With the new year, comes new dangers to your business and
employees. In our latest blog post we’re exploring new developments of business
impersonations and deepfakes, and how to spot and prevent them.
Our key takeaways are:
Most corporate scams are not “hacks” in the
movie sense. They are confidence tricks that use email, phone calls, messaging
apps and now AI to impersonate people you trust 🖥️
Deepfakes and AI voice cloning make
impersonation more convincing, but the goal is the same: pressure someone into
paying money, changing bank details, or sharing sensitive information 🚨
The best defence is not trying to “spot the
fake”. It is using simple checks that scammers cannot rush, such as calling a
known number and following a clear payment approval process ☎️
If money is at risk, act fast: contact your bank
immediately and report the incident through the UK reporting routes
At LVL1 we can help support you with practical steps such as reviewing processes, improving verification routines, and strengthening protections that reduce impersonation risk.
A Framingham Pigot based commercial finance consultancy whose success is directly related to helping other local businesses, and which has been recognised for these achievements as finalists in the UK Business Moneyfacts Awards for the past two years, has just secured the professional services of three new recruits, increasing their East Anglian consultancy team to 19.
The three founding Directors of B2B Cashflow Solutions Ltd, who themselves have over 80 years of experience in commercial finance and banking, established the business 7 years ago to assist local businesses ‘bridge a widening gap’ with securing funding for growth, acquisitions and working capital.
Since then Ian, Nick, and Simon have grown the business by developing a diverse package of funding solutions delivered through their growing team of highly experienced ex-bank Associates and Consultants.
The latest recruits are no exception and similar to existing team members have been hand-picked by the Directors based on previous working relationship, reputation and recommendation.
Paul Walsingham, Brian Chester, and Paul Dowman all put pen to paper on the same day which probably represents the firm’s most significant statement of intent to date.
Paul Walsingham has worked in the commercial finance industry for nearly 30-years for major corporations including RBS, GE Capital and Societe Generale.
Brian Chester has been a finance broker since 2002, previously developing his finance expertise with RBS group, Chartered Trust and others.
Paul Dowman specialises in developing relationships with dealer networks throughout East Anglia. He joins B2B having recently left his role as Director of another local brokerage; Credo Asset Finance. Paul’s career includes roles with ABN Bank, and Morgan Grenfell.
Director Simon Reynolds explains ”The Bank of England Trends in Lending Report to July evidences that the annual rate of growth in the stock of lending to UK businesses continues to be negative with the stock of lending to both small and medium-sized enterprises and large businesses also contracted over this period.
We continue to experience a steady increase in perfectly viable businesses being referred to us because they are failing to secure the financial support they need to invest and grow while others are increasingly struggling to generate sufficient cash to meet daily working capital requirements, and to service debt.
Our business is reacting to this need by constantly improving our products and services and recruiting highly experienced financial solutions providers to deliver these at a local level.
”Our recent financial year-end in August evidenced our strongest performance of our seven year history, breaking the £0.5 million income turnover barrier for the first time. This derived from lending, and other financial projects for our business customers with a value in excess of £13 million. We are confident that our growing team and growing reputation will continue to drive strong growth.”
”The added value of course is that the growth success of our business is directly related to our ability to help other local businesses grow.”
Caroline Williams CEO of Norfolk Chamber works with Simon on the Business Finance Group panel and commented ”I am aware from a number of Norfolk Chamber members and professional partners that B2B Cashflow Solutions plays a significant role in supporting the banks and accountants with alternative finance solutions for local businesses. The fact that they continue to grow their consultancy team is an indication of the key role intermediaries play in providing alternative funding solutions when traditional mainstream providers fail to support our SME’s”
Norwich International Airport reports passenger growth for September 2013 Norwich International Airport has just recorded its busiest week of the year so far with passenger numbers in the week ending 15th September being more than 17% higher than the same period last year and with growth across all sectors.
A major contributing factor to the boost in passenger numbers has been the increased demand for KLM’s services to Amsterdam Schiphol. This follows the addition of a fourth daily rotation which provides improved connectivity and an even wider range of connecting destinations. Passenger numbers for the period are up 20% year on year.
The summer 2013 season has also seen a huge rise in holidaymakers, growing more than 58% year on year. This has been driven by Thomson First Choice who have more than doubled the number of holidays on offer from the Airport this year, adding new destinations and more frequencies to the most popular destinations. Other tour operators including Thomas Cook have also increased their volumes this year.
Helicopter passenger numbers also continue to outperform last year’s record level, underlining the vital role that the Airport plays in connecting the southern North Sea gas fields. If the level of performance is maintained the Airport expects to deliver yet another year of record offshore passenger growth. Recent investment in new lounge facilities in the terminal building ensures many of these passengers continue to benefit from a high quality experience when using the Airport. Operators Bristow, Bond, Dancopter and NHV are all based at the Airport and together operate some 25 flights on a daily basis to the platforms offshore.
Andrew Bell, CEO of Norwich International Airport said: “We are satisfied with the level of growth we have achieved so far this year, and we have worked very hard to ensure that passengers’ experience when travelling through the airport has also improved. We continue our efforts to attract new carriers onto new routes to ensure the Airport offers the best possible network choice to the people of the region, whilst maintaining excellent levels of service.”
Huge congratulations to Ginny Colman from Norwich after winning two VIP tickets to see Norwich take on Aston Villa on Saturday 21st September 2013. The prize includes a three course pre match meal, luxury seating, half time refreshments and a matchday programme.
Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and helping us to raise even more cash for our 2013 charity Red Balloon Learner Centres.
Great Yarmouth electrical engineers, Softstart UK, have pulled out all the stops and supplied high-tech equipment for a massive clean water project in Nigeria in double quick time.
Softstart was asked by a major contractor in the UK via the Nigerian Development Agency if they could provide a solution for a seemingly intractable problem. The agency is building a new water and sanitation system for Zaria City in Northern Nigeria. Currently only half of the city (population 500,000, twice the size of Norwich) has clean running water and less than a third has sanitation. The aim is to get these figures up to 100% by 2020.
“Obviously this will make a massive difference to health and hygiene. It will also improve the schools, hospitals and other services and help secure industry and commerce,” says Stuart Harvey, managing director of Softstart. “We were very keen to give this project our all.”
The issue Softstart had to address was when the giant medium voltage pumps would be switched on; they tend to drag down the (somewhat temperamental) mains supply causing major power outages. The solution was to build a control panel for each pump which brings them up to speed smoothly over a period of a couple of seconds, like the dimmer on a light switch.
“We needed nine individual systems,” says Stuart, “so to meet delivery dates on time we set up a ‘mini flow production line’ from initial order /design and build in May 2013 we built them in 14 weeks instead of the usual 26. Every person in to company got involved and we were bursting with pride when we dispatched them on their long journey this month.”
The first week back after the Christmas break is always eventful. People need to blow the cobwebs from possibly an extended break and get back into the rhythm of things. The New Year is often when people make their resolutions that this year I AM going to learn French.
The focus this week has been on French language lessons and the introduction of today’s modern technology means that I can work with people all over the world. My clients are not just restricted to Norwich, Norfolk or even the UK. I have a client base as far away as China or, as in the case this week, Switzerland and Singapore.
The variety my work brings me means that my clients are also not just your typical GCSE or A-level students looking to bump up a grade but they include adults from all walks of life. I work with CEOs, working professionals, I have had senior clergy members, security specialists working in the middle east, people setting up their own business abroad and more. I have even coached a well know TV Presenter to help with their work abroad.
This week I have supported clients with:
Focus on the future and conditional tenses
Translation and writing skills
Vocabulary and grammar
Conversational approach to grammar by switching between English and French when needed
Pronunciation
A further 2 clients who are already almost fluent, benefit from the conversational style and this week we chose all manner of topics to cover from the festive period through to the geopolitical issues across the world.
If you are interested in support with the French language, whether that is language lessons, translations, support moving home in country, guidance for a business trip or anything else then contact me now for a no obligation, informal chat on 07930-444-078 or [email protected].
Wingfield Consultants had the
privilege of working (pro bono) with Field of Joy, supported by the
Norfolk Community Foundation (the Good for Good scheme), to help them plan
their growth journey for the next five years.
Field of Joy is a social
smallholding in a magical meadow in Reepham, Norfolk. They work with adults and
children, improving wellbeing and reducing isolation. Their work aims to forge
friendships and connections with each other and nature.
On the plan provided:
Caitlin @
Field of Joy: ‘It’s absolutely amazing. Thank you so much Simon we are so
grateful, this will be so hugely helpful to us’.
Liz @
Field of Joy: ‘Wow, what a resource – thank you Simon!’.
Lauren @
Norfolk Community Foundation: ‘This is just fabulous. Thank you so much for
smashing it again for a brilliant local organisation. What a great tool Field
of Joy now have when applying for funding and to support their long-term
strategy’.
I came back from the Lincolnshire Food Festival full of energy, the event was fantastic and spending time with Levi Roots was great. I have also been made Business Professor at the Grimsby Institute. I am looking forward to embrace Norwich and Norfolk and do the same here….Contact me, I would love to hear from you.
The BEST WESTERN Brook Hotel brings you the chance to come and visit their hotel for a chance to look around, meet the team and discuss your wedding ideas with a great selection of suppliers exhibiting their goods and services at the Brook’s Wedding Fair here in Norwich!
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With over 20 local Wedding Suppliers exhibiting their products and services for everything else you could need to create your perfect day from your hair, the flowers and balloons to the dress and the car, your photographer, your toast master and your entertainment.
A local financial seminar hosted by Alan Boswell & Company the Financial Planning division of Alan Boswell Group, attracted over 100 guests from across East Anglia. The company, one of the largest independent Financial Planners in the region, held the event as a thank you to their clients. The evening was hosted by Anglia news presenter Jonathan Wills and included a motivational speech by Sally Kettle, the first woman to row the Atlantic Ocean twice. Organised in conjunction with investment management firm, Brewin Dolphin, the seminar also provided clients with an assessment of the current international and UK economic conditions.
The event was held at the Top of the Terrace at Norwich City Football Club and promoted the work of local charity Big C, Alan Boswell Group’s staff charity of the year. Guests heard first-hand about the work Big C do and the challenges of securing funding, in a speech from chair of cancer genetics, Colin Cooper who works with the charity. Attendees also helped raise further funds on the evening with a raffle. Top prizes donated by Alan Boswell & Company and Brewin Dolphin included football and theatre tickets, champagne, a hamper and signed NCFC shirt. Over the last decade the Alan Boswell Group has raised over £39K for Big C.
John Whitehead, managing director of Alan Boswell & Company, said: ‘”We are proud to be able to host an event which supports a great cause such as Big C but also supports our clients with valuable information about the economic market conditions and what factors may affect their future investments.
‘It was extremely interesting to hear from Colin Cooper about the ground breaking research they are able to undertake in the fantastic facilities we have in Norfolk’.
Leathes Prior is delighted to announce Sabina Haag qualified as a Solicitor on 1 October, after finishing a two year training contract with the firm. Having joined Leathes Prior as a Trainee Solicitor in September 2011, her training has covered a wide range of areas including Employment, Corporate and Dispute Resolution. We are very pleased that Sabina has accepted a permanent position as a Solicitor providing valuable support to our busy Dispute Resolution team.
Sabina is originally from Sweden, where she attended the Scandinavian Aviation Academy and gained a Commercial Pilot License at the age of 18. She spent a year working and travelling around Australia before moving to England. Sabina graduated from the University of East Anglia with a 2:1 law degree in 2010 and completed the Legal Practice Course in Cambridge gaining a distinction.
Leathes Prior Managing Partner Mike Barlow, who heads the firm’s Dispute Resolution team, said: “Sabina has made a valuable contribution to the team and her efforts have been much appreciated by her colleagues and clients. I am sure that Sabina has a very bright future ahead of her and I look forward to seeing her career develop. As ever, the firm is committed to ensuring that we recruit Trainee Solicitors of the highest calibre and I believe that the fact that so many of our Partners, Associates and Solicitors trained with the firm speaks volumes for the training and support we are able to provide.”