Tata announce threat to hundreds of steel jobs could go at Newport plant

Hundreds of jobs could go at a steelmaking factory in Newport after its owner announced it was shutting part of its operations.

The steel giant Tata is closing its Orb Electrical Steels base in the Pill area of the city.

Up to 380 jobs could go from the plant, which makes electrical steel used in power transmission.

The company has been for sale since May 2018 as Tata had decided to concentrate on its core steel production business.

Tata Steel’s European operations head Henrik Adam said: “I recognise how difficult this news will be for all those affected and we will work very hard to support them.”

BBC Wales has been told the 380 workers can be redeployed at its Welsh plants.

Unions said Tata – which employs nearly 6,000 workers in Wales – was breaking its commitments over job guarantees.

Orb Electrical Steels is part of Tata’s Cogent division, part of which is being sold to the Japanese steel company JFE Shoji Trade Corporation.

The Orb site makes electrical steel used in generators, transformers, motors and magnetic products, including for the car industry.

But the sector has been suffering from over-capacity over the last 10 years, and struggling to compete in particular with big volume producers in China.

“This business is the smallest volume electrical steel manufacturer in the world – and we’ve only been able to make a profit in two of the last 10 years and no profit in the last four years,” Tor Farquhar, Tata Steel Europe’s HR director, told BBC Wales.

Meanwhile, converting the Orb plant would have cost Tata more than £50m.

Mr Adam added: “Continuing to fund substantial losses at Orb Electrical Steels is not sustainable at a time when the European steel industry is facing considerable challenges.”

Roy Rickhuss of the Community steelworkers’ union called it “shocking” news which “makes a mockery of the understanding we reached with Tata around the jobs guarantee”.

“There has been no consultation about this proposal either at UK or European level and company management should hang their heads in shame in the way this has come about,” he said.

“This is of course extremely devastating news for workers at the Orb, but all Tata Steel workers should be concerned by the way Tata is breaking its commitments.”

He called for government intervention.

One of the plant’s union officials Paul Horton, who has nearly 37 years experience, said it would mean a loss of well-paid jobs in the area, with workers earning up to £40,000, with overtime on top.

“We weren’t expecting anything this severe, this quickly,” he said. “We understand the business has been struggling but there has been no inkling of this happening over the last few weeks.”

Unite’s Tata official Tony Brady said Orb’s closure would be a “body blow” for the economy of Wales.

“Unite will be fighting for every job and holding Tata Steel’s feet to the fire over assurances that workers affected by today’s announcement will be redeployed.”

He said the union would not sit back and allow “decent well-paid jobs and irreplaceable skills to go to the wall”.

Mr Adam said workers would be offered alternative employment at other Tata sites where possible and consultations with staff and unions would start shortly.

Tata is also closing its Wolverhampton Engineering Steels service centre, with up to 26 jobs at risk.

There has been steelmaking on the Newport site since 1898, when the old Lysaght company moved from Wolverhampton.

The famous city landmark, the transporter bridge, was built to carry workers across to the works.

It eventually became part of British Steel and then European Electrical Steels in 1991.

Belfast’s iconic ‘Titanic’ shipyard on the brink of collapse

Time has run out for Belfast’s iconic Harland and Wolff shipyard to find a buyer.

Workers had been urging the government to throw them a lifeline before Monday – an extended deadline for a deal.

They have staged a protest at the gates of the yard for the last week but have since been told that administrators will be appointed on Monday afternoon.

Speaking ahead of the announcement, shipyard worker Barry Reid said: “I’m fighting day and night for this place.

“I’m willing to stay on for as long as it takes until one of our politicians decides to get off their backside.”

His brother Eddie added: “There’s a lot of people whose fathers came over here 40, 50, 60 years ago to settle in Belfast because of the shipyard.

“It means a lot, not just to Belfast but to the United Kingdom as a whole.”

Unions urged prime minister Boris Johnson, who visited Belfast last week, to re-nationalise the yard.

The government said it had “every sympathy for the workers” but that it was “ultimately a commercial issue”.

The firm’s Norwegian parent company, Dolphin Drilling, put Harland and Wolff up for sale last year.

Exclusive negotiations with the sole potential buyer proved inconclusive, putting 132 jobs on the line.

The shipyard, which opened in 1861, employed 30,000 people in its heyday.

It played a pivotal role in both world wars but is renowned for the building of Titanic.

The liner, ironically branded “unsinkable”, was unprecedented in scale with three million rivets used on the hull.

It took 3,000 men two years to complete the task and 20 horses were required just to transport the main anchor.

Robert Childs, the fourth generation of his family to work in the shipyard, said: “It is very emotional.

“I’ve worked for this company for 37 years now and it’s absolutely in the blood… it’s in Belfast’s DNA.

“This city was built around this company and it would be a terrible shame if we were to lose it,” he added.

Until recently, it has been engaged in the restoration of offshore oil rigs and been building renewable energy turbines.

Gavin Robinson, the DUP MP for East Belfast, says the work has dried up but the yard still has vision.

He said: “We have a national shipbuilding strategy which the government is embarking upon, written by a man who was the chief executive of Harland and Wolff, Sir John Parker, so the work is going to be there.

“We just have this difficulty in this short space of time where there isn’t any work at this stage,” he added.

For decades, the two yellow shipyard cranes have dominated the Belfast skyline.

Known locally as “Samson” and “Goliath”, some might regard their loss as biblical.

Ex-Virgin Money chief Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia to head Salesforce UK

Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, one of Britain’s most prominent businesswomen, is to make a surprising comeback to a frontline executive role by taking over the UK operations of Salesforce, the American cloud software giant.

It is understood that Dame Jayne-Anne, whose most recent executive job was as the boss of Virgin Money, will be announced on Tuesday as Salesforce’s UK and Ireland CEO.

Her appointment, which is understood to take effect in October, will catapult her into the ranks of the most senior managers at a company that has become a global leader in customer relationship management software.‎

Salesforce, which is run by joint CEOs Marc Benioff – who also serves as the company’s chairman – and Keith Block, announced plans earlier this year to invest $2.5bn in its UK operations.

Dame Jayne-Anne’s recruitment by the New York Stock Exchange-listed company, which has a market value of $127.5bn, will end lingering speculation that she is interested in the chief executive’s vacancy at Royal Bank of Scotland.

Her departure from Virgin Money was announced in the wake of its £1.7bn takeover by CYBG, which is now rebranding its Clydesdale and Yorkshire banking operations under the corporate name founded by Sir Richard Branson.

Dame Jayne-Anne, who was named Leader of the Year at last years National Business Awards, is due to join the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee next year, has joined and stepped down from the board of Stagecoach, the transport company, in recent months.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that she was canvassing investor support for Snoop, a new consumer-facing venture aimed at generating savings on household bills.

It was unclear how far that fundraising had progressed, but insiders said Dame Jayne-Anne still intended to chair the start-up.

Sources said it was conceivable that Salesforce’s venture arm could invest in Snoop, although the prospect of this could not be verified on Monday night.

One of the UK’s most recognisable businesswomen, Dame Jayne-Anne was honoured in January for her contribution to financial services and women in the finance industry.

Under her stewardship, the Treasury’s Women in Finance charter has now committed most of the biggest banks, insurers and asset managers to a series of pledges regarding the recruitment and treatment of female employees.

As chief executive of Virgin Money, she oversaw the acquisition of Northern Rock from the Government in 2011 and its subsequent integration and stock market flotation.

Earlier this year, Dame Jayne-Anne declined to comment on the details of her proposed start-up but said: “I learned from Richard Branson that there’s nothing more exciting than setting up a new business.”

Her re-emergence in a major executive post will make her one of the top Britons working in a major US-listed company.

Salesforce recently acquired Tableau, another cloud enterprise company, for $15.7bn – the biggest takeover in its history.

The American company has also struck an alliance with the Chinese internet giant Alibaba to distribute its products in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

From a standing start in 1999, Salesforce is now one of the most richly valued software companies in the world.

Dame Jayne-Anne could not be reached for comment on Monday, while Salesforce declined to comment.‎

Effective ways to manage the cashflow of your business

Cash is a fundamental element of the management of a business, it is the financial pillar that keeps it in balance at the risk of seeing it languish under the weight of bankruptcy.

It deserves to be managed with attention and a lot of professionalism. How to get there? Here are some tips for managing the cash flow of your business.

What is cash and why manage it?

It is the capital available to a company to use for its needs. Cash allows the company to use its financial resources, but it often happens that some companies go through difficulties that do not allow them to have sufficient financial resources. In this case, the company is unable to finance some of its investments which can have serious incidents on it. This lack of availability can force it to close its doors, hence the need to manage cash well.

Good cash management enables the company to avoid cases of default and save money, like services such as pay calculator take home can serve you well for manages your cash flow. It also allows the company to grow the surplus through long-term investment.

How to manage the cash flow of your company?

Since the company’s survival depends on its cash flow, here are some tips that will help you manage it well.

Negotiate bank loans

Certainly, these rates and interest rates can weigh on the company, but it is always good to start an activity by using a bank for a loan to finance equipment, premises, stocks. To qualify for this credit, you must be a competent entrepreneur, stand up to the competition and have a viable business.

Using an indicator, build your cash flow

Enter your opening balance and any financial movements you make monthly. You will have the opportunity to appreciate, to comb through your cash, and even to anticipate some problems. Similarly, it is important to keep track of incoming and outgoing payments made during the month.

Maintain good relationships (trust) with your customers and suppliers

This in order to bring more money into your coffers . Offer discounts to customers who pay their bills instantly and request an extension within the timeframe for paying your bills to your suppliers . Once this period has been granted, pay cash and meet immediately. Likewise, do not be afraid to be hard on bad payers when it comes to recovering your debts.

Make your operations simple by avoiding enough waste

It’s a good idea to increase production and make your business profitable, but watch out for overproduction, bottlenecks and other waste that can lead you to bankruptcy. Have your employees participate in the growth of your business. 

Finally, finding the right balance to manage your business cash flow is a top priority for longevity and success.

Aston Martin ‘on knife-edge’ after crashing to £79m loss

The luxury carmaker blamed falling sales in Britain and Europe, as well as global “macroeconomic uncertainty”, for the poor performance, which sent its shares to a new low.

They closed at 498p, down 12 per cent and little more than a quarter of their £19 float price last October, continuing a woeful performance that has marked one of the worst initial public offerings of recent times. About 1,000 employees of the company that bought shares in the listing are among those nursing heavy losses.

Aston Martin sought to play down speculation that it could be forced to tap shareholders for more cash, suggesting that it would turn to debt markets if needed.

Max Warburton, an analyst at Bernstein, said that the company was “on a financial knife-edge” with “very, very little room for error or further external pressures”. He suggested that it consider suspending executive pay.

Aston Martin is one of the best-known names in British car manufacturing, thanks in no small part to its cars featuring in the James Bond film franchise. It has gone bust seven times in its 106-year history.

Andy Palmer, 56, chief executive, has been seeking to turn around its fortunes with plans to expand its range, including its first sports utility vehicle, the DBX, (pictured above) due to be launched next year.

However, the company has been dogged by doubts over its growth plans since its listing and last week it stunned the stock market by warning that it expected to sell between 6,300 and 6,500 cars to dealers this year, compared with the 6,441 it delivered last year and the 7,200 to 7,400 it had forecast when it was floated. It also warned that profit margins would fall from a forecast 13 per cent to 8 per cent.

Yesterday it reported a £79 million pre-tax loss for the first six months, down from £21 million profit in the same period a year earlier, as revenues fell by 4 per cent to £407 million.

“We are disappointed that our projections for wholesales have fallen short of our original targets, impacted by weakness in two of our key markets as well as continued macroeconomic uncertainty,” Mr Palmer said.

Mr Warburton said that management needed to “hope and pray the DBX can launch bang on time, and save the situation” and in the meantime the company should aggressively cut back costs, including potentially “suspending the top guys’ compensation for a period”.

He said the results showed that Aston Martin had burnt through cash more quickly than expected and that the position was “not comfortable”. Management appeared to be “ruling out an equity-raise”, but raising debt was likely to be announced soon and would be expensive, but was “somewhere between prudent and essential”.

Mark Wilson, 45, chief financial officer, said: “If we require additional financing from sources with which we are familiar and, in particular, in the debt markets to maintain that capacity, then, that’s what we’ll go out and do.” He added that Aston Martin had more cash than a year ago.

Uses of machine learning in finance

If you wonder whether to implement AI and Machine Learning into your financial business or not, this is an article for you.

We will discuss here the advantages and disadvantages of this solution. Machine Learning is ideal for the financial service’s industry because there is always an enormous database to operate and the more data you have the better for you because due to that the AI can learn faster.

Yes, investing in Machine Learning requires some significant amount of money which often is a major concern but the payback is quick to be noticed. Here are some examples of what Machine Learning is capable of doing.

Automation of customer service

The use of Machine Learning saves your company’s energy, money and time. It can even replace regular employees by taking over the whole part of the company responsible for customer service. AI can answer e-mails and phone calls, and can also respond to requests via chat on a website. The program can teach itself to answer more and more accurately, and eventually become the master of customer service. Machine Learning can also provide the company with improved training for employees and even perform it.

But then, these solutions are obvious and do not regard only financial businesses. Well, when it comes specifically to the field of finance, AI has also a lot to offer. For example, it is very effective in detecting fraud, helping to make the best trading decisions and instantly predicting a level of credit risk.

Detecting fraud

It is sometimes hard to see small anomalies in the financial habits of customers and to be honest no one can monitor all their clients all the time. AI, on the other hand, can. It processes tons of information every second and detects those anomalies in an instance. What is more, it can not only detect but also immediately prevent fraud because of how fast and accurate it operates. Preventing fraud results in blocking suspicious operations, transactions, and accounts. Of course, if there is enough percent chance of them being abusive.

Processing information on credit risk

Automation of analyzing the solvency and credit risk of any customer benefits companies greatly. There is a really small chance of any mistake and there are no emotions involved in the process which unfortunately is essential in financial services. Generally speaking, AI protects your company from making bad financial decisions that can hurt your business. It considers many factors, some of which could seem irrelevant to a human being but all in all, make a great difference.

Analyzing the stock market

AI is capable of analyzing thousands of data all day and all night to track patterns and predict the state of the market. That is something that no human could ever achieve. Nevertheless, the results of those operations are very desirable. Every little change that has been predicted can save or earn lots of money within seconds.

Read more: https://addepto.com/finance/

6 tips on the effective use of prototypes

One of the most underused ‘tools’ in almost every industry today is the use of prototypes.

While every product designer wants a working model to show potential partners, manufacturers and/or buyers, there is much more to a prototype than that.

Did you know that most prototypes go through several incarnations before they actually become a scaled, working model? Well, that’s the truth and there are more uses for a prototype than those mentioned above, but we’ll get into a bit more depth on those uses as well. Let’s look at the following tips on how to effectively develop and use prototypes to their best advantage.

1. To Get a Look at Initial Designs

Most often design begins with a sketchpad or a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) program, however, that leaves a lot to be desired when you are building a complex tool or piece of machinery. There’s always something lacking in a two-dimensional representation of the product you are designing and often it takes one or more prototypes to get that stage right. What you will need is a company capable and willing to take on low volume production so that you don’t need large minimum orders at this stage of development.

2. Help with Scaling to Size

Sometimes it takes a few attempts to make the adjustments necessary when scaling to size. Imagine a pocket-sized driverless vehicle with all the technology built into the ‘real thing’ and you will see that sometimes scaled prototypes don’t have the capabilities required to send products to testing and quality control. By contracting a company that offers prototyping services, you may be able to begin scaling up to size as development progresses.

3. When Working Models Are Needed

Speaking of the technology involved in self-driving vehicles, you will begin to understand how some products need to move on to the ‘to scale’ prototype. Although you may not be developing a product anywhere near as technologically advanced or quite as large, you can understand just how important that to-scale working model can be. As each stage moves on, you will want rapid prototyping services to test each adjustment or addition made warranted by the previous prototype.

4. To Realize That All Prototyping Services Are Not Created Equal

Another aspect of using prototypes effectively is to realize that not all prototyping services are created equal. Some have more advanced technology than others and some have been using CAD and CAM (Computer Assisted Manufacturing) throughout their processes. Of note here would be, Chinese prototype manufacturers, Rapid Direct, that saw a need more than a decade ago and were pioneers in the field of hi-tech CAD/CAM prototype manufacturing. When it comes to rapid prototyping China excels and this company, Rapid Direct, leads the pack. They can offer a wide range of prototyping services, from metal fabrication to injection molding.

5. To Build Enthusiasm in Your Market

As mentioned early on, one of the ways in which prototypes have been historically used is to create and build enthusiasm with a product or company’s market. It could be to gain financial backing or it could be to introduce a product line to build enthusiasm within a potential customer base. However, when it comes to using prototypes for this purpose, it is vital to find low volume manufacturing because you will almost always be working with a scaled model. Yes, sometimes you will be working with a model manufactured in its final form and size, but for larger products, you will typically see smaller versions. The company you choose should have the capacity to manufacture within as little as 24 hours and get that order out to you immediately. That’s another benefit of working with Rapid Direct because that’s a huge part of what they can offer.

6. To Benefit from Collaboration

When you have your prototype manufactured by a company like Rapid Direct with more than 150 engineers on staff specializing in everything from appearance to reverse engineering, you get the benefit of collaboration. These professionals can often spot flaws in designs or aspects which could perform better with a few minor tweaks.

This is collaboration at its finest and an invaluable resource only available when contracting with the right prototype manufacturers.

In summing up, your key takeaway should be that prototypes can be worth so much more than you give them credit for. They are obviously important for that last minute checks and balances necessary before going into major production and as a marketing and financing tool but they can also be a great way to get input from other professionals who may see something you’ve missed.

They say that two heads are better than one and when it comes to the development of prototypes, this adage becomes doubly important. With rapid production and the invaluable expertise of engineers, you can have a working prototype that solves almost any issue you are faced with. That’s what prototypes should be all about!

4 wrong messages a bad business card says about your brand

Many people believed that the online revolution would make traditional business cards obsolete. This dismal prediction has not come to pass.

Even in the information age, dedicated business owners print out around 27 million business cards every single day.

The reason that business cards are still used is that they work. One study found that businesses increase sales by over 2.5%for every 2,000 business cards that they distribute.

Unfortunately, some business owners read statistics about the overall effectiveness of business cards and think that creating any cards will do. They assume that any business card will be better than nothing. Nothing could be further from the truth!

The harsh reality is that poor business cards will not help your brand. One poll showed that 88% of business cards are discarded within a week. Of course, this could partially be due to the fact that business owners are handing business cards out to the wrong people. However, part of the reason that business cards get thrown out is that they don’t look professional enough.

Most people have made it clear that they won’t be impressed by poor quality business cards. Another poll showed that 39% of people don’t want to do business with a company that hands out cheap looking business cards.

You need to be aware of the problems that will arise from using low quality business cards. Here are some issues to look out for.

You might give the impression that your company cuts corners

Perception shouldn’t be everything when it comes to running a business. In a fair world, your company would be judged entirely by the quality of your products and services. Unfortunately, perception really is everything.

A poor-quality business card gives a poor perception of your brand. The biggest issue is that a low-quality business card makes it seem like your company is cheap. Potential customers will expect you to cut corners and deliver subpar products or services.

Your business might show a lack of focus

One of my old friends back in California had a business card to promote a line of vintage knickknacks that he was building. The problem is that he also tried promoting his IT and photography services as well. People receiving his business card would notice that he was trying to promote three different businesses at once.

Your business card needs to be specific and clearly communicate the essence of your business.

You may convey the wrong personality

The style of your business card says a lot about your business mission and philosophy. A business card with dull colors conveys a message of seriousness. This might be perfect for a lawyer. On the other hand, it would be a terrible design for a fashion designer.

You need to think carefully about the core personality traits of your brand. The style of your business cards reflect it.

You don’t take things seriously

Some business cards have very tacky jokes on them. Even if you are a comedian for a living, you don’t want to do this. Your business card needs to have a serious message.

While it is okay to use unusual phrases and metaphors, you need to remember that you are trying to run a business. Try to keep things serious. Being witty is rarely going to help. It is going to go over even worse if you aren’t as humorous as you think.

Use the Right Business Cards

You need to choose your business cards carefully. Avoid common business card mistakes to avoid sending these wrong messages. Make sure that you get the right branding messages across.

How to find the best SEO consultant in London

With Google’s increasing popularity, businesses have started looking for expert SEO services.

They have come to realise that owning a website isn’t enough to prosper in today’s highly competitive market.

That website has to be easily accessible for people to see the products and services your company offers. And this implies that it should ‘rank’ high in terms of the keywords as well as key phrases that explain what your business does and offers. Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) is the only sure way to achieve this.

Of course, not all SEO is the same. The SEO for local businesses may vary greatly from that of a global brand. So, you ought to hire an excellent SEO consultant in London if you want to enjoy the best business experience.

The Importance of Local SEO

There are numerous reasons why a local business will want to invest in SEO, especially if it’s well-established online.

Most consumers (over 86%) use the internet for searching and accessing local businesses. And 29% look for local enterprises online at least once per week.

72% claim that search is their favorite method for accessing information about local merchants. Research shows that local searches lead most people to visit a company within 24 hours.

From these data, you can clearly see that no matter what your company offers, it’s still very important that it establishes a strong online presence. With the right SEO consultant in London, you can easily achieve that. But what are the things you should be looking for? Here are a few pointers:

1. Flexible, efficient, and up to date. SEO keeps changing all the time. And a reliable SEO expert in London should have the capacity to cope up with those changes and deliver reliable solutions.
2. Honest and transparent. Good SEO consultants keep their clients updated about all their intentions. Because it’s your company’s reputation that’s at stake, it’s crucial that you work with a trusted partner. The Agency should be effective, ethical, and able to represent your brand in a positive manner.

How to Choose a Dependable SEO Company: Pro Tips

With countless SEO companies now flooding the market, it can be quite daunting to pick the right one. But with the following tips, it can be simpler finding the right agency for your business.

• Set Your Goals. To get the best SEO team, you need to pinpoint the specific areas you want to improve. For instance, you may need an entirely new website or just some SEO upgrades. A good agency will provide data on the most beneficial areas of focus.
• Data Tracking Capability. Settle for an SEO firm that’s capable of tracking and measuring all your company’s data- from phone calls, site visits, and contact forms to click through rates.
• Reviews as well as Case Studies.One of the most effective ways to identify a reputable SEO agency is to check their testimonials plus online reviews. You can explore the company’s website or search them on sites such as Google and Yelp.
• Budget is Key. Plan your budget ahead to avoid getting trapped in something you can’t afford. Most companies will provide several monthly packages for you to choose from. Pick something affordable that’ll make your life easier.

Dragons’ Den pair make £4M selling energy switching company

Two entrepreneurs who appeared on BBC’s Dragons’ Den have made about £4 million by selling their energy switching business to the owner of the Go Compare website in a £12.5 million deal.

Henry De Zoete, who played a leading role in the campaign to leave the European Union, and his friend Will Hodson set up their energy switching service in 2014 and it operates the Look After My Bills website.

They secured £120,000 in exchange for 3 per cent of the business from the Dragons investors Tej Lalvani and Jenny Campbell last year in a transaction that valued their company at £4 million. The deal was hailed as the best ever struck on the programme because it was the biggest amount spent by the Dragons on the smallest stake.

The Goco Group, listed in London, announced yesterday that it had bought This Is The Big Deal Ltd, owner of Look After My Bills, for £8.5 million, including £6 million in cash up front and a further £2.5 million in a year’s time. Goco will pay £4 million more in an earn-out if the business hits performance targets.

It is understood that Mr Hodson, 37, and Mr De Zoete, 38, will receive about £2 million each based on the £8.5 million price tag and will net slightly more if the earn-out is reached. The Dragons have at least doubled their money and could triple it if the targets are met.

Mr Hodson and Mr De Zoete studied politics together at the University of Bristol. Mr De Zoete previously worked in government as a special adviser to Michael Gove and was the digital director of the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum.

Look After My Bills, which has 36 staff, uses algorithms to switch its 150,000 customers automatically to a cheaper energy deal when their existing deal ends. Mr De Zoete said of the sale: “You don’t take these kinds of decisions lightly. To be able to access the kind of resources that a plc can bring means we’ll be able to grow even faster.”

Goco, led by Matthew Crummack, is pushing into the so-called autosave industry with its rival Weflip brand.

The Look After My Bills founders will stay with the business after its sale and Goco will run it separately from Weflip.

Goco also posted a 52 per cent fall in half-year pre-tax profit yesterday to £7.6 million after it was hit by the cost of launching Weflip last year.

Looking for the best online logo maker? Here is your best shot

Whether you are just starting your own company or you are looking to rebrand it, you will need an attractive and quality logo to represent you and the company.

A logo speaks volume of any company they represent and goes a long way to determine how your audience and customers view your company.

Creating a logo may sometimes feel intimidating and overwhelming. However, with the help of an easy-to-use online logo maker, you don’t need to worry. Easily create a high-quality and professional-looking logo in just a few steps – especially if you are on a shoestring budget.

Perhaps you think that to achieve a professional look; you have to consult an expensive logo designer? Maybe settle for a cheap cookie-cutter image from a freelancer because of your tight budget? The truth is you don’t have to pay through your nose to create a logo, and neither should the finished result look like a knock-off.

You can create a catchy, classy, and professional logo online free of charge and all by yourself. You only pay a small token to have the logo you designed; only when you are 100% satisfied with your final design.

This online tool will help you create your business logo as fast as you can imagine – in just a few steps. With the numerous powerful image editor controls and amazing templates on the site, you might be surprised how fast and easy it could be to make a great logo.

However, before I tell you more about this free to use online tool, let me open your eyes to some things that may help when it comes to creating a logo for your business.

Logo Design Tips to Help You Create the Best Logo

Creating a logo for your company goes far beyond just making the most-fancy cartoon and then adding your business name. You need to remember that your logo can be the biggest driver of attention to your company and then eventually land you some great deals.

Below are some tips you need to remember when creating a logo for your business.

#1: Always avoid using backgrounds

You will want to create a look that can fit any background or at least most backgrounds. So, I will always recommend that you just go for a transparent background so you can easily adjust it to fit any background from your paperwork, presentations or envelopes. Use a logo maker that allows you have your logo in different files; jpg, png, pdf, AI, and many more. That way, you will have an HD logo that can work for any of your brand materials.

#2: It’s important you have a vector AI file of your logo

You need to have the vector file of your logo – one of the reasons you should design your logo yourself. It is your logo and you have the right to own it and use it for whatsoever you want in the future. When you use the logo maker, you will also be getting the vector file, which allows you to edit, resize, and modify your project in a later stage.

#3: Don’t use hard-to read fonts

The flat design trend is enough for you. Don’t include any crazy fonts on your logo. They are always heavy and difficult to read. So avoid them. Use a easy-to-read fonts like Cinzel font.

#4: Make sure your logo is not confusing

A bad logo is one that has too many cartoons and elements that don’t easily glue, so avoid that kind of logo. Make a very simple logo with a clear message.

#5: Using a slogan is a good idea

Sometimes, you may need to use a slogan on your logo. This is especially important if you are using initials as your company logo or running a small business that nobody knows what you are doing. Use a short but catchy slogan that gives good insight into what you do in your company.

#6: Get a second and third opinion

This is very important when creating a logo for your business. Ask the opinion of other people about your logo. What do they think about it and what are their suggestions? These people may see what you didn’t see at first.

The Best Free Online Logo Maker to Help Get the Job Done

Now let’s talk about how you can create your own professional logo. Out of all the logo makers available on the internet, I can personally recommend just one online logo maker because of my recent experience with it as well as amazing reports from people about the tool. I can gladly say it’s one of the best logo makers you can ever use to create really stunning logos online and without breaking the bank.

It works well for all industries, including the fashion, beauty, law firm, plumber, photography, and all small businesses who needs a logo design fast and easy.

It has a professionally designed library that allows you to quickly and easily generate thousands stunning logos. You only need to choose one logo from the library and then customize to your taste to suit your business. You instantly modify the format, layout, fonts, and colors of the logo.

With just a few clicks and no design experience, this easy-to-use logo maker tool will help you create unique and awesome logos for your business and brands.

It Is Super Easy to Create A Professional Logo

One thing that is usually of limited supply to start-ups, entrepreneurs, and new businesses is time. We don’t have a luxury of time in our hands and so what we need is a tool that will be super easy to use. This tool has lots of already perfected logo designs so you can make your own logos from them in a matter of minutes.

The Online Logo Maker is Fit for Everyone

With the online logo maker, you can create a wide variety of logos, including Alphabet logos, vintage logos 3D logos, beauty logos, real estate logos, travel logos and many more logo categories to choose from. That way, you can be sure of getting a perfect fit for your business or company.

Why Should You Use This Free Online Logo Maker?

It is free to use

Looking for a free to use online logo maker? You have just found one! This tool is absolutely free to use. Browse through the rich library of professionally designed logos and choose the one that best suits your business without parting with a single penny. You pay a very small token to have your lovely logo ONLY when you are 100% satisfied with your final logo design and you are ready to use it.

It is very simple and fast

You don’t have to spend days creating a logo for your company. All you need to do is to choose a suitable design from the several amazing templates on the site and start editing. Without wasting much time, you can design your own logo just the way you have always wanted it.

You get unique designs

They don’t use stock icons like most logo makers online. So when you use the tool, you are sure of getting a unique logo design for your company. The tool has 10,000’s of unique templates designed by professional graphic designers which make it easy for you to have a stunning logo without stress.

Logos are available in multiple formats

This is more than just creating a logo! After finish creating your cool logo, you can save and have your logo in different formats, including in vector format. You only need to indicate in which format you want to have your logo, and you have it. Your logo will be ready to use without any watermark, will come in multiple variations, high resolutions. So it wouldn’t be a problem in case you decide to print it.

Freedom

You can use your logo wherever you like; on your website, letterhead, or your blog. You can also publish it on any social media of your choice.

How Do You Get Started?

It is very easy to create your own unique logo with this free online logo maker. In just three simple steps, your logo will be ready to use. Don’t know how to start? Follow these simple steps:

• Step 1:choose from 10,000+ free logo design templates available in the library. Choose the one that best represents your company and business.
• Step 2:use the free online logo making tool to further customize the template you have chosen. Input your company name and slogan (if you have any). Choose your preferred fonts and adjust the color to suit your taste.
• Step 3: it wants to contribute to your success and not limit it. Create as many free design ideas as you want. Place an order ONLY when you are 100% satisfied with your final design. (It is just $19 for the basic logo).

Professional logo designers will prepare and deliver your order, ready to be used right away.

This is just your chance to have a beautiful logo that resonates with your clients and customers. The platform is user-friendly and very easy to create your own logo.

Not sure how to start? You can head to free online logo maker now to check out some helpful tutorials to help you get started. You can’t just imagine how easy it could be to make your own stunning logo. Give it a try now!

Aston Martin share price loses 20% as company announce sales target

Aston Martin’s share price crashed 21 per cent this morning as it warned that macroeconomic challenges have “worsened” for the luxury car manufacturer.

Shares slipped to 820p from an open of 841p as Aston Martin slashed its sales expectations in the face of market “softness” for the rest of 2019.

“The challenging external environment highlighted in May has worsened, as have macro-economic uncertainties,” the company said.

“We anticipate that this softness will continue for the remainder of the year and are planning prudently for 2020.”

It now expects sales to be between 6,300-6,500 vehicles, compared to earlier predictions of 7,100 to 7,300 cars.

The firm plans to improve efficiency and cut fixed costs in preparation for 2020, and outlined a new earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) margin of around 20 per cent for the current year.

“Whilst retails have grown by 26 per cent year-to-date, our wholesale performance is adversely impacted by macroeconomic uncertainty and enduring weakness in UK and European markets,” chief executive Andy Palmer said.

“We are disappointed that short-term wholesales have fallen short of our original expectations, but we are committed to maintaining quality of sales and protecting our brand position first and foremost.

“We are today taking decisive action to manage inventory and the Aston Martin Lagonda brands for the long-term.”

Neil Wilson, chief analyst of Markets.com, warned that investors will be angered that Aston Martin looked like a better investment prospect at its October IPO than it has turned out to be.

“Investors are never too happy when a prospectus looks to have been polished up a little too much,” he said.

“It’s delivering growth, just not at the speed at which management thought.”

Aston Martin made its London Stock Exchange debut late last year with a share price of 1,900p.

Since then its share price has plunged by more than half – 57 per cent – to today’s low price.

Creating an environment that motivates millennials

By 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be made up of millennials; a shift that businesses need to prepare for in order to attract and retain workers.

Forget about the misconceptions, millennial employees can be just as hardworking, spirited and loyal as any other generation; it’s all about how you motivate them.

As the race is on to captivate their attention, many companies are asking the same question: how can you harness the skill and determination of millennials and create a culture that inspires them to succeed? Cognism’s Chief Revenue Officer, Nazma Qurban, looks at how companies can foster a culture where millennials can thrive and talent is retained.

Become a mentor

Traditionally, the manager-employee relationship has been centred around achieving the objectives of the business or department. However, managing purely based on performance won’t work with millennials; in order to see the whole picture, companies need to move their focus to development.

From fostering an open-door policy to setting up regular one to one meetings to discuss both personal and work-related issues, managers should always put personal growth first. Casual conversations can lead to feelings of trust and by becoming a mentor that acknowledges the employee’s strengths, employees become empowered to make their own decisions. It is only then that they will truly learn for themselves.

Pave the way for a future

91% of millennials consider the opportunity for rapid career progression as one of the most important aspects of a job. Ultimately, they want to know that if they work hard, they will reap the rewards. So, making sure encouragement and benefits such as salary and remuneration are in place is key to increased productivity and performance.

If space is created for people to step up, they will do so. Putting a progression plan in place from the start is the best way to make a millennial employee feel that you, as an employer, prioritise their career growth and advancement. And job titles really do matter; for motivated millennials, a job title reflects their status and success. Giving them a taste of authority will give them a sense of purpose which could help drive company success.

Cultivate a culture

Millennials want an environment that lets them thrive, but how can companies make this happen? With many millennials fresh out of university, replicating the university environment in the workplace through socialising and collaboration is a great way to engage them.

Creating a business unit which doesn’t feel isolated from other departments and doesn’t have any members of the management team locked behind glass doors, is the first step. Once this roadblock is removed, the workplace feels immediately more inclusive. Solving the problem of diversity through regular collaboration will help build a supportive environment that millennials want to be a part of.

Celebrate success

Millennials respond well to a celebratory culture; this shouldn’t just be limited to business success, but inclusive of both team and individual success too. Celebrating milestones such as a great customer review, when a contract is signed, or even their triumphs outside work will give millennials the positive reinforcement to keep achieving.

One way this works is through company socials and entertainment. Assigning a dedicated budget to host regular activities at work will help blur the line between work and play. Whether it’s team lunches, beer and pizza evenings or even an annual trip away, when people enjoy what they do and who they do it with, they will feel like they have a sense of purpose.

Champion transparency

Millennials expect transparency and are willing to be transparent in return. Being open and honest in both communications and conduct will go a long way in winning the hearts of millennials. Opening up these conversations and creating an inclusive environment will make them feel a level of value and respect whereby they can impact actual change.

Giving them the opportunity to innovate and pursue their personal interests in the professional setting is one way companies can keep things fresh and provide them with the opportunity to get involved in the way the business is run. After all, you never know what hidden talents might transform your business.

Conclusion 

Business owners need to realise that it’s no longer about what millennials can bring to the company, but what the company can bring to millennials. Working with millennials needn’t be an obstacle. If organisations invest in them as people and not employees, they will create a happier team, which is inevitably more effective and motivated and set up to succeed every time. Engage with millennials in the right way and there are no limits to what can be achieved.

Things to consider when looking for a professional moving company

Moving from one place to another is extremely stressful and expensive. However, sometimes you cannot avoid moving.

People move for different reasons, such as a new better job, to live closer to family or the need to start a new life in a different place. If you hire a professional moving company, it will lessen the stress and the hassle of moving. This is why it is important to hire a professional and reputable removal company to help you move smoothly. Below are tips to help you find a good moving company and the things you ought to consider when hiring one:

Is the Company Licensed?

Do not hire a company that is not licensed, insured or accredited. Before you hire a company to help you move, check and confirm that they have all the necessary licenses and documents that allow them to operate. Make sure the company is fully insured. Consider hiring Apex Removals London, they are insured, reputable, licensed and qualified.

 Shop for Different Companies

Don’t settle for the first company you visit. Get an estimate from different companies as you review the terms, costs, and conditions for each different company. This way, you will find a good company with favorable terms and costs.

Do Some Research

Do not hire the company until you understand how they operate. Ask around from people who have moved using their services. Enquire the level of customer satisfaction with their services. Check the online reviews from the company’s website. If most of the clients expressed satisfaction with the services, you can go ahead and hire them. Avoid the company with many negative reviews.

Everything in Writing

Let every company you have contacted give you their estimate in writing. If you have hired the company, ensure that everything is in writing. Some companies have hidden charges, which if you do not settle, they will confiscate or withhold your belongings. Ask the company if they have any extra or hidden charges. Have the potential movers visit your home so that they can give you an actual moving fee, not just an estimate. Let the charges you have agreed on be the final charges. Make sure that you completely understand the contract. If there is anything on the contract you do not understand seek clarification.

The Period of Existence

Before hiring a company, consider the number ofyears they have served. A company that has served for long has more experience and in most cases,it is reputable, compared to a company that has started operating recently. A company that has served for long offers high-qualityservices, since they understand all the aspects of moving and storage. You can easily trust an experienced company to handle your belongings.

Cheap is Sometimes Expensive

The cost of moving should not be the only factor you consider. Always stick to your budget. Get suspicious of a company that is charging too low. Probably they have low-qualityservices or have hidden fees. Strike a balance on the cost of moving. Not too high or too low.

To find a good moving company, consider all the factors discussed here. Do good research both on the internet and from people who have moved before. Take your time to find a good Removing company. If you do it in a hurry, it might cost a lot of money or lose your belongings.

How to reach customers & sell more products

Having a great product or service isn’t always enough for finding new people who are willing to buy from you.

Of course, reaching new customers and selling your products is vital for your business if you want to grow.

That is why your public relations have to be impeccable. They can make or break your company since a strong customer base really is the foundation of a successful business, but you should also think of ways to acquire new customers.

Fortunately, there are strategies and tips that can help:

• effective sales strategy
• testimonials
• wise marketing efforts
• affiliate programs

Effective sales strategy

You can find many sales strategies that have been working for dozens of businesses since the beginning of time, but you can also dig up new ones every month that come with the emerging trends in technology.

In order to tailor your ultimate sales strategy that will rack up the numbers and bring in new customers, you need to educate yourself as much as you can.

What’s in it for your prospect?

Many entrepreneurs forget that the purpose of their business is solving their customers’ problems. That is why you should always employ a strategy that clearly defines how you can help your prospects.

Lead your sales pitch with a clear articulation of the challenge you can help your prospect solve. Do not dive straight into the different packages, price points, or special promotions. By doing so, you are showing a lack of empathy for their position. In other words, you are clearly not willing to listen to and understand them.

Instead, start by showing them what they can do with your offer and how it can help them. Know that at the beginning of a sales conversation, your prospect doesn’t really understand the benefits of what you are selling. So, treat your product as a valuable solution to a real need instead of making it seem like a commodity.

Define the end results

This is something the vast majority of sales consulting experts can agree on – customers purchase results, not just products or services.

When you grab your prospect’s attention with what they will be able to achieve with your solution, you should explain how that will happen and how they will further benefit from your offer.

If you are selling a product to a company that has never used a similar product before, you will have to inform them about how it will work, how much of a time investment they should expect to make when it comes to managing it, and the types of ongoing support they will have available.

Flexibility

Don’t think that you won’t face challenges and unique demands from your prospects during your sales conversations. Each company you work with is different in its own way, and has different sets of internal processes and objectives.

Of course, saying that you ‘can’t’ do something or ‘won’t’ do something is a sure way to mess up a sale; you have to be flexible with your sales strategy. It needs to be flexible enough to adapt in the face of new challenges on the go.

Of course, sometimes you have to say no, but avoid doing so whenever you can. When you say no, you lose your reputation as a problem-solver and instantly close the door to many possibilities. Do your best to at least check with your team if there is a chance to accommodate a tough request.

Testimonials

Some may say that testimonials fall under marketing efforts, but the value they can provide is so great that they deserve to be a separate part of the sales strategy.

Testimonials are slowly becoming a super powerful marketing weapon. A testimonial from a well-known person in the industry could just be the best PR strategy a company can use. It’s a type of word-of-mouth marketing that resonates well with the target audience.

Awesome testimonial examples include influencer testimonials, effective Facebook testimonials, and Twitter testimonials. One great example of a celebrity testimonial is the ad for Nespresso featuring George Clooney and Natalie Dormer. People loved that ad, and it was trending on various social media platforms for quite a while.

However, whatever you’re doing, make sure to always include some customer testimonials on your website. They do wonders for emerging businesses since people always love to see what other people, similar to them, think about a product or service.

Wise marketing efforts

In order to come up with a solid marketing strategy, you need to determine who your ideal customer is. It is by knowing your audience that you can find out what you need to do to tailor a killer marketing strategy.

Of course, different markets require different strategies, but below are some that have worked well across multiple industries.

Email marketing

Email is still one of the most consistently effective channels for acquiring new customers. On top of that, unlike some other channels, email marketing can start generating traffic immediately.

It would be smart for you to start promoting your business with email marketing. Of course, you don’t have to spend all your time writing and sending emails. Instead, set up a collection of automated email campaigns that are designed to increase your revenue.

You could email new subscribers and offer them an incentive, or address new customers with a post-sale email to upsell and delight.

Email marketing has proven to work especially well within the ecommerce industry. So, if you are in that industry too, make sure to check it out.

SMS marketing

Using anSMS API might just solve your bad outreach figures. Many businesses use global messaging services for their SMS marketing campaigns, and there is no surprise about that since this type of marketing has a great open rate.

On top of that, if they are relevant enough and personal, SMS messages can do wonders for customer engagement. Also, they are quite reliable since they can’t go to spam like emails. You won’t be spending countless hours crafting a perfect message only for it to get delivered straight to spam.

Finally, with this marketing strategy, you will be able to reach your customers globally. With SMS, you can even reach people who do not have an internet connection and whom you wouldn’t be able to interact with otherwise.

Social media marketing

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels

Social mediaplatforms have never been so popular. And that makes these platforms a great way to promote your company. Marketing of this kind can be a powerful weapon if used correctly to reach out to new prospects.

Therefore, your business should be present on the most popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This is a sure way to generate website traffic, attract new customers, and get conversions.

Engage your audience on social media platforms, organize contests, interact as much as you can, and you will create a better brand identity and communication with key audiences.

Affiliate programs

Adding an affiliate program could help you drive more sales if you’re on a tight budget for marketing. Affiliate marketing programs enable other people to promote your product for a commission where you only have to pay them if they make a sale.

These programs usually work by creating a custom URL for each company promoting your products. This link can be shared on social media, in a blog post reviewing your product, or on the company’s website.

With these custom links, you will be able to track who is driving sales for you so that you can compensate them later. Remember that this program comes in handy because it’s cost-effective and successful in most cases. Not only are your affiliates promoting your products, but in a way, they are also doing marketing for you.

Bonus tip: Build lasting relationships

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Let’s finish things off with a simple but smart bonus tip – keep your customers for life! Once you have a customer purchase something from you, build a lasting relationship. Do not let that be the end of your relationship with the customer.

Put your focus on keeping a strong relationship with your customer. This not only creates trust and helps you develop a strong customer base, but also spreads a nice message about your business. People appreciate every bit of effort you put into the relationship you’re building. And that can only build more trust and add value to your product.

Beginner’s guide to legally using music in business videos

Business content matters, but the type of content that you pick for your business is even most important.

When people mention “content” to you, you most probably think of the good-old written content. But there is more than this out there!

People have different learning styles and not everybody is ready to digest 3,000-word blog posts. While many take pleasure in doing so and also seem to understand your message, others would rather watch a video, explaining the same concept. So, you have to match your content to different learning styles and personalities.

Now, you can’t have a boring 3-minute explainer video without any background music, can you? This is where music comes in. And if you think you can just choose whatever song you like on the web to beautifully finish off your video content, you’re in the wrong. There are so many legal matters and copyright issues in doing so. But, fear not, this guide will teach you how to legally use music in your business videos, without ever worrying about legal matters. But let’s start with the beginning, shall we?

Why would you use background music?

All types of business videos, from marketing to product presentation and company presentation are proven to get the message out there better when accompanied by music. Still not convinced? Below are three rock-hard reasons why you would want to integrate music in business videos.

• Music influences perception. Depending on how you want your audience to perceive your products or services, you can influence their perception by using the right type of music. Music can instil different views on your company: reliable, comforting, worry-free.
• Music will grab viewers’ attention before the video itself starts.
• It can help brands and businesses create an emotional connection with their viewers. It can also help your marketing team set the mood more accurately. Depending on how you want your audience to feel (excited, emotional, alert) when watching your videos, you can easily achieve it through music.

See, we told you music is a strong tool you can integrate into your marketing efforts! But first, you have to establish which videos demand background music. Otherwise, you risk to throw off all the efforts behind the said video. For instance, while an animated explainer video would be awkward, it could throw off an entire conference presentation. When judging whether you should include or not video presentation music in your content, use common sense. It will help you determine how appropriate integrating music in your content is.

Common misconceptions about music in business videos

People live under the impression that once they find music they like online, they’re free to use it however they want. But, as many have found the hard way, this is highly illegal and you should avoid doing so at all costs. Below are other common misconceptions people have in terms of video music.

• As long as you give credit, you don’t have to worry about legal aspects. Well, this is far from being true. While giving credits is something all artists will appreciate, it offers you no usage rights. So, avoid falling into this trap.
• It’s OK to use any music, as long as you don’t use it to make money off it. This is also false. For artists and copyright laws, it doesn’t matter if you make a profit or not. You will need artists’ explicit permission to use that music in your video content.
• But the Fair-Use Law allows me to do so! Not really, the law allows you to use it for parodies, news, and other video content.

So, if you can’t use whatever music you find online for your business videos, what else is there for you?

What is royalty-free music and how to use it in your business videos?

You’ve heard about this term by now, most certainly. In a nutshell, royalty-free music is the type of music for which you pay once and use it for as long as you like, the professionals at Melody Loops explain.

To choose the right type of music for your business videos, you have to carefully pick a royalty-free music vendor that features a wide selection of categories where you can choose from. This will help you ensure your music for business purposes is exactly what your company needs, and you always send the right message to your audience.

Make sure to only work with reliable and trustworthy royalty-free music vendors. This will help you ensure the music you purchase is actually copyright-free and no legal problems will ever appear when using it.

Besides, reliable platforms will help you ensure all your user data is protected. From name to credit card details, you must ensure everything is in good hands.

Royalty-free music platforms also feature a wider selection of music, whereas new websites can offer users a limited experience. So, again, make sure to do your research beforehand.

Your extra small guide to choosing the right music for business videos

Now that you know why integrating music on some corporate videos is so important, you want to make sure you choose the right type of music every time. Just picking whatever music you find on royalty-free websites won’t do it, so follow the advice below.

• Think of the role your music will have. You want to help you draw attention to the message you want to send, but don’t overdo it. When music is the only thing the viewer notices, you’re overdoing it.
• Intro and outro segments matter. You want to set the mood and to leave a lasting impression on your audience, so pay attention to these sections, too.
• Choose music that speaks to your audience.
• Music pacing matters, too.

If you ever doubt the need to integrate music into your company videos, try to remember the reasons exposed above. It will make a tremendous difference when you choose the right music and integrate it beautifully with video content. Let it speak to your company, and you will see the results

Eve Sleep causing investors sleepless nights as sales to hit targets

Eve Sleep cut its losses by 50 per cent in the first half of the year but warned investors that the company expects to miss its annual sales targets.

The direct-to-consumer mattress group reported a 50 per cent fall in losses to £5.9 million in the six months to June 30 after it focused on its core markets in the UK, Ireland and France. Group underlying revenue fell by 8 per cent to £12.9 million after a 29 per cent sales slump in France.

The company was launched on Valentine’s Day 2015 with what it claims are the “world’s most comfortable mattresses”. Customers order online and receive their mattress in a compact box. Its prices for a single start at £299, rising to £899 for an “emperor” and customers are offered 100-night trials. It also sells bed frames, duvets and bed linen.

The warning on sales sent its shares tumbling yesterday, down 1¼p, or 14.2 per cent, to 7½p giving it a market value of £19.7 million. This compares with an issue price of 101p and a value of £140 million at its float on London’s junior Aim market in May 2017.

The sharp fall in the share price was also a blow to Neil Woodford, the fund manager who has been a long-term backer of the company with almost a third of the stock. The Equity Income Fund run by Mr Woodford’s firm has been frozen for an indefinite period to stop it being overwhelmed by withdrawals by investors concerned by its poor performance.

Last July Eve Sleep parted ways with Jas Bagniewski, the co-founder and former chief executive, who celebrated the company’s flotation by adding the word “pirate” to his already heavily tattooed forearms to represent “freedom and doing things your way”.

Eve Sleep said Mr Bagniewski was leaving by mutual agreement, adding that management had made “some strategic mis-steps, underestimating what is required to develop a meaningful footprint across continental Europe, while losing focus on creating an aspirational sleep brand in its core market”.

Mr Bagniewski was replaced as chief executive by James Sturrock, who joined in September last year. Mr Sturrock said yesterday he was pleased with financial progress in the first half, despite “substantial retail headwinds” and the competitive nature of the category.