Issue #44 - Fall back 🍂
Don't forget the clocks go back | An Energy Bill Relief Scheme explainer | How to manage cash flow | How to claim a tax refund | Dark Encounters with a spooky SME | Tunes | Words | More
Make the most of that extra hour ⏰
Welcome to Issue #44 of The Backbone - the fortnightly newsletter from Bionic.
If you’ve been struggling with the dark mornings then you’ll probably be glad that the clocks go back this weekend. That means we can enjoy lighter mornings for a couple of weeks before we’re plunged into perpetual darkness for the next few months.
But with Halloween, Bonfire Night, and Christmas on the horizon, this is the perfect time of year to take advantage of the changing seasons and the variety of food, drink, and activities on offer.
And unlike in summer when sitting indoors can give you crippling FOMO, it’s fine to stay in and snudge, ideally with a hot chocolate and your favourite horror film (or romantic comedy, depending on your mood). It’s also a good time of year to give your business a spine-tingling twist.
If your business energy bills are giving you the fear (come on, you can give me that one) then don’t forget that the Energy Bill Relief Scheme has kicked in (and has so far remained untouched by the changing PMs).
This means your bills will be discounted until March. But the discount you get will depend on the type of energy contract you have, with businesses on fixed-rate deals more likely to pay less.
If you’re still confused by how the scheme works, we put together this explainer video to try and make sense of it all 👇
Do you feel like you have a better idea of how the scheme works after watching our video? Let us know 👇
📨 S U B S C R I B E
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🗞 R E A D
How to manage cash flow
Your cash flow is the money that goes in and out of your business. You can either have positive cash flow or negative cash flow. Managing finances as a small business owner can be a struggle, especially if you’re dealing with the stress of cash flow problems. Here’s more on why it’s important to keep a handle on your cash flow along with some ways to help move your business forward in a productive way.
How to claim a tax refund
Getting your head around tax refunds and returns can be a real struggle if you’re a small business owner, especially if you have other worries on your plate. You want to ensure you know how to claim your money back as quickly as possible if you’ve paid too much tax. Read this Bionic guide to find out how to start the process.
🗣 S H O U T O U T
#BionicBusinessStory - Dark Encounters 👻
Bionic embraced the Halloween spirit and had chat with Jonathan Fost from paranormal investigation business ‘Dark Encounters’. We found out about his special SME and why it’s spookily unique.
Bionic: How and when did you start Dark Encounters?
Jonathan Fost: We started in 2005. I’d been working in marketing and PR and saw that a lot of businesses were struggling with revenue. They were running standard 9-5 hours but there was a huge opportunity to utilise their space outside of those hours.
B: What has been your greatest achievement as a business?
JF: Opening so many locations to our customers has been a big achievement. We increase the exposure to these amazing locations, as people often come back to see them in the daytime.
B: Why do you think people are so interested in the supernatural?
JF: I think people feel general delight in being scared, that’s why I think the events with our actors are popular. Even at Christmas, we run ghost stories and it’s about that atmosphere, sitting by candlelight listening to spooky stories. People love it.
B: What is your biggest pet peeve as a business owner?
JF: We get a lot of people thinking they can do what we do for themselves. They think they don’t need public liability insurance or anything like that. A lot of people don’t see the background details you have to deal with when running a business.
You can check them out on Instagram or head to the Dark Encounters website to find out more. But beware, these excursions aren’t for the faint-hearted! Happy Halloween!
📩 J O I N
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🎧 L I S T E N
Playlist
This week’s playlist has been recommended by Phoebe on the Bionic People and Culture team - and it’s the perfect way to see in the weekend. As you’d expect from a Kisstory playlist, it’s packed with anthems and old skool bangers from TLC, Outkast, Kid Cudi, Estelle, Rudimental, Rhianna, Daft Punk, Robin S, MJ Cole, Usher and loads more. And if you don’t get Duck Sauce stuck in your head, you need to listen again.
Podcast
Seeing as it’s Halloween weekend, we thought we’d throw in a bit of a paranormal podcast. The Evolution of Horror is pretty self-explanatory as it takes a deep dive into the history of horror films, from the early days of Dracula to the modern slasher, every genre gets sliced, diced, and dissected.
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🚫 S T O P
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