Issue #36 - Countering the crisis 💸
Some good news stories | How to manage flexible working requests | What does the cost of living crisis mean for your small business? | 5 businesses, 1 question! | Tunes | Podcasts | More
🦾 G O
Has anyone got any good news?
Welcome to Issue #36 of The Backbone - the fortnightly newsletter from Bionic.
It’s been a tough couple of years for us all – just as we thought we were through the worst of the pandemic, we were hit with soaring energy costs and rising inflation. And we’re now heading towards a full-on cost of living crisis. If we’re not there already.
There’s really not a lot of good news about at all, is there?
So we thought we’d go looking for some.
🛒 First up, something about abandoned shops and tackling climate change - Across the UK, shops that have been abandoned by big chains are becoming hubs for tackling the climate crisis
🍫 Thursday, July 7 was World Chocolate Day. If you missed it, have a celebratory chocolate binge now - it could help improve your mental health (if not your waistline).
📽 A small business has been saved as more than 300 people have chipped in to save Oxford's oldest and last independent cinema from closure.
🙅♀️ And finally, another surprising tip that could help with your mental health - Just say no!
If you’ve got any good news, we’d love to hear it. Click the button below to leave a comment and let us know 👇
And here’s some positive advice from Dawn Dewar, who lifted the lid on life as a life coach in this customer story.
📨 S U B S C R I B E
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🗞 R E A D
How to easily manage flexible working requests
The pandemic has changed the way many of us work, with more employees now working from home for at least part of the week. In January 2022, 36% of working adults reported having worked from home at least once in a seven-day period. If your business is in a position to offer flexible or remote working, our guide explains everything you need to know about managing requests to work flexibly or from home.
What does the cost of living crisis mean for your small business?
The cost of living crisis is biting for households and businesses across the country, some of which will still be trying to recover from the economic impact of the pandemic. And it doesn’t look like things will be getting better any time soon as financial experts are forecasting a recession for 2023.
But how did we get here? How are small business owners dealing with rising costs? And is there anything you can do to ease the pressure of rising inflation?
🗣 S H O U T O U T
#BionicBusinessStory - 5 businesses, 1 question 🤔
We love hearing all about how small business owners got to where they are? The stories of how they’ve built their business, the things that keep them awake at night, their biggest achievements, and the things that keep them coming back for more. We asked five business owners one simple question, and here’s how they answered…
Bionic: What are your business plans for the future?
🎂 “I’ve always pictured myself working with food somewhere. I’ve always liked the idea of running my own place that was a bakery by day and a restaurant by night.” Bobby Odu - Bobby's Bakes
🎨 “Ideally e-commerce and brand work, I actually landed my first dream client recently so that’s been really exciting, I've been working with them to build up their brand and make their site customer friendly.” Martha Omasoro - BYTMXG Graphic Design
🍽 “Our biggest dream is to do Glastonbury, so maybe one day!” Lorraine Brown - J'Nik's Catering
🦊 "We’ve done some work for charity events and are currently bidding to work with some of the UK’s biggest companies. So that’s something I'm really excited about." Sheyi Thomas - Fox in a Box Escape Rooms
👨🎤 “I’m still learning things every day, it’s important to learn from your mistakes and accept your failures. That’s how you move forward. There are so many ideas I have for the growth and future of Metal Morphosis now and I can’t wait to see where the brand goes. Watch this space!” Ben Harris - Metal Morphosis Piercing Studio
Click on the open shop sign below to check out more Bionic small business stories 👇
📩 J O I N
Get involved with our business community 🔊
Share your thoughts and tips to give other busy business owners a helping hand. Or ask a question to see if anyone can help you out.
Get your business costs sorted 💷
Bionic - the business price comparison experts - compare a range of business essentials to help you save time, money, and hassle.
Our tech-enabled team will answer all your questions in simple terms, and help you find the best deal on business energy, insurance, phone, broadband, or finance. No jargon. No-fuss. #BeABionicBusiness 🦾
Check out more ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Trustpilot reviews
🎧 L I S T E N
Playlist
The UK is in the midst of a heatwave, so we were made up to get this recommendation from Steph, digital marketing manager at Bionic. Summer Evening Chillout is eight hours of classic summertime songs that will take you from an afternoon barbecue right through to getting the blankets and hot chocolate out at the end of the night. Artists include The Beach Boys, Alicia Keys, The Beatles, John Legend, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Post Malone, and loads more.
Podcast
Revisionist History - the podcast that re-examines something from the past and asks whether we got it right the first time - is back! Season seven is obsessed with experiments. Natural experiments. Thought experiments. Failed experiments. What if you could design any experiment you wanted? Without worrying about money, ethics, logistics, or even the laws of nature? This series could make for some of its most uncomfortable but thought-provoking content yet.
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🏡 H O U S E K E E P I N G
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🚫 S T O P
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