inspiration for independent professionals and the self-employedIssue 50 – £4.95

General Election Reaction | EU ReferendumFreelancer’s Guide to New York | Top Wearable Technologies

Guide to Content Marketing

Firstly, a warm welcome to issue 50 of IPSE Mag-azine. Reaching half a century of magazines is no mean feat in today’s cut-throat world of print, so we’ve decided to have a small celebration. In this particularly special IPSE Magazine, we take a look at the journey so far, before revealing one or two plans for the future.

But don’t you worry, we haven’t forgotten about everything else. With the dust settled on last month’s General Election, we assess the aftermath. For the first time in what feels like a very long time, the UK has some sense of political certainty. It all feels a little unfamiliar doesn’t it? By and large the people placed their faith in David Cameron and his band of merry men and women for the next five years at least. And to be fair to the Prime Minister, he hasn’t wasted much time. With a new Business team in place – which includes Minister for Small Business Anna Soubry – Government look to be taking self-employment very seriously indeed.

Inside the mag, Telegraph writer Asa Bennett makes his IPSE Magazine debut, making sense of post general election UK in From the Lobby.

We also spoke to you, our readers. Independent professionals from all four corners of the UK penned their thoughts on all the election madness, which I’m sure you’ll agree, there was no shortage of!

Jamie McDermott crossed the pond and experi-enced freelancing New York style, we introduce all of IPSE’s new staff, review the latest and best wear-able technologies, and as always, a whole lot more. Enjoy!

ISSUE 50 CONTENTS

A WORD FROM THE EDITORBENEDICT SMITH

3CONTENTS

General Election ReactionIPSE member’s thoughts

The Journey So FarBenedict Smith

IPSE Freelancer AwardsEnter the 2015 competition

Contractor LoansDominic Arnold

With One Eye on EuropeBen Wright

Wearable TechCaroline Baldwin

Communication Breakdown?

The Freelancer’s Guideto New York City

Stu HeritageFrom where I stand

Cash in

the attic

Come Dinewith Me

DEADLINE4 PM

OVERD

RAWN

-£2000

BloggingBenedict Smith

Coworking & CoffeeOur recommendations

The Women’s Freelance Network

BEN.SMITH@IPSE.CO.UK@BENSMITHIPSE

MortgagesAdvice for the self-employed

Research, Training & Education

New ArrivalsAdditions to the IPSE team

A Message from the CEOChris Bryce

From the LobbyAsa Bennett

PolicyAndy Chamberlain

10 12 14

22 24 26

29 30 33

34 36 38

16 18 20

04 06 08

Markel_IPSE_297x210_Mar15.indd 1 23/03/2015 10:42

4A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

A Message from the CEOOur Chief Executive, Chris Bryce, on the exciting changes at IPSE and the challenges that lie ahead.

As I write this column, out the corner of my eye I have noticed a handful of people arriving at the IPSE office to build walls, fit desks and make more space for the growing IPSE team. The noise they are making is a little distracting, but it’s a necessary evil as we invest in new departments and strengthen existing ones. There is a real sense of excitement about the place, heightened by some of team IPSE’s latest arrivals.

We welcomed James Gribben to the organisation, and he takes up the role as Head of Press & PR. He brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked for several other leading business organisations, and will make sure IPSE’s key messages are heard loud and clear by the media.

The research team is growing too. Head of IPSE Research, Education & Training, Suneeta Johal now leads a team of three. With more knowledge on our sector, we are in a better position to influence pol-icy-makers and in-turn help those who work for themselves flourish.

We have 13 new members of the Consultative Council too. Just last month – amid the General Election may-hem – we opened the election process for IPSE’s Consultative Council, calling on IPSE members to gain enough nominations to be able to stand in the election and join this elected body which sits right at the heart of everything we do.

The votes came in thick and fast and just recently we revealed the 13 new independent professionals elected by our members to join IPSE’s Consultative Council. Our Consultative Council is now made up of contrac-tors and freelancers from a wider range of sectors.

With IT contractors, engineers, designers and brand specialists among others sitting on the Consultative Council, IPSE is more representative of the whole self-employed sector than ever before. Along with the existing Consultative Council members, these people will be influential in helping to shape our organisation going forward.

We’re also excited by the prospect of working with the new Government. Firstly, a majority Government brings a stability and certainty, which is good for busi-ness. Secondly, IPSE has an excellent working rela-tionship with the Conservative Party, as they took up many of the ideas from our manifesto.

We also welcomed the Conservative’s recent Enterprise Bill, which will lead to the establishment of a Small Business Conciliation Service which should help address some of the issues arising from late payments.

The fast approaching Emergency Budget on 8th July should give us the Government’s detailed plan for the tax system, but we have been encouraged that the Conservatives have made it clear they have no intention to raise the main taxes – Income Tax, National Insur-ance, VAT – before the next General Election in 2020.

With business rates, maternity, mortgages and pensions all set for review in the not too distant future, this Government seems serious about enterprise, and committed to making the UK a place where the self- employed can really flourish.

As always, we look forward to playing a leading role in contributing to how these issues could work bet-ter for anyone working for themselves in the UK.

inspiration for independent professionals and the self-employedIssue 50 – £4.95

General Election reaction | EU ReferendumFreelancers guide to New York | Top wearable technologies

Guide to content marketing

IPSE does not necessarily agree with, nor guarantee the accuracy of, statements made by contributors or accept any responsibility for any statements which are expressed in the publication. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic form, or in any other format, without the prior written permission of IPSE.

IPSE, its directors and employees have no contractual liability to any reader in respect of goods or services provided by a third party supplier.

EDITORBenedict Smithben.smith@ipse.co.uk@BenSmithIPSE

MEDIA CONSULTANTJim Cassidy

CONTRIBUTORSAsa BennettDominic Arnold Henn Ruukel Caroline Baldwin Stu Heritage

DESIGNRichard Vickers

ADVERTISINGmarketing@ipse.co.uk

PUBLISHED BYIPSE, Heron House, 10 Dean Farrar Street,London SW1H 0DX

IPSE MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES020 8897 9970ipse.co.uk/join

TWITTER@IPSEmag

Issue 50 – £4.95

THE CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL IPSE’s new Consultative Council, and their forum names. To access the IPSE forums, visit the Community section of the IPSE website: https://community.ipse.co.uk

MATTHEW SEARLE MATTSEFIONA TITCOMBE FIONATREBECCA SHIPHAM SHIPSANDPIGSDANIELLE GREEN DANIELLEISGREENMARC ROBERTS MJHROBERTSSANDY HENDERSON XCEPTIONRAJIV DHIR RDHIRJAMES THOMAS THEFAMOUSJAMESTOBY ANSCOMBE TOBYANSCOMBEPETER BANCE PBANCERICHARD FOSTER FOZZIE63MICHAEL BAYCROFT BRSLTD1ISLAM MOHAMMED IMOHAMMED

CHRIS BRYCEIPSE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

@CJBRYCE

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FOR THE ENTREPRENEUR BY THE ENTREPRENEUR

David Cameron could hardly have had a better election result: two of his rival leaders forced to quit, another left before coming back and facing an attempted coup, and – above all – a clear win for the Conservatives. The Prime Minister has the wind in his sails as he charts the course for his pure Tory govern-ment, unrestrained by the Liberal Democrats, and he has promised to enact all of his party’s election manifesto. Cameron may only have a slim majority in the House of Commons of 12 MPs, but it is enough

of a mandate for him to get on with business. Conservative backbenchers, who previously made trouble for him during five years of coali-tion with the Liberal Democrats, have pledged their “undying loyalty” to him – buoyed by the prospect of an imminent in/out referendum on the European Union. Labour is too distracted

with its leadership race to put up much of a fight, while the Lib Dems have been eviscerated as a party, with their 57 MPs reduced to a mere 8 –enough to fill a minivan. Freed from having to give cabinet posts to the likes of Nick Clegg, Cameron has been able to draft more of his colleagues into government, with Sajid Javid swapping the Culture brief for Business, Vince Cable’s old patch. Javid, an ex-Treasury minister who packed in a high-flying career at Deutsche Bank to enter politics, will feel a lot more at home running the

FROM THE LOBBY 7

FROM THE LOBBYDaily Telegraph journalist, Asa Bennett, looks at the new Government’s plans for self-employment and the Labour leadership race.

THE PRIME MINISTER HAS THE WIND IN HIS SAILS AS HE CHARTS THE COURSE

FOR HIS PURE TORY GOVERNMENT

Business Department. One commentator de-scribed Javid’s appointment as Culture Secretary before the election as “a bit like asking George Soros to run the Glastonbury festival”. The election results have sunk in, Cameron’s ministers are all in place, and the Queen has revealed what her Government is planning to do. What can small business expect? The Prime Minister takes pride in being pro- business, once joking in a speech to a Tory conference audience: “I go to bed with an entre-preneur every night.” This wasn’t a personal campaign to woo business, he stressed, but an allusion to his wife Samantha, who worked as creative director for the luxury stationer Smythson. During the election campaign, he staked his claim to be a champion for small business, infa-mously telling an audience of self-employed professionals how entrepreneurship gets him “pumped up”. Speaking just 10 days before the campaign, as accusations that “chillaxed Cameron” wasn’t doing enough to convince voters, he spoke to a gathering organised by the Enterprise Nation small business network of his meetings with entrepreneurs at Downing Street. “When I get the people who got start-up loans coming into Downing Street and telling me what they’ve done, often giving up a well-paid career, taking a risk, having a punt, having a go – that pumps me up,” he shouted in a fist-shaking dis-play of passion. The “pumped up” premier is now back in Down-ing Street, raring to go. What can Britain’s self-employed look forward to? A fair few things are on the agenda, the Gov-ernment says, “to help working people”. Chief among these is the Enterprise Bill, a massive deregulation push which Sajid Javid said would seek to reduce the burden of bureaucracy on small businesses by £10 billion. The new Bill also proposes the introduction of a Small Busi-ness Conciliation Service to settle late payment disputes between small and large companies, and pledges reform of business rates before the 2017 revaluation including modernising of the appeals system.

In keeping with the Government’s mission state-ment to make Britain “the best place in Europe to start and grow a business”, ministers are pushing ahead with plans to outlaw any increas-es in Income Tax, VAT or National Insurance before 2020 and to help parents with 30 hours a week of free childcare.

As part of the Conservatives’ small business manifesto, David Cameron promised to launch a review into the “disadvantages” faced by con-tractors and other freelancers, in areas like maternity pay, pensions and mortgages.

He also pledged to treble the number of start-up loans handed out to entrepreneurs, to keep the employment allowance until 2020 and to set a new, markedly higher, permanent level for the annual investment allowance. With a package like this on offer, it may be little sur-prise that 5,000 small business owners wrote to the Telegraph during the campaign to call for voters to let David Cameron and George Osborne “finish what they started”.

The new Conservative Government is also prom-ising another crackdown on immigration, with a renewed commitment to getting net migration down below 100,000. Experts argue that the high numbers are a sign of Britain’s economic recov-ery. A recent study by the Centre for Entrepre-neurs found that migrants have been “hyper-productive” and been responsible for one in seven UK firms. Vince Cable fought with Home Secretary Theresa May over how open to the world, and in coalition-speak “open for business”, Britain needed to be. Sajid Javid’s father arrived at Heathrow airport from Pakistan in 1961 with just £1 in his pocket, but nowadays he would be banned from entering the country. Will his son be more pro-migration than Cable? Some Tories feel Cameron should steer away from tub-thumping talk of migration crack-downs in favour of focusing on creating more high-skill, high-wage jobs and equipping Britons with the skills and attitudes to fill them. Britain’s skills shortage fed into the debate between the parties during the election cam-paign, as Labour argued that the recovery was built on poor-quality lower-paid jobs, lumping the rise in self-employment into the mix. Ed Miliband promised to ban zero hours contacts, despite the fact many independent profes-sionals work on them and enjoy the flexibili-ty. Over half of the 722,000 jobs created over the last year were self-employed positions,

with the total standing at 4.5 million, so Brit-ons have clearly reacted to the crash by be-coming more self-starting. One minister told me that Labour “was doing down exactly the sort of attitude of get-up-and-go and aspira-tion that is going to get our country out of the mess they let us get in”. Now Labour, as it recovers from its election-time drubbing, is trying to learn from its defeat – with one of its first lessons being a need to be nicer to business. The emerging consensus among La-bour’s leadership hopefuls is that Miliband didn’t speak to – in Tristram Hunt’s words – “families who want to shop at John Lewis”, and so they are now all keen to help aspirational voters. “If one of them goes on about ‘aspiration’ again, I’ll shoot them,” one exasperated Labour MP told me recently, bemoaning the lack of detail in the lead-ership race so far. “What do they mean by aspi-ration – breathing in and out? Give us a vision.”

The race to succeed Ed Miliband has seen Andy Burnham draw up as the man to beat. The Tories managed to stop Labour getting back in govern-ment urging voters not to “give the keys back to the guys who crashed the car”, pointing out that Ed Miliband was once Gordon Brown’s aide in the Treasury. Would Labour be able to break decisively with its days under Ed Miliband, a former Brown aide, by electing Andy Burnham or Yvette Cooper, both former Treasury minis-ters in Brown’s government, to replace him? David Cameron’s Government has months to get on with its programme relatively unhindered, as Labour won’t decide who’ll rebuild the party until September. Once that happens, the polit-ical debate can really begin.

THE “PUMPED UP” PREMIER IS NOW BACK IN DOWNING STREET, RARING TO GO.

WHAT CAN BRITAIN’S SELF-EMPLOYED LOOK FORWARD TO?

Stay up to date with what Asa has to say on UK politics by following him on Twitter, @asabenn, and by signing up to his Telegraph Morning Briefing.

ANDY BURNHAM

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Following the 2015 General Election, Parliament is back in full-swing and we now have a better idea of how the next five years will shape up, politically speaking.

Self-employment and small business in particu-lar seems to be high on the agenda for the Con-servatives. Needless to say, this is something here at IPSE that we are really pleased about.

The Government’s intentions on self-employ-ment became clear in the recent Queen’s Speech, as David Cameron announced the Conservatives intend to set up a Business Conciliation Service, one of the priorities of the Enterprise Bill.

We have Australia to thank for the idea for a Business Conciliation Service, where business-es are able to turn to an independent body at state level to help settle disputes over late pay-ment or contract terms. It avoids the need for lengthy court action and preserves the business relationship between supplier and client.

The IPSE manifesto outlined the need for a Business Conciliation Service, and it is one of our great triumphs that it is being set up. It should help to rebalance the power dynamic that exists between the small businesses and their much larger clients. IPSE will be working along-side Government to make sure the service gen-uinely benefits the very smallest businesses – independent professionals.

We were also delighted when the Conservative’s outlined their commitment to review pensions, maternity and mortgages.

In our manifesto last year we called for Statu-tory Maternity Pay to be extended to the self-em-ployed. There’s no reason why self-employed women should receive a different amount to employees while pregnant and this is the mes-sage we have taken to the Department of Busi-ness, which is leading the review. Again, it is a big win from our perspective.

When it comes to pensions, we really feel Gov-ernment must do more to create and promote

pension options that are specifically designed with the self-employed in mind. This could be done by setting up schemes which allow the self-employed to withdraw the last two years of contributions without penalty. The auto-enrol-ment scheme for employees is likely to be suc-cessful but the Government must ensure that those working for themselves aren’t left behind.

On mortgages, its common knowledge that the self-employed are disadvantaged. Many banks will only lend to those that can show payslips – not something that a high number of those who work independently (and perhaps invoice their clients) are able to produce. We’re pushing to see the Government shake up the mortgage system and make them more accessible for the self-employed.

IPSE also strongly believes the Government must look at changing the tax treatment of train-ing. Perversely, the tax system doesn’t reward the self-employed for training in the same way it does for employees. Right now training for new skills isn’t tax-deductible, but training for improving existing skills is. They should both be treated in the same way and we will doing all we can to encourage the Government to look into this sooner rather than later.

We feel that the UK’s ability to compete in a global market is entirely dependent on the skills base of its workforce. As more and more of the labour market choose to work for themselves, it will become more and more important to in-centivise their training.

In the last Budget of the Coalition Government it was announced that a review of business rates would take place with a view to reducing the burden on businesses most in need of the help. We believe the Government should apply a rate cut to work hubs.

These hubs provide more than simply just a space for independent professionals and start-ups to work from. They encourage micro-busi-nesses and independent professionals to collaborate with one another, making them more

dynamic and better at what they do. While work hubs are often large spaces, the businesses they house are very small. We are committed to work-ing with the Government to support these busi-nesses by reducing the costs of running the hubs in which they work.

And finally, we come to infrastructure – physi-cal and digital. No economy can be built without a solid infrastructure and the self-employed economy is no different. It’s crucial those work-ing for themselves have easy access to high-speed broadband, mobile phone reception and 4G, which are every bit as important to the success of small businesses are reliable road, rail and air networks.

IPSE believe the Government should commit to 100% access to broadband by 2020, acceler-ate the roll-out of 4G, encourage mast sharing to improve mobile coverage and make good on its commitments to improve our transport links.

With a five year plan in place, for the first time in a while, the UK has some sense of political stability. And as self-employment continues to grow in size, influence and importance all across the UK, IPSE is looking forward to working with policy makers to help build a country where those working for themselves can truly flourish.

Deputy Director of Policy and External Affairs, Andy Chamberlain, highlights some of the policy areas IPSE is urging the new Government to take action on.

8POLICY

ARTICLE BY IPSE’S ANDY CHAMBERLAIN @ANDYIPSE

SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS IN PARTICULAR SEEMS TO BE HIGH ON THE

AGENDA FOR THE CONSERVATIVES

GENERAL ELECTION REACTION 11

GENERAL ELECTION REACTION THE INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL’S PERSPECTIVE

We asked independent professionals from all four corners of the UK to pen their thoughts on the rollercoaster ride that was the 2015 general election.

KATHERINE MCDONALD N. IRELAND

A recent graduate of Belfast School of Art, Katherine is beginning to make her way in the world as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer.

THE RESULTTo be completely honest with you, it felt like there was no real change. From my experience, politicians both locally and nationally didn’t do a great job of connecting with people from my generation. To a certain extent, here in Northern Ireland we feel a little separated from and disillusioned with the people who run the country, rather than inspired by them. Hopefully the new government will start to think a bit harder about how they can support people like me, but unfortunately I see the election as having a negative impact as there is going to be less financial support for the arts sector and small businesses.

HIGHLIGHT Now, that is a difficult one! Politically speaking, not a lot. All I can really clarify is that it got students talking and, for the first time in a long time, we have realised how important our vote is and making it count. It’s a separate issue to the general election, but the Irish referendum appeared to dominate political conversation and I’ll look back at this period of time as a historic moment.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTIt was a shame that none of the leading parties voiced their support for the UK’s creative sector. The creative scene across the whole of the UK is very innovative and inspiring – not to mention really impor-tant to the economy, so I was disappointed it didn’t get the recognition it deserves.

The majority of political parties in Northern Ireland don’t seem to be helping our country move forward and in my opinion they seem far too disconnected from my generation.

ONE POLICY FROM THE IPSE MANIFESTO…Being fresh out of the education system, I really believe self-employment and entrepreneurship should feature more on the curriculum in schools, colleges and universities. My university course did have a professional practice module, which was well taught in terms of finding employment – but there wasn’t enough business support.

There needs to be more advice, greater awareness and general business help on hand for young people thinking about starting their own business, which can be an overwhelming thought. So it would be incredibly help-ful if the Government upped its game in letting people like me know what support is out there and how to access it.

ANGEL KNOTT SCOTLAND

Senior finance professional and qualified accountant living in Edinburgh, Angel has been an independent professional for 10 years and has worked on large-scale change programmes specifically within the banking and financial services sectors.

THE RESULT I’m in two minds about that. From a business standpoint, part of me isn’t unhappy with the Conservatives leading in Westminster. It has certainly improved business confidence overall for the country, which is ultimate-ly favourable for self-employed people. That said, I am concerned about any policy change which might support big business at the expense of the UK’s smallest enterprises.

HIGHLIGHTSeeing all that ‘yellow’ cover the Scottish map! I voted ‘no’ in the Scottish independence referendum, and would again, though I remain convinced that people living in Scotland need a voice in Westminster. It was there-fore a pleasant surprise to learn the majority of Scotland feels the same way I do, as prior to that I was concerned that there may be a lingering divide post the referendum. Clearly not!

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT I had always been a Lib Dem supporter in the past, but this time, I felt their manifesto might as well have had a ‘For England!’ stamp on it. It felt impersonal and ultimately influenced my decision to go with a party fo-cused on Scottish issues.

LOCAL MPMichelle Thomson, MP for Edinburgh West, has had a 23-year career in financial services, working on IT and business change, the field that many of the freelancers and independent professionals in Scotland thrive in.

I witnessed her during key debates during the referendum campaign, as Managing Director of Business for Scotland, and found myself generally impressed with her thoughts on supporting entrepreneurship and inno-vative business.

ONE POLICY FROM THE IPSE MANIFESTO…For me personally, the key one that stands out is the guarantee that new housing developments have fibre-optic broadband. I’ve experienced the fallout of this issue directly, where developers are only required to build essential services before they make their money and move on.

GARY ELLIOT WALES

With over 15 years of experience, Cardiff-based Gary is a Freelance Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing consultant who helps customers turn their data into meaningful insight.

THE RESULTI followed this particular election closely and it was a difficult one to predict. The Conservatives’ policy was by far the best to encourage the growth of the economy and eliminate the deficit. That said, the Labour approach seemed to appeal to a large portion of the electorate.

My biggest fear was that the people would fall for the easy way out of aus-terity, but thankfully by and large the voters acted responsibly and voted for the longer term plan, and the Conservatives.

If the Government stay true to the recent small business manifesto, I believe the result of the 2015 general election will be looked back on fondly, par-ticularly by UK business owners.

HIGHLIGHT Two things; a Conservative majority and also the election of Craig Williams, my local Conservative MP and the MP for Cardiff North. The previous Conservative MP, Jonathan Evans, had stood down and Craig had a difficult task as a new candidate in a swing seat. The 2010 election was won by the Conservatives by 194 votes.

Craig had a tough Labour opponent in Mari Williams. Labour had been campaigning strongly in my area for at least 12 months prior to this elec-tion and had knocked on my door several times in the run up to voting day. But fortunately, when it came down to it, Craig won with a healhty majority of 2,137.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT It’s a close call between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Even though the Liberal Democrats were almost decimated, I think Ed’s campaign will be remembered as the biggest disappointment. He spectacularly misread the electorate by marginalising the entire middle class.

Basing his economic policy on redistributing wealth from those on the top rate of income to the lower rates was only ever going to appeal to the lower rate demographic. His brother put it best by commenting; “I think in both 2010 and in 2015, Gordon and then Ed, allowed themselves to be portrayed as moving backwards from the principles of aspiration and inclusion which are at the absolute heart of any successful progressive political projects.”

LOCAL MPLike I mentioned, I was delighted to see Craig Williams elected. I’m not aware of his specific stance on the self-employed, however, Craig has a six point plan including; ‘Creating Jobs’, and ‘Backing local business’. He is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and reducing tax for small business.

ONE POLICY FROM THE IPSE MANIFESTO…One of the biggest concerns for the Self-Employed is the confusion around IR35. I’d like to see the government take up the IPSE manifesto on this subject. The creation of an optional ‘freelancer limited company’ would solve many of my concerns as well as those of many of your readers.

GREG DILLON ENGLAND

Recently elected to IPSE’s Consultative Council, London-based freelance brand strategist, Greg is a prolific blogger, speaker and a finalist in IPSE’s Fifteen for 2015 competition.

THE RESULTIn my mind the Conservatives are the only party who seemed to truly care about independent professionals and having already done progressive things over the last half decade, I can only see them doing even more for small business and self-employed. They have consistently recognised our needs and acted on it. Let’s just hope they can deliver on all the things they have promised.

HIGHLIGHT The Conservatives keeping the keys to No. 10 – I strongly believe they were the only party in a genuine place to keep the momentum and support building for the self-employed and independent professionals.

I think the lack of response from Ed Miliband when IPSE asked him to comment on what he would do in the interests of this swelling body of entrepreneurs said it all.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT The Liberal Democrats and in particular Nick Clegg – which I think is a real shame. While I have always voted Tory, he did many good things while he was in leadership and collaboration with the Tories, so I am truly gutted for the man – neither he nor his party deserved to be decimated like that.

LOCAL MP Before answering these questions, I didn’t know where my local MP stood with regard to self-employment. Conservatives lost out to Labour by just 400 seats in my constituency and the Labour MP was largely anonymous in the run-up to polling day apart from generic carpet bombing of flyers full of poor rhetoric and a focus on anything but self-employment.

ONE POLICY FROM THE IPSE MANIFESTO…I would have to say all of them, naturally, but if I had to pick one I would say: enable mothers who are self-employed to claim Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and radically re-examine how the self-employed are treated for maternity and paternity-related benefits.

I have been reading a lot of horror stories recently about mothers who are having to return to their freelance or contracting lives too soon after giving birth instead of being able to make the bonds they so need in the early stages of a baby’s life.

In addition I do think paternity-related benefits need to be rebalanced too, as noted above. The current system is fairer than was for permanent employees but nowhere near fair enough for those who lose money each day they are not working on a contract or building their business.

NICK CLEGG DID MANY GOOD THINGS WHILE HE WAS IN THE LEADERSHIP AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE

TORIES, SO I AM TRULY GUTTED FOR THE MAN

On hitting a half century in cricket, a batsman will usually raise his bat to the sky and nod to the crowd. In turn they politely applaud, acknowledging the hard work, focus and dogged determination the batsman has displayed to reach this milestone.

After a minute or so of gentlemanly clapping, the batsman will make his way back to the crease, the crowd quieten down and the match resumes. Everyone knows there’s still work to do and the job is only half finished. And in this particularly special and 50th issue of IPSE Magazine, we’ve decided to raise our bat to you.

But to start off, let’s begin with a quick history lesson to get you up to speed. As many of you will already know, in September of last year, PCG evolved to become IPSE. At the same time, the magazine’s editorial team were working hard behind the scenes to transform Freelancing Matters into IPSE Magazine.

Armed with a new name, and one completely united with the new face of IPSE and its growing reputation, we had an opportunity to begin to reach out to a larger, more diverse group of self-employed people. IPSE Magazine is meant for anyone and everyone in self-employment, regardless of age, experience or industry.

The magazine echoes the thoughts and ideas of IPSE as an organisation. We want to drive home IPSE’s key messages to members and the wider self-employed community. As an organisation IPSE is making huge strides forward and we do our very best to keep you in the picture.

When it comes to the content that fill the pages, we like to think we’ve raised the bar. From Michael Portillo, to Alistair Campbell, Chuka Umunna, Nick Clegg, Nicola Sturgeon and none other than the Prime Minister himself, we ask the difficult questions to the most influential politicians.

With a growing editorial team, we use renowned small business journalists with international reach. Many of them are freelancers themselves, and they understand what it’s like to run a busi-ness day in day out, down to the very bone. In each issue we aim for a well-balanced mix of heavy-hitting political and business advice ar-ticles, opinion pieces and product and place reviews – all of which are centred around inde-

pendent working. We reckon a magazine like ours should be an interesting and informative read, and an entertaining one too.

On top of all of this, the magazine has doubled in size. From 19 pages in Issue 1, to 38 jam-packed pages in Issue 50, there’s now twice as much for you to read.

And we hope you’ll agree the magazine has evolved from a design perspective too. Har-nessing the talent of IPSE’s in-house design team and making full use of freelancer Richard Vickers at Metric London, IPSE Magazine has become an eye-catching publication, with design that matches the content.

We have a bigger, more engaging following on social media, and who could forget – a brand spanking new website too (ipse.co.uk/ipse-mag – excuse the shameful plug!). This all bodes well for the future as we look to grow IPSE Magazine’s digital presence and build relationships with new and interesting groups of people working for themselves.

We are proud to have hit half a century of mag-azines, and look forward to bringing you many more. And with that in mind, just like a batsman on reaching 50 runs, we should return to the crease and get cracking with the next one…

THE JOURNEY SO FAR 13

IPSE MAGAZINEAs the curtain is raised on IPSE Magazine’s 50th issue, Editor Benedict Smith lets you in on the thinking behind the UK’s number one magazine for independent professionals.

IN THIS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL AND 50TH ISSUE OF IPSE MAGAZINE, WE’VE DECIDED

TO RAISE OUR BAT TO YOUinspiration for independent professionals and the self-employedIssue 49 – £4.95

the X faCtorThe leaders audition – which party best represents independent professionals? You decide

inspiration for independent professionals and the self-employedIssue 50 – £4.95

General Election reaction | EU ReferendumFreelancers guide to New York | Top wearable technologies

Guide to content marketing

The way we work in the UK has changed beyond recognition in the past two decades and Britain has come alive with enterprising individuals starting brand new businesses each and every day.

With over 4.5 million young and experienced men and women making the brave choice to work for themselves, self-employment in the UK is more colourful, diverse and important to the economy than ever before. And here at IPSE, we believe this is something worth celebrating. Because running a business isn’t easy, for a second consecutive year, IPSE has kicked off its competition to find the stars of UK self- employment and give them a helping hand.

The IPSE Freelancer Awards is calling on Britain’s best and brightest independent profes-sionals to tell us why they should be crowned the UK’s best independent mind and win up to £5,000 to put towards their business.

Our nationwide competition is open until 1st September before an expert panel of judges whittle down the entrants and hand-pick 15 outstanding finalists.

The finalists will then be invited to London to pitch themselves and their business to the panel before returning as guests of honour at the IPSE Freelancer Awards ceremony in London on 12th November, where the winners will be revealed.

And this year, the IPSE Freelancer Awards finalist will fall into one of two categories.

Ten of the 15 finalists will be eligible for the Inspire Award – IPSE’s award for a stand-out self-employed person who truly represents the talent, work ethic and success found in the UK’s self-employed army.

IPSE FREELANCER AWARDS 14

Celebrating excellence in independence, IPSE’s nationwide competition to find Britain’s most exciting, ambitious and enterprising self-employed people.

REBECCA SHIPHAM — EXHIBITION DESIGNER

“Last year’s IPSE Awards were an amazing opportunity, and I was honoured to win. It was great to be part of a competition that recognised and celebrated freelancers and the self-employed, getting us away from our desks and into the public eye. Winning has really pushed me forward professionally. I feel like I’ve made the transition from freelancer to business owner. My confidence has grown, and this is reflected in the quality of my work. Every freelancer and independent professional should enter the IPSE Awards. We are a growing force, and IPSE and the competition helps us shine.”

ANDREW BUTLER — LIGHTING CAMERAMAN

“The competition helped me no end. From a professional point of view the prizes helped me develop my business, and the financial advice has helped me understand the ins and outs of running a business well. On another level the competition put me in touch with 15 other like-minded individuals who I could compare notes with and chat with about the highs and lows of being self-employed. Meeting the Prime Minister was a surreal, once in a lifetime experience and a story I’m sure I’ll be telling for years to come!”

SARAH DAWKINS — HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

“I entered the competition and was surprised – not to mention delighted – to finish as one of the winning runners-up. The competition was fierce and IPSE ran a tight ship. I can’t thank IPSE enough for arranging a visit to No. 10 Downing Street to meet David Cameron either!”

The overall winner of the Inspire Award will receive £5,000 to put towards their business, while the two runners-up will both leave £2,500 better off. All three winners will re-ceive expert media and presentation training along with a business support and technology bundle worth thousands.

The remaining five finalists, under the age of 23, will battle it out to be crowned the overall winner of the Aspire Award – IPSE’s award for a young independent professional showing the promise of one of tomorrow’s self- employed stars.

The winner of the Aspire Award will be pre-sented with £3,000 to help them kick on in business. On top of all of this, they will also be presented with the business support package, technology bundle and expert media and pres-entation training.

All 15 finalists from both categories will receive a host of technology prizes and vital business support to help them kick on in business.

So whether you’re the brains behind a start-up, a designer, writer or developer, and see yourself as one of the UK’s most enterprising independ-ent professionals, what are you waiting for?

Visit ipseawards.co.uk to enter the competi-tion today to be in with a chance of winning up to £5,000 and be crowned one of the UK’s most celebrated independent professionals.

WHAT L AST YEAR’S WINNERS HAD

TO SAY:

FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, IPSE HAS KICKED OFF ITS COMPETITION TO FIND THE STARS OF UK SELF-EMPLOYMENT

AND GIVE THEM A HELPING HAND

Guide to Freelancing 1

Guide to Freelancing

IPSE’s Guide to Freelancing is an interactive resource, jam-packed full of business advice and tips, from tax planning to marketing & PR.

If you’re just starting out or already an established freelancer, this 80 page guide is specifically designed for you.

Visit www.ipse.co.uk/guide to download it today.

MORTGAGES 16

Here in the UK we’ve become used to hearing the word crisis. And up until very recently, as readers of the news, we have grown used to being bombarded with headlines about the financial crisis and economic crisis – so much so that in some respects the word lost impact. But more recently, and partly because of the recovering economy, a new word precedes what can only be described as one of red-top tabloid journalism’s favourite buzzwords. And unfor-tunately for those in the market for new property, that word is housing. That’s right, the UK has a housing crisis on its hands.

The Government has promised to build 200,000 homes a year up until 2020 to combat this crisis, which is all well and good. But what isn’t quite as promising is that two in five of the UK’s growing self-employed population are seriously concerned about whether they’ll be able to secure a mortgage to buy their own homes.

According to new research carried out by IPSE, 38% of self-employed people interested in a mortgage are concerned they’ll never get one purely because they work independently.

On top of this 65% believe the self-employed are required to jump through more hoops than ‘tra-ditional’ employees, with it being especially tricky for new freelancers. The statistics are worrying to say the least, and those working for themselves are concerned that the lenders aren’t on their side. Research revealed that 61% of independent professionals think mortgage advisers don’t understand their situation, and 45% feel that providers don’t even want them as customers.

For it to become easier for the rising number of self-employed people in the UK to access a mort-gage, lenders need to learn more about this way of working. IPSE is calling for mortgage advisers to be given better advice on independent working

UK HOUSING CRISIS EXTENDS TO THE SELF-EMPLOYED

Make sure you have proof of income:

Self-certifying your income is a thing of the past and you now need

to show you earn the money you say you do. If you have a company,

this can be company accounts, otherwise other proof may be

needed such as paid invoices, or even pay slips from employed

work in a similar field over the last two years.

and is pushing for a government review into lending to people working for themselves.

Paul Winter, Chief Executive at Ipswich Building Society believes the self-employed are being unfairly treated when it comes to decisions around mortgages. “Too many creditworthy borrowers with unusual circumstances are overlooked by mainstream mortgage lenders and our view is that ‘mortgage misfits’, including the self- employed, freelancers and contractors, should have the same level of choice and access to the mortgage market as any other group,” he said.

And of similar thinking, IPSE Chief Executive, Chris Bryce believes there needs to be a change in the lending culture in the UK, not to mention a strong focus on the issue in Westminster. “The whole culture around mortgage lending to the self-employed needs to be changed to accom-modate the modern way of working. The Conservative Party made a commitment to re-view mortgages for the self-employed in its business manifesto and we look forward to working with the new Government on this im-portant area,” he explained.

Self-employment in the UK is 4.5 million people strong, and for this sector to continue playing a vital role in the Government’s ‘long-term economic plan’, surely now is the time to help those who work for themselves get on the property ladder. HERE ARE OUR TOP TIPS FOR THE

SELF-EMPLOYED SEEKING A MORTGAGE:

Prove you will continue to

get work:You can do this by

showing you have had contracts renewed in

the past or showing you have work lined up. If

you do not you may need to show you can meet

mortgage payments with savings for at least a

couple of months.

Get your paperwork

in place:Speak to your accountant;

if necessary, they will provide you with signed accounts and any other

information you may need. Keep all relevant paperwork proving your

current address and identity, and be prepared

to provide further information such as

passport and NI numbers.

Think about using a (specialist)

broker:Specialist brokers may

be in a better position to smooth things over,

check paperwork and generally make the

process a bit easier for the self-employed.

Think about speaking to your existing lender:

It is easier to pass affordability checks with your current lender than

with a new lender (although this is likely

to change soon) so consider speaking to your existing lender about the deals they may be able to offer.

Benedict Smith looks at the issues around mortgages for the self-employed.

As our sector continues to grow, the more there is for us to learn about it. New trends, statistics and ways will emerge, something here at IPSE we are committed to finding out more about.

With more understanding of self-employment, as an organisation, IPSE will be in a better po-sition to influence policy makers and work with Government to solve the problems which affect the way you run your business from one day to the next.

Earlier this year, we created a Research, Train-ing & Education department at IPSE, so we could better explore the issues that lie right at the heart of self-employment, and extend our services into educating and training the 4.5 million peo-ple working for themselves here in the UK.

Suneeta Johal leads a team which includes Re-search Manager Kayte Jenkins and Education & Training Manager Lydia Wakefield. For some time IPSE has led the way when it comes to research around self-employment. But now, with

a bigger, more experienced and better resourced team, we can strengthen our ties with the experts and learn more about this vital sector.

We want to help people working for themselves thrive, and training is essential to making sure this happens. Self-employed people in the UK train and up-skill the least out of all European countries, which is something we aim to change.

By giving IPSE members training opportuni-ties, the self-employed can become better at what they do and more effective at running a business. And to encourage the millions of self-employed people in the UK to take up

extra training, the IPSE Policy team is working hard to make sure that all training, not only directly relevant training, is tax deductible for independent professionals.

It is an aim of ours to make sure self-employment is presented to young people still in education as a realistic, fulfilling and achievable career path. Just 1% of those working independently in the UK were led to self-employment by their school or college, while only 2% were presented to the idea through their university. This is something else we will tackle.

IPSE will be working with schools, colleges and universities to fill this information gap. We will offer advice and guidance on self-employment, so young people can decide whether they want to work for themselves.

Along with all of this, the Research, Training & Education department’s presence online is growing. And IPSE members can now read some of the latest research into freelancing and self-employment on the IPSE website.

All of this research builds on IPSE’s established relationships with the academic community. Back in November of last year, we held our second Global Seminar on Freelancing and Independent Professional Research, which brought together leading academics from as far away as Australia to share groundbreaking research and discuss various aspects of self-employment.

Throughout the workshop, each of these inter-national academics had the opportunity to present ideas drawing from their own research. The first selection of these articles have now been published in the International Review of Entrepreneurship (IRE) and are free for IPSE members to download from the Freelance Sec-tor Research section of our website.

In the first issue we explored the following:

THE USE AND VALUE OF FREELANCERS: THE PERSPECTIVE OF MANAGERS IN LARGE FIRMS AND SMES

Andrew Burke (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland) and Marc Cowling (Brighton University, UK)

Andrew Burke and Mark Cowling focus on the role and value of freelancers, as perceived by the people hiring them. A vital segment of the UK labour market and a driving force in the modern economy, the research makes a strong case for the important role independ-ent professionals’ play in the UK today.

TRACKING UK FREELANCE WORKFORCE TRENDS 1992–2014

John Kitching (Kingston University, UK)

Drawing on data from the UK Labour Force Survey, John Kitching looks at the major trends emerging in the size and growth of the UK free-lance workforce from 1992 to 2014.

The research shows there has been a substantial increase in the number of UK freelancers and growth as a proportion of all workforce jobs. The paper also touches on the lack of analysis of freelance trends, which is somewhat surpris-ing given the sheer size of the sector.

JOB QUALITY AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT: IS IT (STILL) BETTER TO WORK FOR YOURSELF?

Nigel Meager (Institute for Employment Studies, Brighton, UK)

Taking a look at data from the UK Skills and Employment Surveys, Meager’s report com-pares job quality and job satisfaction among employees with that of the self-employed. In short, the research reveals that although self-employed people by and large work longer hours, undergo less training and have less job security, overall they have a higher level of job satisfaction than employees.

SUNEETA JOHALHead of Research, Training & Education

“Research is at the centre of everything we do at IPSE, making our voice louder, and

our messages more credible when we speak to policy makers and the wider world.

“This department is vital for IPSE going forward, forming a key element of our

strategy. With an experienced team, we have big plans. We are now ready to take

the next step. We want to learn more about our exciting sector, to present self-employment to young people in

education, and help those already working for themselves up-skill and become the

very best at what they do.”

LYDIA WAKEFIELDEducation & Training Manager

“Having worked with leading higher education institutions and professional

training providers over the past five years, I’m excited to have joined IPSE as

Education and Training Manager. My role is new within IPSE, and I’ll be working with schools, colleges and universities to provide advice and guidance to young people on the prospect of becoming self-employed after

finishing their studies.

“I’ll be responsible for developing and implementing training opportunities for

all IPSE members which we intend to fully launch towards the end of the year.

We will also be developing training workshops for businesses, which will

advise them on best practice when engaging with freelancers and

independent professionals.”

KAYTE JENKINSResearch Manager

“In this role I manage the design and delivery of research projects which

underpin everything we do here at IPSE. Hailing from Australia, I am a marketer by background and education. Prior to joining IPSE I spent more than seven

years working for a professional services firm specialising in the evolving and

flexible nature of work.

“I led a landmark research study alongside a leading Australian university,

where we looked to get a better under-standing of the experiences, issues and

wellbeing of the self-employed. I want to make sure independent professionals are

properly represented, accounted for as they continue to change the way people

work all over the world.”

RESEARCH, TRAINING & EDUCATION 19

WITH MORE UNDERSTANDING OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT, AS AN ORGANISATION,

IPSE WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO INFLUENCE POLICY MAKERS AND WORK

WITH GOVERNMENT

WE CREATED A RESEARCH, TRAINING & EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, SO WE COULD

BETTER EXPLORE THE ISSUES THAT LIE RIGHT AT THE HEART OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT

RESEARCH, TRAINING & EDUCATION VITAL TO THE CAUSEIntroducing the newest arm of IPSE, the Research, Training & Education department.

THE RESEARCH, TRAINING & EDUCATION TEAM

FEMALE SOLO SELF-EMPLOYMENT – FEATURES OF GENDERED ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Dieter Bögenhold & Andrea Klinglmair (Alpen-Adria-University Klagenfurt, Austria)

Focusing on female entrepreneurship and women in self-employment, this research is based on a brief review of existing literature and a survey conducted in Austria.

The results show that women tend to run smaller companies, are mostly part-time self-employed, command lower fees and have shorter times of involvement. That said, the research also suggests that wellbeing and happiness are likely to be higher in firms run by women.

ENTREPRENEURS, IPROS AND THE TALENT ECOSYSTEM

Michel Syrett

Based on research conducted for The Econo-mist book, Managing Talent, highlights the efforts talent managers are making to hold onto professional workers who are no longer moti-vated by the idea of lifelong corporate careers.

It looks at how forward-thinking organisa-tions are extending the boundaries of their talent reach by helping young entrepreneurs through business incubation schemes and putting in place alumni schemes to help retain relationships with former talent.

For some time now, IPSE has led the way when it comes to research around self-employment, and it forms a core element of our long-term strategy.

The second issue of the IRE will be released at the end of June 2015, where, once again you will be able to find it in the Research section of the IPSE website.

IPSE aims to be the definitive source of knowl-edge about freelancing and self-employment in the UK. You can read all of our latest research at www.ipse.co.uk/research and get in touch with any of the team on Twitter:

@TEAMIPSE

NEW ARRIVALS 20

NEW FACES AT IPSEAs well as strengthening IPSE’s Research, Training & Education department with two new faces, IPSE has strengthened other key areas of the organisation too. They introduce themselves here…

James GribbenHEAD OF PRESS AND PR

“It was a really easy decision to join IPSE, as it’s an organisation that has so much scope to grow and frame the public discussion around the way people in the UK work in 2015.

“Over the years I’ve built up strong contacts amongst the national busi-ness press and I’ll be making use of these to land IPSE some high profile coverage to reflect the growing stature of IPSE and the quality of work being produced here. I hope to bring the experience I’ve accumulated at a number of high profile business organisations both in the UK and abroad and am confident IPSE can raise issues affecting contractors, freelancers and the self-employed even higher in the media agenda.

“I’m always interested in hearing from IPSE members about the issues affecting them. Ensuring we can put national print and broadcasters in touch with real people affected by policy decisions will only enhance IPSE’s ability to represent our members.”

JAMES.GRIBBEN@IPSE.CO.UK@JAMESIPSE

Lorence NyePOLICY ADVISER – ECONOMICS

“As IPSE’s economic affairs adviser, I’m responsible for making sure the organisation is up to date with all economic developments in the UK, across Europe and even further afield.

“Graduating from the University of Birmingham and with a background in financial services. I see my role at IPSE as an opportunity to put my passion for politics to good use, in a way that makes the most of my finan-cial skills. As a fairly outgoing guy, I’m looking forward to meeting with the UK’s leading economists to promote IPSE and build stronger ties with the people discussing the future of work and the economy in the UK.”

LORENCE.NYE@IPSE.CO.UK@LORENCEIPSE

Claire BarranceEVENTS MANAGER “I joined IPSE just over a month ago and have taken on the role of Events Manager, sitting in the Marketing team.

“I have a strong background in marketing and events within the education industry, with my previous role also as Events Manager at London Busi-ness School. I’m aiming to bring my experience of organising a wide range of worldwide events to maintain client relationships and help you – our members – benefit from being a part of us. “I have a number of ideas up my sleeve for upcoming events. I want to ensure you make the very most of your membership, by learning new skills, meeting potential clients and networking with like-minded inde-pendent professionals.”

CLAIRE.BARRANCE@IPSE.CO.UK

Alex McLeishCONSTRUCTION POLICY ADVISER

“I originally joined IPSE back in September 2014 as part of the mem-bership team. So, I suppose I’m not really a new face in the office! But after gaining eight months experience helping members get the most from being a part of IPSE, I moved across the policy department.

“I will be involved in helping the policy team day in day out, with a special focus on the policies and issues affecting the self- employed in the construction industry. This is a new sector IPSE has taken on, with the recent affiliation of Hudson Contract. I will be doing everything I can to make sure the issues the independent professionals face in this industry are tackled. I am also the Secretary for the committee IPSE has set up to discuss the construction policy agenda.

“My experience from the time spent in IPSE’s Membership team, coupled with my involvement with contractors on sites for the UK’s biggest con-struction firms will help massively as I help IPSE create a better environment for anyone wanting to work for themselves in the UK.

ALEX.MCLEISH@IPSE.CO.UK

Guide to Freelancing 1Visit www.ipse.co.uk/advice to download it today.

Guide toRetirement Savings

Why should you think about saving for retirement? Well once you’re no longer working, you will typically need more than just the state pension to rely on.

Planning in advance to make sure your savings pot is big enough to enable you to have a comfortable retirement is essential.

IPSE’s Guide to Retirement Savings outlines the basic information you will need to consider when thinking about saving for retirement.

HMRC’S CONTRACTOR LOAN SETTLEMENT OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE ON 30TH JUNE 2015Dominic Arnold, Head of Tax Investigations at Moore Stephens discusses HMRC’s Contractor Loan Settlement Opportunity (CLSO).

CLSO HAS BEEN POPULAR AND HMRC HAS INCREASED RESOURCES TO DEAL

WITH A BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS

CONTRACTOR LOANS 22

In July 2014, HMRC wrote to thousands of in-dividuals who had used so-called ‘contractor loan’ schemes, inviting them to participate in the CLSO.

HMRC strongly believes that amounts described as loans under relevant schemes are taxable, and point to its victory in the First Tier Tribunal case of Philip Boyle (TC03103) to support its position.

Self-employed people using the scheme were encouraged by HMRC to “settle now and put your involvement with these arrangements behind you…”, with the original deadline of 9th January 2015 being extended to 30th June 2015.

HMRC has stated that it is committed to litigation against those who do not settle under the CLSO.

SO, WHAT DOES THE CLSO RELATE TO?The CLSO only applies to arrangements used up to 5th April 2011, although HMRC will sep-arately consider schemes entered into after that date under the ‘Disguised Remuneration’ rules, which came fully into force on 6th April 2011.

For many contractors, the CLSO offers favour-able terms. HMRC isn’t seeking to apply any penalties or National Insurance Contribution to the amounts received as loans. On top of this, it also seems receptive to agreeing time to pay for those who can’t pay the tax due all in one go.

By and large the CLSO has been popular and HMRC has increased resources to deal with a backlog of applications.

In some situations, HMRC may need to rely on its administrative practices at the time when enquiries and assessments were made in order to collect the tax due. Experience has shown that it can sometimes be cost effective for indi-viduals to seek professional advice to review their facts and then offer an opinion on the strength of HMRC’s case.

WHAT ARE ACCELERATED PAYMENT NOTICES?Aside from the CLSO, HMRC has now begun to issue Accelerated Payment Notices (APNs) to business owners. Being issued with an APN means the individual will need to pay the ‘tax’ in dispute upfront to HMRC within 90 days of the notice, or risk severe penalties.

Although in substance an APN is a payment of a tax liability which may not ultimately be pay-able (in full or in part), it’s a legally enforceable debt which HMRC can take to court.

While representations are possible, an APN can’t be appealed against. If years covered by an APN are settled under the CLSO, HMRC won’t en-force payment of the APN.

I WAS TOLD WHEN I ENTERED INTO THE SCHEME THAT IT WAS LEGAL. WHY IS HMRC NOW ASKING ME TO PAY TAX ON THE LOANS I RECEIVED?Well, the ‘legality’ of contractor loan schemes was usually based on an opinion provided by a tax barrister and not on a formal approval from HMRC. The ‘self-assessment’ method means HMRC can challenge the legality of a scheme, as it did successfully in the Boyle case. The tax authority has spent many years investigating contractor loan arrangements. That said, it’s still fairly unclear why HMRC hasn’t taken more cases to the Tribunal before now.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO SETTLE UNDER THE CLSO?Anyone who wants to settle needs to register their intention with HMRC before 30th June 2015 and complete the process before 30th September 2015. HMRC says the extension of the original deadline was due to ‘exceptional circumstances’ and will not be repeated.

For more information on the CLSO, your options and how to achieve the best possible settlement with HMRC, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Moore Stephens.

DOMINIC.ARNOLD@MOORESTEPHENS.COMwww.moorestephens.co.uk/tax-investigations.aspx

Contract-review.indd 1 10/11/2014 16:35

WITH ONE EYE ON EUROPE 25

As the UK gears up for a European Referendum, Ben Wright assesses the situation.

The dust on the Conservative’s surprise major-ity election victory has now settled and the priorities of the Government were laid out in the Queen’s Speech last month. The centre piece of the agenda however, is perhaps a little less surprising – the creation of legislation to deliver an in/out referendum on Britain’s mem-bership of the European Union.

The Referendum Bill, published at the end of May, has shed light on a number of important issues. Firstly, the deadline for the referendum to take place has been put at the end of 2017. Secondly, it has suggested this question to be asked of the British public:

SHOULD THE UNITED KINGDOM REMAIN A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION?In pushing forward with both the reform plans and the referendum, Cameron has stuck to his guns. The Bill has already passed the Commons and, should it successfully make its way through the House of Lords, could receive Royal assent as early as July.

CONFLICTING FORCESA strong Lib Dem presence in the House of Lords could prolong the Bill’s passage and result in a number of amendments. This could prove tricky and time-consuming, but it’s in Europe that the real negotiations will take place.

It’s a tricky situation for the Prime Minister, who will be balancing multiple conflicting forces in the run up to the vote. Firstly, the longer the referendum takes to arrive, the more political and business uncertainty will build. The major-ity of UK business has voiced its support to stay in the EU, while making it clear that if a vote is to take place, let’s get it over and done with.

But the sooner the referendum happens, the less time David Cameron has to achieve significant concessions over the issues and treaty changes that he wants. Earlier this month, Foreign Sec-retary Philip Hammond became the highest profile party member to indicate that the referendum could take place next year, which severely limits the time available to gain the desired concessions.

Backbench Tory MPs are also proving a handful. One former Tory Cabinet Minister, Owen Pat-erson claimed the Foreign Secretary would be ‘rigging’ the vote against the ‘out’ campaign should he allow public money to be spent on backing the Government’s favoured outcome. David Cameron was also left red-faced, after publicly back-tracking on his threat that all Cabinet members who support leaving the EU would be forced to step down from Government.

The race is on to achieve concrete results from the negotiation process in Europe. Though this won’t be easy, given the tone of both Mem-ber States and the European Commission, who have little appetite for any treaty change taking place.

On a whistlestop tour of Europe at the end of May, David Cameron met with European leaders, including French President François Hollande, who was quick to rule out any treaty change before French elections in 2017.

With treaty change essentially held hostage by domestic politics of the Member States, the scope of what appears achievable in the reforms seems to be limited for the moment.

WHAT CAN BUSINESS GET?If treaty change is indeed out of the question, then some of David Cameron’s key priorities – most notably tighter restrictions on freedom of movement between Member States and a UK exemption from ‘an ever closer union’ – are doomed to fail.

But that’s not to say concessions cannot be gained, especially for business. One area where the Prime Minister could again make significant concessions for business is amending specific legislation like the Working Time Directive and Agency Workers Directive. These amendments are high on the Government’s wish list, could be done without treaty change and achievable with support in Europe.’

A genuine single market for capital, further services liberalisation and returning full control of social and employment law to national governments are further areas of interest for business. Though these social and employment issues have not featured prominently in David Cameron’s recent meetings.

Other areas the Prime Minister may be seek-ing to improve is the extension of the digital single market and to call for fewer but better

EUR PEWITH ONE EYE ON A STRONG LIB DEM PRESENCE IN THE

HOUSE OF LORDS COULD PROLONG THE BILL’S PASSAGE AND RESULT IN A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS

ARTICLE BY IPSE’S BEN WRIGHT @BENIPSE

regulations coming from Brussels going for-ward. While not so much of a Government priority, this ranks highly on businesses’ wish list. That said, it doesn’t have quite as much support across Europe. Less regulation from Brussels would most certainly be welcomed by small businesses, who are justified in their complaints of being excessively regulated while gaining far less of the benefits of Euro-pean membership and the single market than their larger counterparts.

But these are areas that Brussels is already working on. European Commission Vice Pres-ident Frans Timmermans is heading up the Commission’s Better Regulation Package, which seeks to do exactly what its name implies. The digital single market is also high on the Com-mission’s agenda. Cameron must therefore be clear on exactly what he will get from the reform process and how it will differ from what appears to be happening in Brussels already.

POLITICAL DISTRACTIONSEuropean heavyweights France and Germany both have elections in 2017. For leaders Hollande and Merkel, the British question will take a backseat as they focus their attention on domes-tic campaigns. Agreement from two of Europe’s most influential figures will therefore be difficult to reach.

The impending European Referendum also reintroduces the Scottish question to the fore. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has opposed the referendum and plans to table an amend-ment whereby all nations within in the UK must vote to leave the EU for it to happen. Both the SNP and Labour are calling for a referendum vote for 16– and 17–year-olds.

The Scottish elections taking place in the middle of 2016 will prove more than just a distraction for the Prime Minister, who will surely be faced with SNP manoeuvrings to use the referendum to Scotland’s advantage. Should the Scottish referendum vote prove contrary to the English, then Scotland’s relationship with the UK will once again be put at risk – Nicola Sturgeon has already promised a second Scottish referendum should the UK vote to leave the EU.

‘BREXIT’?Many European leaders, mostly Germany’s Angela Merkel, know the importance of keep-ing Britain within the EU. Mr Cameron may have received a frosty welcome in most Mem-ber States, but Mrs Merkel and Germany understand that concessions will have to be made for Britain to stay.

David Cameron must use this to his advantage; he must make the case for reform and convince European leaders that this works for Europe. The reforms he can successfully achieve depend heavily on how much leverage can be gained from his European counterparts.

And what of a ‘Brexit’? For now at least, this appears an unlikely outcome. European senti-ment is on the rise in Britain. Recent polling puts support for remaining in the EU at 55% against 36% who would rather leave.

Where the Prime Minister will stand is an im-portant and interesting question. Should Mr Cameron publicly back Britain’s membership prior to presenting the reform package, then his hands may well be tied further down the line. Because essentially, whatever he achieves from the negotiations in Europe, no matter how po-litically and personally unsatisfactory, he will have to sell to the British public as a success.

Or would the Government approach be de-pendent on the negotiation’s outcome? Boris Johnson has stated that the Government would be left with no choice but to back the ‘out’ vote, should insufficient reform be offered. It appears that which way many will vote is de-pendent on the outcome of the negotiations. Until this is known, it’s too early to predict with any accuracy the chance of a ‘Brexit’.

MANY EUROPEAN LEADERS, MOSTLY GERMANY’S ANGELA MERKEL, KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING

BRITAIN WITHIN THE EU

THE SCOTTISH ELECTIONS WILL PROVE MORE THAN JUST A DISTRACTION

FOR CAMERON

Wearable technology is what everyone is talking about in 2015. While smartwatches have been around for some time, wearables are unable to hit mass market until Apple says so. In April, the technology god finally released the Apple Watch, and its devoted congregation are desperate to get their hands on the latest technology trend.

By the end of the year 100 million people will have an iPhone 5 or 6 which can connect to an Apple Watch and Forrester analysts say Apple only needs a 10% conversion rate to sell 10 million this year.

But it’s not all about technology for your wrist. All the techies are keen to hear about Google’s future plans for Glass, while even clothes are becoming connected.

And as freelancers, wearables can help you be-come more efficient at running your business, while striking a healthy work/life balance: watch-es can gently remind you of appointments, fitness trackers can tell you it is time to stretch your legs and augmented reality headsets or wearable cameras can help you become more creative.

Here’s the lowdown on the different types of wearable tech worth keeping an eye on.

WEARABLE TECH 27

FITNESS TRACKERS

The digital health revolution has created a mod-ern generation of adults who are turning down a pint at the end of the day in order to meet their activity goals.

Fitness trackers have made fitness a challenge with progress easily seen on your smartphone as the devices sync calorie information throughout the day. With sleep trackers, you can now moni-tor every waking and sleeping moment of your lives to make healthier choices.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There is a wealth of devices to choose from, but Fitbit provides a range of different connected health and fitness devices. The original Fitbit is a fancy pedometer, which syncs steps, distance and calories burned. And the tech company has now released three wrist devices to capitalise on the smartwatch phenomenon which can connect to smartphones to provide added extras like caller ID.

Devices start from £49.

WATCHES

Of all body parts, the wrist is what appeals to most consumers when it comes to wearables according to Forrester, and this trend is only set to contin-ue as people start to see smartwatches on the wrists of their friends and colleagues. And the big benefit? Smartwatches actually make you less dependent on your smartphone because you can discreetly glance at your wrist rather than inter-rupting conversations by whipping out your device to check every mundane notification.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It’s got to be the Apple Watch. While decent smartphone-connected watches like Samsung’s Galaxy Gear have been around for a while, you know the trend won’t take off until Apple says so.

Apple Watch starting from a pricey £479 to a whopping £949 – and don’t forget you need to own an iPhone for the device to work.

GLASSES

Google Glass certainly ramped up the column inches in the press, but after a soft launch for developers, the technology giant announced earlier this year it was stopping the production of Glass prototypes. Many argued Glass was too expensive, not fashionable and invaded privacy with the ability to record video. But it is actually behind the scenes where the magic happens. Businesses are researching how smart spectacles could improve processes, like speeding up effi-ciencies in warehouses, improving conference calls or even aiding in medicine.

It may still be too early for mass adoption of the gadget, but there is no doubt smart glasses have a future because the ability to have the informa-tion you need right in front of your eyes is a powerful concept. Google is currently developing its next iteration of the device in secret, so let’s hope it does a better job of making Glass less obtrusive and more fashionable, and it may win over more fans next time around.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stay tuned to see what Google launches next, but until then other companies are bound to jump on the opportunity to release similar products, like Chinese manufacturer Alto Technology which recently launched its own smart spectacles device.

VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS

Not to be confused with smart spectacles, VR headsets are not the kind of gadget you would wear while walking down the street. These head-sets are still predominantly thought to belong in the world of gaming as they provide an immersive experience through its internal screens and built-in motion tracking which responds to head movements. But they too have a place in business; designers can bring their blueprints to life while travel agents and car salesmen can provide a near-real experience for consumers.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Oculus Rift is causing the biggest stir in the technology world and while it is still only available as a development kit, a consumer version is expected to be released early next year. Until then Oculus has teamed up with Samsung to create a headset where you attach your Samsung phone for a virtual reality experience.

Samsung Gear VR from £169 (phone not included).

FASHION

Digital clothing is surely the most wearable technology of them all? You might not see them in your local shops at the moment, but connect-ed clothes are in development. Google recently partnered with Levi’s Jeans to integrate tech-nology into clothing and interactive fashion house CuteCircuit has launched a proof of con-cept with Accenture. The CuteCircuit prototype allows users to buy different fashion designs from a smartphone app and transfer them onto the clothing via Bluetooth.

WILDCARD: HEARTOGRAPHY “What if emotions could take photographs?” asks Japanese camera company Nikon. Wearable cameras which take intermittent low-quality snaps throughout the day have been another interesting technology development. But now Nikon has created a camera case which monitors your heartbeat and detects when you are happy, alerting the attached camera via Bluetooth to take a photograph. To demonstrate this ‘heartography’, Nikon attached the device to the world’s first ‘phodographer’ – a canine photographer called Grizzler who can now show his owners what makes him happy on his daily walks.

THE LOWDOWN ON WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIESCaroline Baldwin casts her expert eye over the best wearable technologies on the market.

MANY ARGUED GLASS WAS TOO EXPENSIVE, NOT FASHIONABLE

AND INVADED PRIVACY WITH THE ABILITY TO RECORD VIDEO

OF ALL BODY PARTS, THE WRIST IS WHAT APPEALS TO MOST CONSUMERS

WHEN IT COMES TO WEARABLES ACCORDING TO FORRESTER

THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU NEED RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR

EYES IS A POWERFUL CONCEPT

ARTICLE BY CAROLINE BALDWIN @CL_BALDWIN

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN? 29

KEYFACT

What is IPSE doing to help freelanc-ers stay in touch? Well, as part of the IPSE Manifesto, IPSE is calling on Government to:

Commit to 100% access to broadband by 2020

Guarantee that new housing developments have fibre-optic broadband

Accelerate the rollout of 4G coverage

Support mobile coverage on the London Underground

Ensure that rail franchising agreements include a commitment to enabling Wi-Fi across their networks

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN?

Henn Ruukel, CEO of Fleep and former Director of Site Operations for Skype explains how freelancers can deliver

more effective client communications.

It’s never been easier to keep in contact with clients. Paradoxically, it’s also never been harder. Why? Because of the huge range of communica-tions options open to us today, which can see us juggle with messenger apps, social media plat-forms and email. That is without even counting postal correspondence and mobile or VOIP calls.

As someone whose whole working life has involved helping people to connect and commu-nicate more effectively, I am fascinated by the explosion of tech start-ups trying to offer us new ways of engaging with our business contacts. There are now so many new tools available to freelancers it can only be confusing, so how do you choose what works for you?

At the moment email remains the lowest com-mon denominator tool for keeping in touch.

However, its unsuitability to modern working is becoming apparent. Many people don’t know that email is a 40-year-old technology. It was designed for sending and receiving letters in electronic form, as that was all that was needed in the 1970s when work was done in highly hi-erarchical organisations. This isn’t how we work now; today businesses and people thrive and create through teamwork and collaboration. Freelancers in particular work with clients and others who can be spread around the world. We need new tools to support this way of working, which are optimised for conversations, like modern messengers.

The market is responding with a range of disruptive and in-novative alternatives now

making waves. At Skype we revolutionised voice

and video calling, now a range of new tech start-ups are trying to do the same for the way we commu-nicate with text. In particular, there are many messenger apps already proving to be attractive alternatives for internal business conversations.

In May BitTorrent un-veiled its first messen-ger, called Bleep, that

aims to offer more secure communications with better encryption than its competitors. Unlike WhatsApp or Google, copies of messages sent on Bleep will never be saved – adding to its secure credentials.

In April, US firm Slack was in the headlines when it became the fast-

est start-up to reach the $2 billion valuation. The company has grown quickly and now has 750,000 active daily users, making it one of the most popular new messengers available, par-ticularly with start-ups.

Although it has fewer users, Japanese start-up Chat-Work, an enterprise social network is still used by 66,000 companies in 183

countries. ChatWork raised £2.5 million in venture capital funding in April, and is expected to reach 1 million users by 2016. Facebook has also entered the business messenger market, with the announcement that it is developing a business-focused version of its messenger ser-vice, and that is on top of spending $19 billion buying WhatsApp in 2013.

Each of these is great for ensuring more produc-tive team conversations, but less so for external communications, particularly where two different channels need to be combined. Those of us working in the freelance or consultative sectors will almost always need to accommodate their clients’ communication method of choice, and for now that is likely to be email.

This is where Fleep can be a useful ally. It is a messenger that inte-

grates with email networks, so you can communi-cate with email users without them needing to sign up for another platform. They can participate via email and switch over whenever they like.

Integration with email is something we learned from how mobile phone networks were introduced alongside landlines. Originally mobile phone num-bers were able to call to all landlines and vice versa. Now many people just rely on their mobile. Freelancers can streamline their communica-tions by rejecting email as their main tool for all electronic communications. Instead they should test out the range of modern messengers coming onto the market and find one that suits their work, can be accepted by their clients and ulti-mately help them to be more productive.

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Jamie McDermott crossed the pond and paid a pit-stop visit to New York City.

The Freelancer’s Guide to

New York City

THE FREELANCER’S GUIDE 31

ARTICLE BY IPSE’S JAMIE MCDERMOTT @JAMIE_MCDERMS

CHECK OUT DUMBO STARTUP LAB: WWW.DUMBOSTARTUPLAB.COM

AND FOLLOW JOHN COGHLAN ON TWITTER: @JOHN_COGS

THE COWORKING SCENE IS GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH, HOUSING THE CREAM OF THE WORLD’S COWORKING CROP

New York. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. I suppose one of the best cities in the world doesn’t really need a lengthy introduction does it? So with that in mind I’ll skip the boring formalities and get on with telling you why I went there and what it was like.

For years I’ve been after an excuse to hop on a flight and take a trip to New York, for work and play reasons – but mainly play. So, when travelling to the US for a wedding last month, how could I resist stopping off for a few nights in New York? Well, truth be told, I couldn’t. I booked a two night stay in the Hudson, just off Columbus Circle, home to the Trump Hotel & Tower, and prepared myself for an action-packed tour of the Big Apple.

I had also heard from a number of people that, as well as being a brilliant place to live, New York is an inspirational city for freelancers. After a bit of research on the flight over, it turns out that the US in general is home to 53 million freelanc-ers, meaning that a staggering 34% of the entire US workforce work independently.

Naturally I was intrigued. What makes the US, and more specifically New York, such a special place for independent professionals?

I reached out to John Coghlan, the brains behind Dumbo Startup Lab, a coworking space in Brook-lyn, just by the Manhattan Bridge overpass – and put that very question to him.

“Because of its size, New York is able to offer just about every workspace option a freelancer could want – from on-demand spaces via Breather (an app which locates spaces to work from) to coworking spaces in every borough. The explosion is definitely recent. When Dum-bo Startup Lab launched in 2012, we were one of just a handful of spaces in Brooklyn. Now they are everywhere”.

Coworking is an area of freelancing that has always sat close to my heart. As a one-time free-lancer myself, I know first-hand how important these spaces are in helping independent profes-sionals work, network and learn in an inspiring environment alongside like-minded people.

And in New York, it seems the coworking scene is going from strength to strength, housing the cream of the world’s coworking crop.

Many of NYC’s work-hubs have gone beyond the original concept of simply being a place freelancers work from. Spaces like New York’s WeWork – which now provides coworking spac-es all over the world – pays special attention to creating a community feel among its freelancers.

With welcoming, comfortable coworking spac-es, breakout rooms, chill-out areas, and most importantly a self-service, free beer tap – We-Work does all it can to eliminate the dreaded isolation many freelancers face on a daily basis. Free beer’s certainly one way of doing it!

As I explored other parts of this remarkable city, I started to ‘get’ it. I understood why every review of New York that I had ever read was nothing other than gleaming. I also began to understand why freelancing is so popular here. New Yorkers like the idea of entrepreneurs, they applaud go-getters, achievers and people making a suc-cess of themselves. And that is exactly what freelancers all over the world are.

New York’s landmarks are iconic. And the view from the top of the Rockefeller Center put the pictures I’d seen to shame. I suggest coffee at Fika, a bagel from Ess-a-Bagel before a cocktail at Hudson’s rooftop bar to round off the day.

It’s blindingly obvious to see why New York is such a popular destination for tourists, but also for those wanting to work for themselves. Each coffee shop seems to be teeming with independent professionals working away on their laptops, while every district is spoilt for coworking spaces.

To finish this article I had planned to leave you with one piece of advice, but on second thoughts I think I’ll leave that to John Coghlan from Dumbo Startup Lab.

“In this town you get what you give. If you in-troduce yourself to people and are friendly, you’ll find this town to be welcoming and awesome. If you keep to yourself, no one will bother you but you’ll miss out on the best part of New York, it’s people and their energy.”

AS WELL AS BEING A BRILLIANT PLACE TO LIVE, NEW YORK IS AN INSPIRATIONAL

CITY FOR FREELANCERS

NEW YORKERS LIKE THE IDEA OF ENTREPRENEURS, THEY APPLAUD

GO-GETTERS AND ACHIEVERS

STU HERITAGE 33

There was a time when I was the world cham-pion at working from home. Years and years of practice had transformed me into the very mod-el of productivity. I’d get up early, do some exercise, then spend the rest of the day focused solely on churning out mounds of sparkling copy for all manner of prestigious clients.

Over time, my working day was finessed into a gleaming work of art. It didn’t have a single ounce of fat on it. I didn’t waste time commuting. I didn’t waste time going out for lunch. For an embar-rassingly large period of time, I didn’t waste time getting dressed. The one thing that could have possibly upped my efficiency any further? Adult nappies. That’s all. I was a machine.

And then I had a baby.

Now, it’s fair to say, things have changed a little. This morning, for example, I still got up early. But I was too knackered to do any exer-cise, so I just sort of ended up staring off into space for an hour. Then I started my work, but by this time my son had woken up and was screaming, so I went and helped him calm down. Once that was done I started work again, but my wife needed the toilet, so she came and handed me the baby. Then I lost my train of thought and started messing around with the baby monitor. Long story short, my day has now become a tangled concertina of clashing priorities and simultaneous deadlines and I’m about three hours behind and I still haven’t washed or eaten anything. It’s a mess, but this is my life now.

The clear lines I’d constructed between work and home – the lines it’s necessary for all home-workers to construct, in order to stop our entire existence from diluting down into a sog-gy morass of constantly-on, falling-asleep-fully-dressed-holding-your-phone gloom – are slowly being washed away by the new addition to the family, and it’s taking a while to adjust.

However, by sheer coincidence, a number of my friends happened to also become dads at rough-ly the same time as I did, and they’ve all got full-time office jobs. It’s interesting to share experiences with them. Their main gripe is that they barely get to see their children; they’ll grab 20 minutes with them in the morning, and then they’re lucky if they get to stagger home before bedtime. Mine, on the other hand, is that some-times I have to take half an hour off work in the middle of the day to have an impromptu dance party with my child while my wife has a shower. On the whole, I’d much rather have my gripe.

It’s a huge comfort to know that I’m always there. Full-time parenting – the sort that my wife has been tasked with until her maternity leave comes to an end – is incredibly hard. She has to be a clown and a cleaner and a carer and food source all at the same time, on her own, for 10 hours a day. My

job’s a breeze compared to that. So when things start to get on top of her (as they sporadically do), it’s incredibly reassuring to know that I can roll up my sleeves and wade in, rather than send oc-casional pep-texts from 50 miles away.

We’re not sharing the childcare equally by any means. For the time being, we’ve reverted to slightly depressing gender stereotypes; my wife looks after the baby and I’ve become the bread-winner – a freelance breadwinner at that, constantly propelled by the crippling fear that we’ll run out of money at any minute. However, I’m lucky enough to be a lot more present than I could be, and hopefully it’ll remain that way. A few years from now, I’ll be massively disappoint-ed if I can’t claw out enough time to pick my son up from school, for instance.

Kids change everything, and the disruption he’s caused will take some getting used to. But I’m good at enforcing intangible discipline. All home workers are, or else our lives would quick-ly dissolve away to nothing more than Homes Under the Hammer marathons and festering on the sofa. I’ll get through this, one way or the other, and I’ll be all the richer for it.

@STUHERITAGE

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CONTENT IS KEY SO GET BLOGGING

Blogging might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but done well it can be another string to your business bow, writes Editor Benedict Smith.

For some people, writing comes naturally. It is a gift they are born with. These are the kind of people whose fingers dance naturally across the keyboard as they turn thoughts into sentences, using words to make their ideas fly.

But just before you begin to wonder, I’d like to make it clear that not for one moment do I con-sider myself such a wordsmith. For starters you should see how long it’s taken me to write the introduction to this very article…

For many people, writing, and writing to a high standard is difficult. And the very thought of staring at a blank Word document not knowing how to fill it is the stuff of nightmares. These are the kind of people who wouldn’t write an article if you paid them. And believe me, I know, I’ve met a fair few of them in this job.

However, there’s just no getting away from the fact that the written word is a pretty core business skill. So if you happen to be one to shy away from putting pen to paper – or whatever the digital equivalent is – a blog might just be the best way to sharpen up on your writing skills, market your ideas and show-case your portfolio and personality.

If research into blogging is anything to go by, it’s worth investing some time into. Of companies with a blog, 79% reported a positive return on in-bound marketing. Put simply, businesses with blogs experience a massive increase in the num-ber of people visiting their website.

First and foremost, if you’re going to begin writ-ing a blog, commit to it. Consistency is key. There’s nothing worse than a sporadic blogger

who enlightens you with a thought-provoking article only to fall off the face of the earth for a few months. Try to set yourself a realistic target number of posts that you can stick to even when you’re busy.

Secondly, find your own voice and try to inject some of your personality into each of your blog posts. Newsworthy articles offering opinion and analysis make for far better reading than middle-of-the-road, uninspiring blog posts. Don’t be scared to choose a topic and tell it how it is. After all, you’re the expert. That said, don’t go fishing for contro-versy, nobody likes an attention seeker.

Once you’ve got the ball rolling and a few blog posts under your belt, think about how you’re going to market it. While nobody expects you to devise a full-blown marketing strategy for your weekly blog post, it’s no good writing quality content only for it to not to be read. Driving traffic to your website will get you noticed, im-proving the likelihood of turning these visitors into new business.

Take full advantage of social media – the vast majority of it is free after all. Promote your blog through Twitter, LinkedIn and even Facebook, before tracking the performance of anything you upload onto your website or blog with the help of Google Analytics.

By being able to clearly see which articles have been most popular, you’ll find yourself in a better position to put together a fairly simple, very flexible content calendar for any future blogs – because in short, you’ll have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t.

To gain traction and to pull in the punters, a blog needs to be interesting, interactive and inform-ative. But it has to look the part too. And the evidence behind this argument is overwhelming. Blogs and articles accompanied by images attract a staggering 94% more total views than those without. That said, don’t sacrifice good quality in favour of flashy images – strike a healthy bal-ance between the two. But as a writer, I suppose I would say that.

With as many as 77% of internet users who are regular blog readers, there’s every chance that keeping one will generate some new business leads – as long as the stuff you write is original, shared in the right circles and beauty to behold.

And if all else fails, see it as a great way to rid your-self of those writing demons once and for all…

BLOGGING 34

BUSINESSES WITH BLOGS EXPERIENCE A MASSIVE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF

PEOPLE VISITING THEIR WEBSITE

CONSISTENCY IS KEY. THERE’S NOTHING WORSE THAN A SPORADIC BLOGGER WHO ENLIGHTENS YOU WITH A THOUGHT-PROVOKING ARTICLE ONLY TO

FALL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH FOR A FEW MONTHS

ARTICLE BY IPSE MAGAZINE EDITOR BENEDICT SMITH

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Jamie McDermott ducks into the bright-light of enterprise in Bristol, Engine Shed.

The Prime Minister once described freelancers as “the engine of the economy”, so when I heard about Bristol’s most exciting enterprise hub, I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised at its name – Engine Shed.

But as it turns out, the name of this vast, high-ceilinged and all-round impressive space wasn’t inspired by David Cameron’s complimentary words one little bit. Built as long ago as 1841, the building once formed part of Bristol’s orig-inal Temple Meads train station. And for more than 150 years – one way or another – it has been at the centre of innovation, education and enterprise in and the city.

TOP: COFFEE COLLECTIVEABOVE: ENGINE SHED

Denmark has a reputation as a country with one of the most flexible labour markets in Europe. So, on a recent trip to Copenhagen, Ben Wright vis-ited one of the country’s most renowned co-work-ing coffee shops to see what all the fuss is about.

Thanks to a consistently excellent offering of freshly roasted beans and a ‘devotedly nerdy’ approach, the Coffee Collective has established a bit of a reputation for itself – not just in its native Copenhagen, but internationally too. With three locations spread across central Co-penhagen, I visited its bustling stall located in the Torvehallerne market, as well as the newest of the bunch, a beautiful, industrial building located on Godthåbsvej in the leafy Frederiks-berg district. The latter serves not only as the Coffee Collective’s third coffee bar, but as its head office and roastery too. Everything here has been thought through in great detail and the dedication and passion really shines through.

The nerdy approach is obvious but it’s careful not to impede on the Scandinavian serenity that floats

throughout the vast space. Wooden tables add a homely touch to the industrial, minimal furnish-ing in a harmonious marriage of laid-back Co-penhagen cool and meticulous attention to detail.

For many of the freelancers dotted around the coffee shop, I sensed that this was a place where people enjoyed getting work done – a place where the staff welcomed people for the whole day re-gardless of how many cups of coffee they bought.

Chatting to the baristas to learn more about coffee is encouraged, there are free tours and coffee tastings available on Fridays, and each item on the small food menu is designed to be the perfect flavour accompaniment to a particu-lar filter coffee on offer.

All in all, it’s a perfectly executed design and philosophy and the Coffee Collective totally succeeds in its efforts to give as immersive a coffee experience as possible.

@COFFEECOLLECTIF

COFFEE COLLECTIVE / COPENHAGEN

ENGINE SHED / BRISTOL

COWORKING & COFFEETwo things that undoubtedly go hand-in-hand, the IPSE Mag team review two of their favourite coworking-cum-coffee spots.

Just up until 2012, the building housed the Ex-ploratory and the Empire and Commonwealth Museum, before reopening as Engine Shed – which is the brainchild of Bristol City Council and the University of Bristol. With a remit to encourage enterprise and inspire and nurture local businesses, the place is like the Starship Enterprise of innovative, ambitious entrepre-neurs in and around Bristol.

Engine Shed is made up from a number of dif-ferent components (yes you got it, like an en-gine). With meeting rooms, hot desks, lecture @ENGINESHED_BB

A PLACE TO LEARN, NETWORK AND DRAW INSPIRATION

theatres and breakout rooms available to use, there is a flurry of entrepreneurial activity and a real buzz about the place, as some of the South West’s most exciting and ambitious independent professionals, go about their business. I got the sense that for freelancers and independent pro-fessionals regardless of interest and occupation, Engine Shed isn’t just a place to work from, but a place to learn, network and draw inspiration from too.

One of Engine Shed’s core objectives is to create an exciting meeting point for academics, entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and stu-dents. And in my humble opinion, the coming together of great minds like these in what feels like the mecca of enterprise spells one outcome for Bristol and the UK in general – success.

citizenM says:the most unbusiness-like business hotel you’re likely to do business in.

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“80% of CVs are either weak or need improvement….” …..says one of the UK’s leading recruitment businesses. Your CV is as important to your business as our website is to ours and as all businesses do, we invest heavily in our website to win work; we wouldn’t dream of going to market with “home-made” marketing collateral but how many Contractors / Freelancers are going to market with a “home-made” CV?

Having your CV professionally authored is what the smart people doIt’s not something for the illiterate or folks without a PC; our client base is typically savvy and successful people who understand how to get the edge over their competition. We have written CVs for some of the most talented people in the UK including leading Executives and hundreds of Contractors.

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LinkedIn is now an essential channel for winning work; it has become one huge database for recruiters and organisations to search for talent - the bottom line is that all serious Contractors need an excellent LinkedIn profile.

The difference between a home-made CV and a professionally authored one...A professionally written CV is a business case that explains why someone should engage your services opposed to a simple list of tasks. Our CVs are based on extensive research - not only on what recruiters / hiring managers respond to, but also around the hot skills in your market. It’s all about using marketing principles and the psychology of how people read documents. We consider ourselves to be masters of the science behind a successful Contractor CV.

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In the last six years particularly, there has been a huge rise in the number of women choosing to work for themselves in the UK. The gender di-vide is narrowing quickly, spurred on by these enterprising and ambitious females.

In a recent study commissioned by IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and Self-Employed, as many as 40% of the 1.88 million freelancers working in the UK are female. There are now 270,000 mothers working on a freelance basis, 100,000 more than there were in 2008.

But what are the reasons that so many women are now turning to freelancing?

Well, as we all know, being your own boss comes with an array of benefits. You are able to manage your time, your fee, your hours and you can pick and choose the type of client you want to work for. You gain a level of flexibility which would have otherwise been impossible in the confines of permanent employment. Freelance mothers for example are able to juggle work with looking after their children.

Freelancing also develops your business skills like no other. Not only will you be pushing yourself to learn and train harder to beat the competition and secure that contract, but you’ll be looking after your accounts, admin, tax mat-ters and marketing. Even the earning potential is greater, which is always a bonus.

However, becoming self-employed like any other job comes with its downfalls. For example,

working from home can be isolating when it’s just you and your thoughts, networking can be tough and somewhat infuriating, you don’t have anyone to share the workload or burden with and you might struggle to separate work from living your life. So with all of this in mind, IPSE founded the Women’s Freelance Network (WFN) to support, empower and encourage women within the freelancing world.

With a remit to truly support the new wave of female freelancers, WFN provides female mem-bers with nationwide events, regular webinars, relevant blogs posts and extensive networking opportunities. It is a group where women go to learn, grow and develop their skill-set, while making friends and networking along the way.

Whether you’re just about to or have already decided to go it alone, no topic will be left un-turned, and it aims to cover everything from tax guidance, government policies surrounding self-employment and starting up to all the everyday life struggles that no one really likes to talk about. All events and blog notifications will appear on WFN’s Twitter and LinkedIn pages, so make sure you follow us for regular updates and give us your input and feedback along the way.

We’re also keeping an eye out for enthusiastic women bloggers who can provide us with in-sightful articles or blogs on what it’s really like being a self-employed woman.

So if you think your tips and tricks would be useful to others then don’t be shy and get in touch with the team today on marketing@ipse.co.uk.

“ I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. I didn’t have the time or the desire for any office politics. I wanted to work for me, answer to me and be my own boss. And I’ve never looked back.”JULIE STEWART, IPSE CHAIRMAN

38THE WOMEN’S FREELANCE NETWORK

THE WOMEN’S FREELANCE NETWORK

✍NETWORK EVENTSDATES FOR YOUR DIARY New to the world of freelancing or looking to brush up on your business skills? If so, there’s no time like the present to book onto any of IPSE’s upcoming events.

Visit www.IPSE.co.uk/events for more information and to book your place.

TAX AND FINANCIAL PLANNINGReading , Thursday 2nd July18:30 –20:30

ACCOUNTANCY AND INSOLVENCY:MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR EARNINGS Bristol, Wednesday 9th September18:30–20:30

HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR COMPANY EXPENSESLondon, Wednesday 16th September18:30 –20:30

AS MANY AS 40% OF THE 1.88 MILLION FREELANCERS WORKING

IN THE UK ARE WOMEN

FOLLOW @WOMENFREELANCER ON TWITTER, WHERE THE TEAM WILL UPDATE YOU WITH ALL THE NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING WOMEN’S FREELANCE NETWORK EVENTS.

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