Work Wise North East Initiative

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Work Wise North East Initiative Getting the
work-life balance right! Stuart Colmer
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Personal Bio

• 15 years international Blue Chip experience
• Procter Gamble Management Systems (Supply
  Chain, Finance, MRPII, Sales Marketing)
• Viasystems Inc European Group Information
  Services Director
• Photobition PLC Chief Information Officer
• September 2001
• 9/11 increased issues with Photobition PLC
• Stuck in US for a week until flights allowed
  again!
• Redundancy due to Liquidation
• 11 month old daughter, 23 month old sonTIME TO
  RETHINK!
• Options
• Work away 5 days a week
• Be part of my family!

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Life After Corporate

• November 2001
• Established S2S_at_WORK Limited consultancyExampl
  e ClientsLocal SMEs mentoring / business
  strategyUniversity of NorthumbriaGovernment
  (DfES, DoH)Local Government (Business Link, EIF,
  CELS)Entrust established associate model
• Great way to get started and take control of my
  own life style
• Took the children to Nursery every day
• Was there to put them to bed most nights
• BUT
• Wanted more hands on involvement with business as
  well!

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Life After Corporate

• October 2002
• Established Pedal Pushers Limited eCommerce
  business focussing on high quality childrens
  toys

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Life After Corporate

• Site written using Open Source
• FREE
• We control
• Tailored to our needs
• Runner-up in Regional eCommerce Awards 2004
• Winner for Tele-working in Regional eCommerce
  Awards 2005
• So how does our solution help us and what efforts
  are involved?
• Completely automated
• Customer processes the order and pays via an
  integrated link to HSBC
• Order generated in our system and a copy email
  sent to me to indicate order placed
• Pre-formatted order placed with our Supplier
• Automatic links to our accounting
  systemsMinimal Effort!

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Life After Corporate

• Access from any internet connected PC
• Dial-in to home PC using GoToMyPc and
  AnyPlaceControl
• Always in touch via Blackberry
• Fritz / ISDN Phone Software control routing /
  out-of-hours messages
• And follow-me calls to mobile
• Remote backup of site
• Integrated payment Systems
• Online banking

Full CMS Control Catalog Management Sales
Analysis Marketing and much more..
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Benefits

• Average Day (when not consulting!)
• Check emails in the morning and forward
  pre-formatted orders
• Walk dog
• Take the children to school
• Manage local orders
• Process payables
• Look at other business opportunities / networking
• Business Development
• Average Day (when consulting)
• Check emails in the morning and forward
  pre-formatted orders
• Walk dog
• Take the children to school
• Focus on client needs
• Evening check emails and forward pre-formatted
  orders
• Manage local orders

Regardless of location / vacation all customers
answered with 24 hours.
In December 2006 over 50 of orders produced
personal email / telecon or letter of thanks!
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And in addition.!

• S2S now develop eCommerce solutions and provide
  mentoring and strategy following our awards and
  successExamples of portfolio

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Sole Distributor for Fasol Menin Prosecco di
Valdobbiadene
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Partner in Pointer Products
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The Hard Facts!

• Working for your self is harder / more
  demandingBUT
• Its greatly rewarding
• You have freedom over your time / commitments
• The working week is whatever you define
• Do it properly and your customers still think
  theyre dealing with a PLC (though a good
  one!)Without technology I couldnt do
  it!Phone management (routing / intelligent
  answering)Blackberry (email anywhere.answer /
  maintain contact / control)Broadband eCommerce
  / Business managementElectronic banking (vendor
  payments)Vendor ManagementCustomer CRM
  ManagementCredit Card Payment Systems.. and
  more!

eCommerce Businesses OnlyS2S uses a whole other
set e.g. remote PC control for clients when
mentoring.