The lonely owner problem: why more UK business founders feel isolated than ever

UK economy doom as GDP flatlines and there is ‘no credible plan to save it’

Meet the businesses who don’t want to be the next Unicorns

Can creating a lifestyle business beat being a unicorn?

What the Autumn Statement means for you, one week after it was delivered

Businesses react following Liz Truss’s resignation as Prime Minister

Truss resignation: East Midlands business leaders call for General Election | TheBusinessDesk.com

Who won at this year’s British business Awards 2022?

In Truss we Trust? What the self-employed need from the new PM and her Cabinet - Freelance Informer

Ex-Dragon calls on Rachel’s knowledge - Marketing Derby

A trio of awards for Derby businesswoman whose hard work, compassion and dedication has supported hundreds of local firms during pandemic. - Love Business East Midlands

‘I wasn’t entitled to a penny of support’ - self-employed struggle as SEISS deadline nears

ONS: “Self-employed found it harder to make ends meet during pandemic”

Rachel is the proud founder and MD of Ask the Chameleon - a HR professional by trade, Rachel ha secured over £197.5m in funding and contracts for clients since the company was formed in 2015, and has an impressive track record of securing funding in the voluntary and community sector in previous employed roles. A former associate lecturer of the University of Derby's Business School, a former volunteer Area Lead for FSB in Derby/shire and Nottingham/shire, Rachel also was the Chair of Annabel's Angels (a trust supporting people undergoing treatment for cancer), which has since merged into Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity. From 2020 - 2023 Rachel co-founded the Swap Shop with Huub and think3, an innovative platform for small businesses and charities to swap skills, talents, products and services as a way to survive Covid19.

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Rachel Hayward

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Innovate UK funds the hookup to fuel business matchmaking! 

<img src="https://cdn.newspage.media/production/company/162/files/60a39f5a88c72a5e1447bc527f5618fd454beaca7a1d7cd3176167e9da04c5593d7acdea2a39ecc5b6012a33699b506b928acf4b633cee4bc410f35b8e432352.webp">Ask the Chameleon, the Derbyshire-based business consultancy specialising in tender writing and business awards, today announced it has passed a significant milestone, having secured £100m of contracts on behalf of its clients. <a href="https://www.askthechameleon.co.uk">Ask The Chameleon</a> is run by Rachel Hayward, whose expertise has led to growth and success for clients across various industries. One such client is Smith Partnership, the Derby-based legal firm, which has recently secured a place on a legal framework worth £1.5m.Claire Twells, head of debt recovery and head of business development at Smith Partnership, commented:“We have worked with Rachel on a number of projects and, with her invaluable support, have recently been successful in winning a tender for our commercial teams for a project spanning both the UK and overseas. Working with Rachel was easy and informative, and she was at the end of the phone whenever we needed her.”Rachel Hayward, Managing Director, Ask The Chameleon, added:“I am thrilled to have contributed to the success of my clients by securing over £100m of contracts. Times are tough for many small businesses right now, and tenders offer a confirmed level of income but are often complex to find and secure. I work closely with clients to produce applications that demonstrate their commitments to the brief and I am honoured to be a trusted partner for many local SMEs in their journey towards growth and success.”

Ask the Chameleon passes £100million in contracts

<figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/files/147d876db2d7280bae8562aff79e22af65a8eedc02382fabfc794398fd7aab5dc8809e34c37dc5674c31d6a70984f74a1d6e9d6f4a2670bdf002c4922b06d5d4.jpeg"><figcaption>Speed dating business style</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/files/af6c4d8ad0a8cb146b2cceb99af3c0bfb01f0ae362e0fd117d8b1b2719df906a7aa462b902182f606bdff7b18e992867bf1dcb5a2f67482d966ced7a1e2c1e85.jpeg"><figcaption>Co-creator Rachel Hayward setting the hook up scene</figcaption></figure>Businesses across the country are now turning their hands to dating, in a professional way. Finding their perfect match or their next business relationship on a platform that is NSFW (Now Suitable for Work).&nbsp; Following a speed dating inspired launch event in Derby this week, the hookup is now officially live for businesses to put themselves out there and have other businesses slide right into their DMs ready to develop new relationships. Created by two Derby based business owners, Rachel Hayward and Lee Marples, the hookup is the next venture into providing support to businesses across the UK by the relentless pair. During 2020, the duo successfully launched the UK Swap Shop which aimed at introducing swapping skills and services with each other to survive the pandemic which quickly amassed over 1,100 members looking for support in their time of need. The hookup, takes this a stage further; still providing the opportunity for businesses to exchange their skills, it now introduces the concept of dating into how businesses can increase their own visibility, proactively seek out new relationships and build longer term commercial success, supported by the hookup team acting as their dating wing mate. Lee, who runs the creative agency think3 said “we wanted a platform that could give people a chance to ask for something they needed, that’s why we introduced Swap Shop. We always knew there was room for improvement on what we launched in under 2 weeks and we’ve spent the last couple of years working out how we could take it up a notch. Now we have the hookup, a place to be wooed by potential new customers where you can be recognised for what you are good at. A dating-inspired lead-generating machine!” Rachel from the award winning consultancy Ask the Chameleon, added “we are encouraging small businesses and charities to sign up to our free or premium membership, and see where the hookup can take them – no filters, no catfishes, just real business, finding their perfect business match” Over 50 attendees at the hookup launch event, hosted at the Distillery in Derby, were able to find their perfect business pairing in a new take on speed dating and signing up to the hookup. &nbsp;<blockquote>no filters, no catfishes, just real business, finding their perfect business match</blockquote>

Hooking up means business (Now Suitable for Work)

<figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/files/99811097824fc4cb72cad5c73be704070e919bb7e3fae96017795bd8ede58e69ac6ab469ec2b89a4855f6a97a45d5f0d033794dfae10ed1e99238b7b06af52ec.jpeg"><figcaption>Craig Bunting, BEAR</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/files/18150b8b9f480d068585cf84a759f6b62a1ebf754cf5021ea2294a836dbf6368f3f421104274385ae77d04e5fee4b0231b1cfcbce85816a76a68877127a20def.jpeg"><figcaption>Julia Usher, Ashes Memorial Jewellery</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/files/2f9e9d549bd864f0608e4fe4e39df2e134d35a373f3d2170e7c8987777e7f64427d1721c6c5cdf72bfaaf341c7c9069a46bf9e657e2c2620ade45540954df869.jpeg"><figcaption>Finalists certificate</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/files/24312cd85717b75219ec01121b5fc1c3a41fb3e3c55587133bb4c849ee2a2dc9e0afd3ea48aedcfd2cdcba7b4ce59b829467dba49a9879ba96bc90d688d34e18.jpeg"><figcaption>Rachel Hayward, Ask the Chameleon</figcaption></figure>A quartet of Staffordshire businesses have reached the finalist stages of prestigious business awards Ashes Memorial Jewellery, Ask the Chameleon, Bear, and Cosy Direct have secured finalist positions in the annual Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce business awards to be held in Stoke on Trent in July. Despite two extremely tough years for many small firms, the 2022 awards them is sustainability and a positive look to the future of industry. From hundreds of applications for 15 categories, covering start up to international trade, the 4 diverse small businesses have been shortlisted in 5 categories: Ashes Memorial Jewellery based in Burton upon Trent specialises in creating bespoke handmade jewellery and gifts to create lasting memories through the innovative application of ash and hair onto silver or gold. Shortlisted in two categories, Julia Bochenski, owner, said “We are so delighted to be nominated for Digital Business of the Year and Online Business of the year at this year's Staffordshire Chambers Of Commerce business awards. It is such an honour to be a finalist and I wish all the other finalists the best of luck at the awards ceremony” Early years outdoor educational supplies company for schools and nurseries, Cosy Direct, has recently relocated to Fauld Estate to fulfil demand for their services from across the world. Shortlisted in the sustainability category, the company has recently been awarded the highly prestigious Queens Award for sustainability. CEO Pete Ellse said “We are delighted as a new business to the area to be a finalist in the sustainability segment, it is a very energetic area rightly full of much innovative thinking. We look forward to sharing more ideas on the night with our fellow finalists and widening our connections with the cream of the cream in this regional network”&nbsp; Employer of the year category includes BEAR, a Staffordshire coffee house and brand created in Uttoxeter, with rapid expansion into Derby, Stone and Northwich. “I am incredibly proud to be shortlisted for this award as it recognises the hard work of everyone in our business. A great employer creates an excellent workplace for employees, which no individual can deliver alone. I am proud to lead a team where everyone is accountable for living out our values in a way that encourages people to thrive. We've all contributed to making BEAR a place where people want to work.” Craig Bunting. BEAR have just announced they have secured another finalist position in the Midlands heats of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Professional Services finalist Ask the Chameleon – a NewspageUK Legend - is also based in Burton upon Trent, offering procurement and funding advice and guidance for SME’s and charities. MD and founder Rachel Hayward said “still facing an uncertain future following two unbelievably tough years for many business owners, we are delighted to take a moment to celebrate with our small business family and friends. We particularly look forward to meeting businesses from Staffordshire to continue to support each other to achieve economic stability”. The awards will be held in Festival Park on 14 July, sponsored by HSBC and Keele University. &nbsp;<blockquote>Business awards continue to support small businesses to raise their profile and bring much needed income and exposure to their brands, whilst celebrating their continued survival during the toughest economic years in recent times</blockquote>

A squad of newspagers make it to awards finals

<figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/images/5b15b79c2d9bee7f0a885e68cb27d4327a4efa275346b793116f8622dadbbccf35e932e41325eaacdc89c7a1800d1e40c60073d33d949a07a3ac81d7da6922eb.jpeg"><figcaption>Ben Atha, Founder, The Developer Academy</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/162/images/dd70503c24ed3acfdcb52c8d72ca1acabb3495a175a7aeb6f3a9de872c4d5ec4d20ef553d0efcf1eae86e28344c371e6345531352f1df8965fe7aa0bc9ab7009.jpeg"><figcaption>Paul Rose, You Teach Me</figcaption></figure> As a sole trader, when the pandemic hit in 2020, Rachel Hayward was ready (if not entirely prepared) for the worst.&nbsp; Clients and prospects closed their doors, staff were furloughed and everyone it seemed went into hibernation. Where were her clients? Where was her income? What was her future? Rachel’s main business www.askthechameleon.co.uk, ironically, works with firms to achieve growth via the submission of winning tender bids and awards nominations, all of which seemed to disappear as fast as the traffic on city centre roads during lockdown. But Rachel soon realised that often a challenge is just an opportunity in disguise, and working with local contacts in the design and marketing world, set up a new local resource for similarly affected small/medium firms called Swap Shop, offering the chance for cash-strapped businesses to exchange goods and services without actual financial outlay. In a matter of just a few months, www.theukswapshop.co.uk developed a national reach, with nearly 1000 participants, and Rachel was as busy as ever. In a startling turn of events, this newfound business exposure not only provided new prospects for Rachel’s tendering and awards business, but reawakened interest from existing clients, who were surprised to find her still working and embraced her determined approach to making the most of the situation.&nbsp; To date, Rachel’s turnover this year is up by 300% on 2019/20, with over £34m worth of tenders won for clients in the firm’s 6 years of trading. It seems that, whilst Covid may have hidden many opportunities, you just need to dig a little deeper, and know where to look. In many cases, Ask The Chameleon delivered tender wins that were actually instrumental in saving businesses during lockdown, and even contributed to real-term growth in some cases, despite unprecedented challenges for them.&nbsp; &nbsp;<blockquote>Ben Atha from The Developer Academy, offering coding and software development bootcamps across the UK has experienced a transformative increase in business since engaging Rachel’s firm; “With Rachel’s support we have increased our turnover threefold, with successful tenders for bootcamp deliver – this has opened other doors for us and a strong future trajectory creating coders and software developers for the future”.&nbsp;&nbsp;Paul Rose &amp; Peter Buglass from You Teach Me, an education company putting inclusion at the heart of learning through its innovative use of technology engaged Rachel to help secure a valuable grant to advance their Covid-busting educational platform. Peter said “Rachel made all the difference with our successful application. Her discipline and attention to detail along with an effective use of language helped us to pack great detail into the narrow parameters allowed for alert_responses”</blockquote>

Digging for business success

Rachel is the proud founder and MD of Ask the Chameleon - a HR professional by trade, Rachel ha secured over £197.5m in funding and contracts for clients since the company was formed in 2015, and has an impressive track record of securing funding in the voluntary and community sector in previous employed roles. A former associate lecturer of the University of Derby's Business School, a former volunteer Area Lead for FSB in Derby/shire and Nottingham/shire, Rachel also was the Chair of Annabel's…

Ask the Chameleon

Media coverage of Rachel Hayward

Rachel Hayward

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Media Coverage

The lonely owner problem: why more UK business founders feel isolated than ever

UK economy doom as GDP flatlines and there is ‘no credible plan to save it’

Meet the businesses who don’t want to be the next Unicorns

Can creating a lifestyle business beat being a unicorn?

What the Autumn Statement means for you, one week after it was delivered

Businesses react following Liz Truss’s resignation as Prime Minister

Truss resignation: East Midlands business leaders call for General Election | TheBusinessDesk.com

Truss resignation: East Midlands business leaders call for General Election | TheBusinessDesk.com

Who won at this year’s British business Awards 2022?

In Truss we Trust? What the self-employed need from the new PM and her Cabinet - Freelance Informer

In Truss we Trust? What the self-employed need from the new PM and her Cabinet - Freelance Informer

Ex-Dragon calls on Rachel’s knowledge - Marketing Derby

A trio of awards for Derby businesswoman whose hard work, compassion and dedication has supported hundreds of local firms...

‘I wasn’t entitled to a penny of support’ - self-employed struggle as SEISS deadline nears

ONS: “Self-employed found it harder to make ends meet during pandemic”