Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon these days that we see clients where their borrowing potential is not as much as they were hoping.

This is especially difficult in the South-East where our offices are based, where you are hard pushed to find a flat for £200,000.

Available Options

So, let’s look at a couple of options that are available to you which could help boost the amount that you are able to borrow.

Joint Borrower, Sole Proprietor (JBSP)

JBSP mortgages allow either 1 or 2 third parties (often parents) to contribute to a mortgage by being party to the mortgage, however they would not be on the Title Deeds or have any legal stake in the property. It means the lender will consider the third parties’ income when assessing whether the mortgage is going to be affordable without the purchaser having to share ownership to the property.

This scheme is more common in First Time Buyers and over the past 2 years the number of enquiries for the scheme have rocketed, given the increasingly high financial bar that they are faced with.

The Bank of Mum and Dad

It is not uncommon to see clients who have been renting privately, to find that they are struggling to get a deposit together. We can see clearly that they have been affording high rent payments yet often they do not meet a lenders affordability for the mortgage even though we can see that the monthly mortgage payment will be less than they are already paying. More and more often we find that parents and grandparents are willing to help with a deposit.

This can either be from their personal cash and savings or sometimes the parents are willing to raise the capital from their own homes which will enable them to Gift money to their children and grandchildren. This can very often mean that the clients are able to borrow a lower percentage of the property purchase price.

The advantage of this is that they are likely to fall into being able to secure a mortgage at a lower interest rate with more affordable monthly repayments. These are just 2 ways to help get you to where you want to be in the housing market.

I Can Help

If you would like a chat about your options either with or without family backing, then please get in touch here or call 01702 746811 and we will be happy to look at possible options for you.

We always welcome family members who you would like to take part in discussions, so just let us know and we will arrange it.

Photo courtesy of Canva April 2022

Power Up Your Productivity. Work Smarter not Harder

It really doesn't matter what business sector you work within, whether you are working from the 25th floor of a London high rise office or work from home (which we imagine is still the case for a large number of UK employees). At some point, there comes the fear that the only way to balance work, life, success and everything in between is to obtain some form of qualification in professional juggling.

Most of us now have jobs which are as diverse as we are, with many tasks of varying levels requiring completion at any one time. Whilst you are, of course, skilled and proficient at all of these tasks and are no doubt very busy, the real question is are you being as productive as you could be? Last time we checked, there is no qualification in professional juggling and trust us when we say that absolutely no-one is born with a natural flair for productivity!

However, time management and productivity are skills that can be honed and tweaked continuously throughout our personal and professional lives to help us all stay cool, calm and collected when the to-do list seems never-ending. 

Here are a few of our personal favourite tips that can really help to refine and finesse the way in which you work. 

Leave Space Invaders in the 90s

Not surprisingly, having a dedicated work space that is set up just for you is one of the easiest ways to improve your productivity. Of course, it is nice to work from comfy sofas, snuggly beds and snack laden dining tables but these really aren’t going to help you long term. For all the intelligence we have, there are certain associations that our brains really struggle to unpick. By making your brain constantly try to work out whether it’s time to work or relax, you’re ultimately just slowing yourself down. 

Of course you might not have the luxury of an entirely separate room but even just a small desk in the corner of an existing one is better than nothing. There are certainly many different ideas for small and cost savvy work spaces littered throughout the internet. Whatever you choose to do, the workplace you create should make you feel comfortable and happy. Accessorise your space to your tastes and make it somewhere you want to be rather than somewhere you dread. Most importantly of all, keep it tidy! Clutter and mess is just another thing to distract your mind from the task at hand, a quick tidy at the end of each day will keep it fresh and ready for work.  

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail 

It’s no secret that making notes helps us not only to remember but also keeps our minds clear allowing us to focus on individual tasks. So why try and operate your day ad-hoc with thoughts of tasks and deadlines cluttering your brain? By beginning each day with a clear plan on what tasks you will be undertaking and what time you will be allocating to each, it means you can dedicate 100% of your attention to each one in due course. There are so many methods and tools for doing this, from simply scheduling your tasks in your email/calendar to full blown task managing apps and software that you simply cannot fail. Planning can be done to cover whatever timeframe you need from one week right the way to one year ahead and thankfully, this isn’t just limited to work items, you can introduce personal tasks into the mix too, allowing you to fully manage that coveted work life balance. 

Category is… dressed for success 

For any of you that work from home you’ll be familiar with the misconception held by a lot of people that we all work in our pyjamas or slouchy clothes all day and, whilst to them, this is seen as a luxury opportunity we are all too aware of the drawbacks of doing so. Flitting back to that pesky brain association issue, when we wear our comfy relaxing/sleeping clothes, oddly enough our brains tell us that it is time to do just that. Now, by no means are we saying that you should be donning on full business attire with high heels and a face so full of makeup it would make a drag queen blush, but there is something to be said for wearing something that inspires you. The clothes that we wear have a tremendous effect on the way we feel and in turn the way we feel has a similar sized effect on the way we work. So throw on those jeans that make you feel confident, the top that makes you feel sophisticated, and the jewellery that makes you happy because all of those things will be reflected in the quality of work you produce. Embrace automation to end procrastination Ask yourself this…What is my time really worth? So many of us waste valuable time doing invaluable tasks each day that could be done more quickly or efficiently by automation. For many people there is the fear that either the process will go wrong or that by automating items you are somehow failing in your duties as a business owner. If this is you then we’re sorry to say but you aren’t maximising your time. From email and social media scheduling to accounting packages and web bots – there are so many tools out there that can reduce the amount of tasks on your daily to-do list vastly. Just one hour of social media each day could potentially have been 5 hours extra work spent on more valuable or profitable ventures. If automated solutions aren’t your cup of tea then you can always look at outsourcing the daily tasks to a virtual assistant in order to free up your mental space and physical time. 

Of course, here at Pink Spaghetti we know a thing or two about outsourcing and have teams around the UK who can provide your business with the support you need to succeed. If you want to discuss how I can assist you in boosting the productivity of your business or just want a chat please get in touch. You can email me at abbie@pink-spaghetti.co.uk, send me a message via LinkedIn or connect with me here on the WIBN portal.

Spring/Summer 2022 trends have come in and one of the top trends is the use of green. Green is a great colour, as not only is it a colour that feels fresh and springlike, it is also available in a variety of tones so can work for any skintone, as long as you find the right shade.

If you want to add this colour to your wardrobe and ensure that you pick up the perfect shade for your skintone, here are my top picks for you depending on the season you fall into.

How to wear green as a Spring

If you are a Spring – someone whose undertones are just like spring – bright, varied and with light features, then you want to find a bright or vivid spring green to add to your wardrobe. This is because the fabulous bright tones steer clear of those darker, muted tones that tend to drown you out.

Green pieces to add to your wardrobe as a spring

If you want to add pieces to your wardrobe in this on-trend colour, that works perfectly for you, then designers have a large selection of options for you. If you are on more of the tentative side and just want to add a little splash of green, then an accessory such as a bright green bag could be the perfect option for you. Whether it’s a designer piece such as this beautiful Mini Jodie bag by Bottega, or for a high-street option, this bright green shoulder bag from River Island is a quirky and bright addition to your wardrobe. The great thing about adding colours through accessories is if you want to keep more neutral with the rest of the outfit, you can do so. With bright greens, whites and creams are best to match, and they are best for your brighter skintone, too. 

For a little more green to your look, you can add green with your trousers – wide leg trousers are a classic, while becoming more popular this year. They work perfectly for workwear, meetings, or casual brunches, depending on how you style them. Again, look for bright or light greens for your skintone. These bright, turquoise green, high rise Ted Baker trousers are a great option for you, or you can head to Nasty Gal for a pair of warmer green wide leg trousers. Match with your platform trainers for a more casual look, or heels for a more professional style. 

How to wear green as a Summer

Summers have soft and cooler undertones, with pastels and blueish undertones working best for them. Think colours that aren’t too vivid, so as to not overwhelm your lighter features.

Green pieces to add to your wardrobe as a Summer

You will want to look out for more pastel or less vivid greens when adding this on-trend colour to your outfits. You can look for accessories to start adding a little touch of the colour to your wardrobe, and shoes are a great option for you. As we head into the warmer weather, you can look at adding these aqua green from Salvatore Ferragamo to your shoe cupboard, or try these slip on flats by Dune. And for a touch of glamour, without giving up on comfort, I find this metallic green loafers by Tod’s an excellent choice.

If you want to take the green in your wardrobe to a new level and add it as a full outfit, you can try out a spring/summer dress. I love when the seasons change, so being able to wear a dress without countless heavy jumpers over the top means I can try out a few brighter colours too! If you feel the same, then try this beautiful backless maxi dress by Aeron – a great date night or brunch with friends piece, or pair with a blazer to cover up the back and you could wear this to meetings, too. For a smarter style, this belted jumpsuit from Zara in sea green is a great option for your wardrobe. 

How to wear green as an Autumn

Just like Autumn, people within this seasonal toning have deep and warm undertones, with soft contrasts. This means colours that work best for you are deeper colours that you would spot at this time of year.

Green pieces to add to your wardrobe as an Autumn

When you fit into this season, you will want to look for deep, rich greens to bring into your wardrobe. For a quick splash of colour, look for scarves in deep green, or with patterns to bring a little personality to the outfit, or accessories such as jewellery to easily update your look with this on-trend colour. Scarves are an often overlooked accessory, but can be used in a multitude of ways to update your outfit – from the different knots you can try around your neck, to playing with them as hair accessories, you really can play with them in unique ways. Find ones that are slightly slimmer if you are wanting to try out the different options without having to fold them over a lot to fit on your head or neck. 

For a powerful, all-over green look, you could bring the colour to your wardrobe with a women’s suit all in green. The great thing about suits is that you can play with the way you wear it – wear the full suit together for a professional end result, or just wear the blazer or trousers and dress it down for a less formal look. This beautiful deep green suit by Ami Paris is a perfect formal yet comfortable option with it’s more relaxed tailoring. For a high street option, you can’t go wrong with this rich green suit from Zara. 

How to wear green as a Winter

Winters have cooler undertones with deep and bright tones, which means you will want to look for those wintery colours such as bright icy greens to play with in your wardrobe.

Green pieces to add to your wardrobe as a Winter

When you consider adding green to your wardrobe, you will want to remember the colours of the winter – icy, bright, and cool. This will help when you look for options to invest in for the Spring/Summer and throughout your shopping! Whether it’s an emerald crossover body bag like this by Bottega Veneta, or emerald green sandals like these by Jimmy Choo – the accessories are always a place to start with colour additions. As a Winter you can wear black, unlike the other seasons, so when you bring a dash of colour to an all-black outfit in this way, you really can make an impact. 

As we head into the warmer months, you may want to try out a more appropriate dress for the weather. Whether that’s a slip-style dress made of satin-crepe, perfect for feeling luxurious and sexy, or a more casual swing dress like this from Whistes, finding a dress in your green tones will be a great addition to your wardrobe for Spring/Summer 2022. Style them with a rocker vibe adding a black leather jacket over the top, or go for a more romantic style with silver accessories & a blazer. 

I hope these ideas for adding green to your wardrobe this spring have given you some inspiration to add this on-trend colour to your wardrobe.

If you would like to know more about how to discover the season you fit in to, I have shared more detailed information about the 18 seasons method, here, or get in touch to arrange a colour analysis to help you know the colours that work best for your skintone. 

The defining moment in my marriage came the night my father died. My best friend and the person who had always believed in me and knew I could do anything if I put my mind to it had just left me. I hadn’t felt loved or cared about for, by my husband, in many years. I knew then that I couldn’t spend the rest of my life married to him but I had a 12 year old daughter to care for.

Making Plans

Three years later after two bouts of depression and counselling, I started to make plans in my head. I’d worked for a bank for 15 years prior to having my daughter but hadn’t worked since other than volunteering at her primary school. I’d had a small cattle rearing business with my father-in-law and had kept the books for that business, so I decided to do my bookkeeping exams. I still had no plans to leave my husband until our daughter had gone to university.

Events, however, overtook after I had a break away on my own. So in December 2008 I decided enough was enough and asked for a divorce.

A New Chapter

That was the start of an awful period in my life. He took my request for divorce badly and retaliated by telling lies to some members of my family, this caused great distress to all and although some relationships were mended, one sadly could not be restored. However after a lot of hard work on my behalf I am now back in touch with my cousin and we are rebuilding our relationship.

A New Start

The marital home eventually sold and in November 2009 I moved 200 miles away to start a new life. I only knew one person here and had no job.

As I hadn’t worked for so long I had a very limited chance of getting a job. Add to that my daughter was living with my mother and I was visiting them about every 2 to 3 weeks. The M6 and I became very good friends. Once the house was straight, I concentrated on my studies and in April 2010 I passed. I now have letters after my name. Dad would have been proud of me. Even with my qualifications no-one wanted to employ me. My money was running out, so I had to do something pretty quickly. How difficult could it be to work for myself?

Striking Out On My Own

So my bookkeeping business was started. First thing was to find clients. I put an advertisement in the local paper for a month, but nothing came of that. So I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and the lady who completed the forms suggested I go to a free networking event they were hosting the next week. I had never done anything like that in my life; I was terrified, but I went and met two very nice ladies who were as nervous as me and we spent most of the evening chatting.

I then contacted a local woman’s business organisation who gave me some marketing ideas which weren’t really suitable for my business but they invited me to a Chamber of Commerce breakfast club that is held monthly. Someone from the organisation would be there to introduce me to people. At your first meeting you can give a 30 second talk introducing yourself and your business.

Yes I did it!

I was nervous and not sure that it was the greatest 30 seconds ever but it did get me my first client. I now table host at this event, which entails me making sure that everyone on my table gets the chance to pass their cards around and tell everyone on the table about themselves and their business.

I have made friends from this networking event and been told about other events which I now go to and enjoy.

You never know where a potential client will come from.

It might not be someone you meet at an event but they might know someone who does need your services. In the meantime my daughter built a website for me and I have found a few clients from there. When I first started I took on any client that asked me but I have learnt that if I don’t like them or their demands for my time are unreasonable then they aren’t worth keeping on my books.

I have had to toughen up as clients can be very unpleasant and it’s hard not to take it personally.

You really do need a business plan before you start out and to belong to an association that specialises in your business. Do your research about the type of business you want to start and how much other people are charging.

I still do networking and am enjoying it. You meet so many nice people and learn about their business.

Always have a strap line for the end of your 30 or 60 seconds.

It hasn’t been easy and I’ve had many a Monday meltdown. I have changed my mind set to one of positive thinking all the time. That can be challenging at times.

Photo credit Athena Hall

First of all, this is not a burning your bra type of blog (which was first done by Mary Phelps Jacobs in 1914 by the way) so don’t panic.

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March.

I think quite often this day is focused on discussions whether women and gender equality and what is left to achieve. However, for me it is an opportunity to celebrate amazing people who have made our world brighter and fuller whether in science, invention or just inspiration.

I have been a Women in Business Network franchisee since 2013 so I thought I would ask my members their top 5 inspirational women.

In business we all need inspiration

In business we all need inspiration, and it is these pioneers that will create and develop the younger generation, so this month I have asked my members to give me their obscure women that inspire them.

Mary Curie

Originally from Poland, and well known for being the first woman to get the Nobel Peace Prize, she travelled across the country to help better herself. Her upbringing was seemingly very difficult, and to me, she owns up to her own personal mistakes with her children and was forthcoming in terms of wanting to develop her knowledge. When it came to the Nobel Peace Prize nomination, it was, in fact, her husband that insisted she receive the prize.

Mary herself ensured that everyone on her team that got one, too, for their work to the pioneering findings. There is a great picture of her in the World Science conference where she is sitting proudly next to Albert Einstein and is the only woman in the room.

Sadly, at the time, she was more well known for scandal of having an affair with a married man, and her love letters were publicly printed in a national French magazine by the wife. This scandal took away the focus from her fantastic scientific findings.

Amelia Earheart

A pioneer in American aviation, Amelia was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She also was one of the first aviators to promote commercia air travel, wrote bestselling books about her flying experiences, and was also instrumental in the formation of the Ninety-Nines, which is an organisation for female pilots.

After piloting the nonstop solo transatlantic flight in 1932 and earning the United States Distinguished Flying Cross, she became a visiting faculty member at Purdue University in 1935, as an advisor to aeronautical engineering & a career counsellor to female students. Not only did she help inspire future female pilots, she also was a fundamental part of the National Woman’s Party, as well as an early supporter of Equal Rights Amendment.

It is likely she died in the Pacific during the circumnavigation of the globe in 1937 with co-pilot Fred Noonan, which sparked conspiracy theories & investigations into their deaths.

Melanie Perkins

If you run a business that uses designs for your social media, marketing, or presentations, you will have probably heard of the powerhouse that is Canva. Inspired by fellow students who found Adobe and Microsoft “crazy hard” she and fellow co-founder Cliff Obrecht wanted to make a collaborative, accessible, and easy to use tool to create designs.

Starting with a yearbook design system for users to design & collaborate together, they then decided to go big. In 2010 they pitched to Silicon Valley investor Bill Tai who connected her with all of his contacts.

By 2012 they had tech advisor & co-founder of Google Maps, Lars Adams on board as well as many others on the development side to help close their first funding round – causing them to be oversubscribed with $1.5M invested & matched by the Australian government! Within 5 years, the company had catapulted in popularity and Melanie was showcased as one of tech’s youngest female CEO’s, and within 7 years the company is now worth $3.2Billion.

Katherine Johnson

Known as the “human computer” Katherine was an incredible mathematician in NASA, who showed strong skills in mathematics from a young age. Because the school she was attending did not offer public schooling for African American students past the eighth grade so her parents enrolled her in Institute High School, West Virginia to continue her education. She continued to further her education by taking every maths course offered by her West Virginia State college, receive mentoring from multiple professors, and finished her degrees in mathematics & French by the age of 18.

In 1952, after a career in teaching, becoming a mother, and being a research mathematician, she was recommended by a relative to apply for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as a mathematician. During her 33-year career with NACA, which in 1958 was superseded by NASA, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations as well as implementing computers to speed up the tasks, while having to manage many of the difficulties African American women had to face in the workplace. From calculating trajectories & launch windows, to emergency return paths for spaceflights, she was essential for helping get the first American in space, the first American in orbit, and rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module & Command module on flights to the moon.

I highly recommend watching “Hidden Figures” to find out more about her, and fellow black female NASA engineers & mathematicians.

Elizabeth Phillips Nee Maggie

Elizabeth Phillips Nee Maggie - (great name by the way!) came up with the concept of Monopoly. She was an American game designer, writer, feminist and Georgist who invented The Landlord’s Game which was the precursor to the game we all know. In 1903, after creating the game and playing it with her friends, she decided to get a patent on the game.

It was originally designed to demonstrate the economic ill effects of land monopolism and the use of land value tax as a remedy. The game continued to develop throughout the years, from the main aim to obtain wealth to eventually have 2 settings – one being monopolist which was to own industries, create monopolies, and win by forcing others out of theirs; and the second being Prosperity – where the goal was to create products and interact with opponents.

The Parker Brothers published a modified version of the game, known as Monopoly in 1934 stating that it was invented in the basement of Charles Darrow, one of the brothers. Elizabeth stated that she had not been credited for the game, and had made a mere $500 from her invention, criticising the brothers in an interview in 1936 with a Washington DC newspaper. Darrow continued to be known as the inventor of the game until Ralph Anspach discovered Elizabeth’s patents, yet still did not receive credit until after her death 1948. She was not credited for the impact she had had on the board game community, after such an incredible creation

Who Inspires You?

We have only talked about 5 women today, and there are so many more – can you suggest any more that inspire you?

Personally, the most inspirational ones are those that do not shout from the rooftops about their success, remain humble, always wanted to achieve more and wanted to help others through their own successes.