pottering around town, or the option was there to save it up a little longer sit by the river, picnic style. They provide nifty little cold box containers that let you can take home. I tried all the sorbets and Ian got to try the gelato. AMAZING is not an appropriate word at all.

Sprinkles for the kids and the big kids in us! Cake too, red velvet just sitting there looking all stunning.

The team Paulo, Claire and Callum are super fun and willing for you to try whatever you would like. They have been open for only a week so you need to get your gelato shakes on and get their fast!!!!

Sampling the Lime and mint sorbet…
Ian this is sooooo good.. Italian culture is so deeply soaked in an appreciation of the good things in life and this has to be the best gelato I have ever tried. Most people think of gelato as ice cream. However, it is not really “ice cream,” since it is made from milk. Using milk gives gelato a smoother and subtler texture than the frozen ice cream we scoop from containers bought at our local supermarket. In Italy, gelato is almost always purchased at gelateria (ice cream shop) Its a wonderful tradition in Italy to go out for gelato. Make it your plan whenever you are in Winchester to pop and see Claire and the boys.
Just look at those scrumptious Oreos!!Ian was being all traditional and went for the vanilla. He walked out, wandered down the high street casually and delightfully enjoying his…mine on the other hand didn’t even make it out of the door!

You can find Ginger Gelato along St Thomas Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9HJ

Follow me on Twitter @sarahbacchus and visit the main website www.slbstyle.com for more lifestyle fun and adventure.

The Rise of The Mumpreneur: Two Thirds Of Mums Consider Launching a Business From Home

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Frostie

Two thirds of mums (65 per cent) with children under ten years of age are considering starting a business from home in the next three years
One in six (16 per cent)are motivated by the childcare costs attached to traditional nine-to-five jobs
Nearly half of mums (49 per cent) believe that they would be financially better off if they started a business from home

New research from Direct Line for Business (DL4B) reveals that nearly two thirds of mums (65 per cent)¹ with children under the age of ten are considering starting a business from home in the next three years. One in five (20 per cent) mums with children under ten years of age would consider starting a business from home to spend more time with their children.

A sixth (16 per cent) of mothers are doing so because of the prohibitive childcare costs associated with working a traditional nine-to-five job. With recent figures putting full-time annual childcare costs at £11,700² for two children, it is understandable that almost half of the mothers (49 per cent) surveyed believe that they would be better off financially, if they started a business from home.

One in seven mums (14 per cent) are motivated to start a business from home by the flexibility of being their own boss, while one in eight (12 per cent) have always had the ambition to start their own business. Only one per cent is motivated by the fact that they do not like their current job.

UK mums’ top 5 reasons for starting a business from home

1	Allow me to spend more time with my children	20%
2	Cost of child care if I worked away from home	16%
3	Flexibility of being my own boss	14%
4	Lifelong ambition to start my own business	12%
5	Don’t/didn’t like my current job	1%

Source: Direct Line for Business

What do you think?

Advice For Female Entrepreneurs By Neeta Patel

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Frostie

We have a great article from Neeta Patel, CEO of New Entrepreneurs Foundation.

Neeta is an experienced executive with over 20 years of strategy and operational leadership
experience in launching new ventures, business turnarounds and change and has a sharp focus on growth and revenues. She has a successful track record of turning ideas and concepts into tangible businesses. Her experience spans financial services, media & publishing, education, arts and the creative industries. She has also led two of her own start-ups.

Prior to joining the New Entrepreneurs Foundation, Neeta worked in Private Equity matching
technology entrepreneurs with investors. Neeta has held senior positions at Thomson Financial (Reuters), Legal & General PLC, Financial Times Group and at the British Council. She is an early internet pioneer having launched the first personal finance web site in Europe for L&G in 1996.

Neeta holds an MA in Chemistry from Oxford University, an MBA (Marketing) from Cass Business School, and a Sloan Fellowship in Strategy and Leadership from London Business School, where she was the winner of the PWC prize in 2009 for a consultancy assignment in China.

Here is her advice:

An entrepreneur needs to have certain key skills and personality traits in order to be successful.I have had many discussions and debates about this, and yet gender has never come up as a particular element. I am reluctant to single out women entrepreneurs in some ways because by doing so, the inference is that they need special help and advice. They don’t. However, there are a number of factors which hold women back when contemplating setting up as an entrepreneur, and I feel its important to encourage them to overcome these and discover how good life as a female entrepreneur can really be. Following a really inspiring female entrepreneur’s event we organised at the New Entrepreneurs Foundation recently, I wanted to share some of the wisdom from leading female entrepreneurs which may help anybody wavering over whether to take the plunge.

Women-led businesses add £70 billion to the UK economy. The latest stats from the Department
of Business, Innovation and skills show that the number of women starting their own business has increased. It still stands at only 19%, but is heading in the right direction. More encouraging is the fact that a quarter of new businesses which are two to three years old have been started by women.

So why do women need extra advice, if they are doing so well anyway? The reason is that not
enough of them are taking the plunge.

Lack of self belief seems to be one of the main reasons. Many women tell me they don’t think they will be taken seriously, that they don’t think they will be viewed as credible when they pitch for investment and that the business world is too tough to make an impact.

Having had years of pitching to some of the scariest venture capitalists around during the early stages of my career, I know what I am talking about when I say that success is nothing to do with gender but with how well you prepare and how well you know your numbers and your business and the market in which it operates.

Remember that women often have far better emotional intelligence than men, and this is very
useful as an entrepreneur in a whole host of ways including negotiating, picking your team and reading people and situations effectively.

Eleanor Mills is Associate Editor of the Sunday Times and one of Britain’s most high profile
commentators. She was fantastically inspiring to potential entrepreneurs at our event recently. She was adamant that women must support each other in business. There is, she says, a specific place in hell for women who don’t.

Geeta Sidhu-Robb, who trained as a lawyer, benefitted from the phenomenally successful Anglo
Scandinavian investments run by her ex-husband in the 90s but when their marriage ended, became penniless. She had three small children to look after on her own, but, armed with those qualities which mark out an entrepreneur she set up a new business called Nosh Detox, which she ran from her kitchen, delivering personalised organic food packages. She is once again very successful and urges other women to become self-sufficient. The only thing that gets in the way of your success is yourself, she maintains.

Adele Barlow, another panellist was so encouraged by the number of young, aspiring female
entrepreneurs who attended the evening that she wrote an excellent blog offering some great tips for wannabe female entrepreneurs, cautioning women to choose their female friends wisely, why you should ignore the nagging from your mother about your love life, and how to choose a good hero, or heroine.

Other advice that was well-received during the event included going for crowd funding rather than traditional methods of fund raising, and exhortations not to be squeamish about being supremely confident when pitching for money. It’s not showing off!

Finally, I would say think really positively about being a female entrepreneur. You have far more flexibility and freedom to run your business and balance your quality of life than you would have in regular employment and if you relish a challenge there are few things more exciting in life than making your own business succeed.

The Financial Times Guide to Management Book Review

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Frostie

For those in business, or hoping to be, management is very important. Or to be more precise, being good at management and doing it properly is important. This guide to management comes from The Financial Times and is written by Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute. So far so impressive.

Also impressive is that it has an entire chapter on managing yourself. I think this is a genius idea that not many books would think of. Getting yourself sorted out first obviously makes perfect sense: lead by example. Each chapter starts with what you will learn in that chapter and then ends with top tips, pitfalls and takeaways.

For all of the wealth of information in this book it is surprisingly easy to read. Add in the graphs, anecdotes and exercises then you have one hell of a book on management. Part 7 even has view from the front line: top tips, pitfalls and takeaways from top managers, along with views from the FT’s Finest.

FT Guide to Management: How to be a Manager Who Makes a Difference and Gets Results is an essential business book for managers. Don’t be without it.

What they say:

“Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, writes a much needed straight talking guide to management.

According to a 2012 survey by CMI and Penna*, 43% of individuals rated their managers as ineffective or highly ineffective. This statistic will be no surprise to most – many surveys and research papers have revealed similarly gloomy results in recent years.

So why do we struggle to ‘get management right’? Probably because so many people have become ‘accidental managers’; they have been promoted into management positions due to specialist skills. Many are given little or no training when they are promoted and are left to work it out for themselves. The mind boggling array of management books on the market does little to simplify the ‘management message’ as approaches are many and varied.

In response, Ann Francke, CEO of the CMI, has written The Financial Times Guide to Management. Backed by the wealth of CMI research, her extensive global management experience, and advice from over 40 frontline managers, Ann has created a straight talking and balanced guide to management.

It covers the full spectrum of management skills, including managing others, managing change, managing stakeholders, managing budgets and resources, creating business strategy and executing plans. A chapter offering Views from the Front Line, grounds the book in practical advice, with over 40 senior executives sharing their top tips, pitfalls and takeaways. Contributors include Paul Polman (CEO, Unilever), Steve Marshall (Chairman, Balfour Beatty) and Cilla Snowball (Chairman and CEO, AMV BBDO). In a similarly neat framework, a 20 page Guide to the Gurus takes readers through a pithy summary of the bestselling and most admired management gurus.

From motivating a team and developing star talent to controlling budgets and fostering innovation, The Financial Times Guide to Management is the authoritative guide to becoming an effective manager.”

The Financial Times Guide to Management, is published by Pearson.

Julia Grinham On Upper Street And Handmade Shoes | Interview

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

What made you start Upper Street?

It all began when I was at dinner with my sister and co-founder Katy and I noticed that she was wearing a fabulous pair of heels. I asked where she’d bought them, imagining that she had splashed out on a top designer ready-to-wear brand but I was really amazed to find out that she had designed them herself and had them custom made in an independent offline boutique. Of course, I was so jealous as I am one of those women who always goes shopping for a shoe that only seems to exist in my head, and I really wanted to design my own shoes too – how amazing would it be to have a pair of shoes that were completely unique and also perfect for me?.. This for us was our “aha!” moment and we decided to create a service in an online environment that enabled women across the world to design their own beautiful shoes from the comfort of their home, and have them delivered to them in just a few weeks.

What was the hardest thing about setting it up?

With neither Katy or I coming from a footwear background, we had a huge learning curve in terms of product development and managing the craftsmanship of the shoes to ensure that they are both exceptionally beautiful and extremely comfortable to wear. We knew we couldn’t do this on our own so brought some really experienced professionals to design the range and help find top suppliers. As our business has evolved we’ve been able to establish our own workshop. That certainly wasn’t easy but means that today everyone within the business – from customer services right through to the person who beautifully hand packages each pair of shoes – each shares the same passion of making that individual customer experience really special.

Tell us a bit about the company

Upper Street is a luxurious online made-to-order shoe label that is revolutionising the way women shop for shoes. Women can choose from hundreds of different styles, colours, materials and heels to create over 4 million unique designs. Styles can be created online using innovative 3D shoe designer technology or via a personal appointment in the Shoe Lounge at Upper Street’s North London townhouse. Shoes are hand-made, lovingly packaged and delivered to customer’s doors within 3-4 weeks

What makes your shoes different?

When we first launched, there was nowhere else women could design their own high quality,
beautifully made shoes online. Having shoes made to order in places like Mayfair costs a fortune, and for us it was important to make our shoes more accessible, whilst still giving a luxury product and experience. Over time, the online shoe design market has become more competitive, but Upper Street still stands head and shoulders above those competitors for a number of reasons; the high quality, beauty and comfort of our shoes; the uniqueness of our true-to-life and easy to use 3D Shoe Designer; and our obsessive attention to customer service. Key to this is the personalisation of the whole experience which includes beautiful packaging, a handwritten note in the box, personalised swatch books, free studio appointments, special orders, full design advice, free alterations and a no-
quibbles returns policy.

Do you think made to order is the way forward?

We believe so. Fashion is now so accessible and available, that people are realising that real luxury is having your own personal stamp on what you wear. And this is where Upper Street comes in. We provide the tools, in a very easy-to use website, that let the customer’s imagination run free. It also means that consumers don’t have to be tied to the latest fashion trends. If navy blue is not seen on this season’s runways it doesn’t matter, you can still create navy shoes.

How much do the shoes cost?

Design your own Upper Street shoes cost between £195-£350. Luxurious gifts are available in a range of values and packages, the perfect present for shoe lovers

Do you get any unusual requests?

Yes plenty! We’ve helped a bride design shoes in animal print as she was getting married in a zoo, 4” heels in the customer’s football team colours and one of the most unusual was a pair of shoes which were screen printed with dinosaur motifs for a museum opening. We also worked on a charity project with Save the Children last year where we created shoes for a number of celebrities; the designs took inspiration from their childhood dreams. We created some fantastic Wizard of Oz-inspired ruby slippers for Helena Bonham Carter. That was fun!

What business tips can you give to others who want to start a business?

My advice would be, don’t underestimate how much energy, time and resource you will need to
build a consumer brand. Focus on building relationships in the industry with people who can help you understand its nuances, find the right resources, and also explore who you can partner with to reach new audiences more rapidly. We’re a premium, experience led business, so finding the right brand to align with is absolutely crucial so that we build long-term value.

What is the best and worst thing about running Upper Street?

It’s rewarding to create something that makes a difference to people at an individual level. The process of designing your own shoes makes women feel amazing. I get an immense sense of pride when I read all the lovely emails we get from our customers. Many are really emotionally charged ,- we get heart-felt essays! Being surrounded by beautiful shoes every day isn’t bad either!

The most challenging thing is that it can be hard to switch off from the business and there have been times when I’ve let my passion for Upper Street overflow into my personal life. I’m much better these days at separating my time between work and my private life and turning off the iPhone! I guess that’s become easier as the business has become more established.

What’s next for you?

2013 was a really great year and 2014 is going to see Upper Street go from strength to strength with several new product launches and an exciting new concept retail store later on this year.

Win A Copy Of 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Frostie

Frost Magazine has joined forces with Pearson — the world’s leading education publisher — to give away copies of new business guide, 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work.

This illuminating title by respected business writer Antonio E. Weiss challenges long-held beliefs about good business practice to provide employers, managers and entrepreneurs with invaluable bite-sized nuggets of clever business insights.

Each idea in the 300-page book, described as a “box of chocolates for the managerial mind”, is neatly structured, giving a headline, summary and fun illustration, followed by snappy sections on ‘What You Need to Know’; ‘Why it Matters’; ‘What You Might Say About This’; ‘How This Will Change the Way You Work’ and ‘Where You Can Find Out More’.

And as each idea is covered in a few pages, 101 Business Ideas is the perfect book to dip in and out of when seeking another perspective or fresh inspiration.

The book’s author, Antonio E. Weiss, is a management writer and business consultant who has served leading public sector clients including central government and the NHS on strategy, performance improvement and capability building issues.

In writing 101 Business Ideas, Weiss has drawn upon the collective wisdom of contemporary business and social science thinkers including The New Yorker journalist Malcolm Gladwell and Israeli-American psychologist Daniel Kahnemann, winner of the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.

It contains brilliant business tips and big ideas such as how to spot if a CEO is lying; why innovation can be overrated; why networking can make you anti-social; how biology affects your decision making; and why online procrastination actually accelerates productivity.

By telling readers what they need to know, why they need to know it and how to do it, 101 Business Ideas will ensure professionals are cannier, more effective at work and always one step ahead.

We have five copies of 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work by Antonio E. Weiss (Pearson, RRP £12.99) to give away. For your chance to win, follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, “I want to win 101 Business Ideas with @Frostmag” or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

Win A Copy Of Make It Fly!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Frostie

Frost Magazine has teamed up with Pearson — the world’s leading education publisher — to give away copies of new self-help guide, Make it Fly!

If you have a personal project or professional ambition that you’d love to realise, but aren’t sure where to begin then Make it Fly!, by change specialist Brigitte Cobb , could be just what you need.

In writing the book, Cobb has combined over 15 years of personal and business development
experience helping businesses transform their organisations to design a tried-and-tested ‘make-it-happen’ model.

As such, it is the first book of its kind to offer practical step-by-step guidance on making any dream project — such as a new business venture, house extension or slimmer figure — get off the groundand soar.

Across its 192 pages, the guide uniquely goes beyond goal setting and positive thinking to show in detail how to be clear about your dream (the ‘what’), put an action plan together (the ‘how’), and “get out of your own way” and deal with personal hang-ups (the ‘who’).

Clear and comprehensive, it provides a logical building block approach to get what you want in life — however big or small the idea, ambitious or wide-reaching — showing you how to take your big dream or vision and chunk it down into realistic, achievable steps.

Make it Fly! is more than a handy guide, it’s the reader’s own personal coach. Packed with
inspirational quotes and practical exercises to complete, the emphasis is firmly on action and readers are given full support as they progress through the steps and master new skills.

We have 10 copies of Make it Fly! by Brigitte Cobb (Pearson, RRP £10.99) to give away. For
your chance to win, follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, “I want to win Make it Fly! with @Frostmag” or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

Our review is here.

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