BNI Chichester - Business Network

06/08/2026

☕ What do workplace legislation, £60,000 tax savings, coffee-soaked laptops, Starlink internet, estate planning, roofing, counselling, boilers and a pig-shaped telephone have in common?
They were all discussed at this week's fantastic Chi BNI meeting! 😄
A huge thank you to:
🛡️ Caroline Daniel 🪩 for highlighting upcoming changes in workplace harassment legislation.
💰 Joshua Farrow DipPFS for sharing how he'd helped clients save £60,000 in corporation tax and move £240,000 into pensions.
☕ Kevin Ayling for proving that coffee and laptops don't mix, whilst reminding us why business continuity planning matters.
🚰 trevor thurgood for making us all think twice about what's lurking in our loft water tanks!
🐷 Roslyn Healey for the unexpected history lesson and a nostalgic pig-shaped telecoms gadget.
📡 Richard Shoubridge for showing how the right technology can completely transform home and business connectivity.
🤝 Jeremy Garrard (via Ryan Godfrey) for reminding us that great businesses are built on strong partnerships.
🪟 Alistair Bacon (ably represented by Jeff Laming - Business Consultant, Strategist) for demonstrating why quality products and service never go out of style.
🐯 I reminded everyone that insurance isn't just about buying cover, it's about getting claims paid when it matters.
📜 Jonathan Rowden for showing how one simple question, "Do you have a will?", can unlock huge value for families and charities alike.
❤️ Louise Gisbey for sharing the incredible work of The Life Centre supporting survivors of trauma across West Sussex.
🏠 John Farthing for encouraging us to sort roof problems before winter does it for us.
☎️ Stewart Dunne for a brilliant Core Value Slot and for reminding us that businesses never stop needing great customer service, even during holiday season.
🌟 Visitor highlights from Ryan Godfrey of Element Architectural Studio and Jeff Laming - Business Consultant, Strategist of Feed Wellness rounded off another brilliant morning.
Special mention to our Feature Presenter Richard Shoubridge, whose presentation showed that smart technology and automation aren't just for celebrity mansions. The opportunities for referrals are everywhere once you understand the scale of value he brings.
🏆 Quote of the Meeting:
"The laptop had failed; the business hadn't." – Kevin Ayling
And a special honourable mention to Joshua Farrow DipPFS:
"Jamie Boxall CeMAP isn't here today, he has a flat tyre."
"I feel deflated." 🤣
Another fantastic morning of education, referrals, expertise and laughter.

03/08/2026

🔥 Another cracking morning at Chi BNI! 🔥

This week we somehow covered HR headaches, pension refunds, boiler disasters, tax traps, invisible speakers, Google Ads, and birds nesting in soffits... all before most people had finished their second coffee. ☕😄

😄 A great reminder from Jonathan Rowden on this week's Core Value of Recognition!

💪 A superb Ed Slot from Kevin Ayling comparing BNI to the gym!!

👏 Huge thanks to our visitors: ✅ Emily Perry standing in for Caroline Daniel 🪩, reminding us why business owners shouldn't leave HR issues until they become a crisis. ✅ Kristof Hosey whose Google Ads strategies generated an impressive £20,000 revenue from just £1,900 ad spend in six weeks. Not bad at all!

Some standout takeaways from the room:

🔹 Roslyn Healey shared how businesses can secure energy contracts up to six months ahead.

🔹 Joshua Farrow DipPFS farrow highlighted pension adviser charges that could potentially result in refunds worth thousands.

🔹 trevor thurgood publicly revealed that my boiler had apparently been plotting against my family. Thankfully, disaster was avoided and Trevor stepped in to save the day. Not all heroes wear capes.

🔹 Kevin Ayling reminded us that every email you send could be working harder with a properly branded signature.

🔹 Alistair Bacon delivered another excellent presentation on blinds, shutters and shading solutions, complete with the all-important prop!

🔹 Jamie Boxall CeMAP reported that mortgage rates remain a little "squirrely" thanks to global uncertainty.

🔹 Richard Shoubridge taught us about invisible ceiling speakers whilst simultaneously proving that self-employment occasionally allows for impromptu beach trips.

🔹 Finlay Jefferis demonstrated how CRM systems can save business owners from drowning in messages across multiple platforms.

🔹 Louise Gisbey highlighted the fantastic work of The Life Centre supporting both businesses and the wider community.

🔹 Stewart Dunne unveiled a new eDivert strapline: Every call is a business opportunity, and every opportunity deserves an answer.

🔹 I spoke about identifying dangerous gaps in insurance cover before they become expensive problems. Business interruption cover remains one of the most commonly overlooked areas.

🔹 John Farthing was already preparing for the inevitable return of British weather. If you've got missing tiles, leaking gutters, roof repairs, flat roof issues, or birds treating your soffits like Airbnb accommodation, now is the time to act before the rain arrives.

🎤 A brilliant Feature Presentation from Jeremy Garrard, sharing how business coaching can unlock growth, clarity and results for business owners.

As someone wisely observed this morning:

"People come for the business and stay for the entertainment."

Judging by today's meeting, that couldn't be more accurate! 😄

24/07/2026

☕ Another brilliant morning at Chi BNI!
This week we discovered that:
✅ You can apparently run an entire business from a single software platform
✅ Limescale is plotting against your kettle
✅ Stirling Moss once had a dining table that descended from the ceiling
Just another normal BNI meeting... 🚀
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed, including:
🎤 Alistair Bacon with a fantastic Core Value presentation on building relationships before once again claiming his crown as King of the Props.
🎤 Richard Shoubridge who reminded us of the power of a focused 60 seconds before entertaining us with stories from the world of smart home technology.
🎤 Outstanding contributions from Finlay Jefferis, Roslyn Healey, trevor thurgood, Jeff Laming on behalf of Kevin Ayling, Emily Perry standing in for Caroline Daniel 🪩, Liz Brooks representing Greg Richards, Stewart Dunne, Jamie Boxall CeMAP, Jonathan Rowden, John Farthing, Claire Fisher subbing for Jeremy Garrard, and even an insurance chap called Ian Gardiner. 😉
We were also joined by some fantastic visitors and substitutes, including:
⭐ Kristof Hosey, who demonstrated the power of a well-managed Google Ads campaign
⭐ Claire Krost from Waking Up To Autism, who gave a powerful insight into supporting neurodivergent children, families and workplaces
⭐ Liz Brooks, who reminded us that whilst AI may be everywhere, strong branding still matters
📈 Chapter update:
💷 Over £4,000 of business passed this week
💷 More than £56,000 passed since launch
🤝 Referrals continuing to flow despite holiday season
A special mention to our feature presenter Ros Healey, whose simple but powerful message summed up the spirit of BNI perfectly:
"Get to know people, understand people, and be nice to people."
Simple. Effective. Very BNI. ❤️
Congratulations to Alistair Bacon for taking home this week's Oscar award. We're all eagerly awaiting an even bigger prop next week!

09/07/2026

🚨 Chi BNI this week 🚨
Stone light switches. Solar panels. Mortgage updates. Tax-saving ISAs. Greg almost winning Presentation of the Week. And showing us how it's 'dunne' Stew finishing exactly on 60 seconds. 👏
Another super morning at the Avisford Park Hotel packed with referrals, laughs, learning and the occasional reminder that a "60-second presentation" is apparently more of a guideline than a rule. 😅
Highlights included:
✅ Richard Shoubridge's brilliant Core Value slot on Positive Attitude
✅ Stewart Dunne stepping in with an insightful BNI Connect Education Slot
✅ trevor thurgood returning to his natural habitat: the flipchart
✅ Roslyn Healey showing how households can save money in a world where utility bills seem determined to break records
✅ Joshua Farrow DipPFS helping us keep more of our hard-earned cash and retire a little sooner
✅ Alistair Bacon championed the humble vertical blind!
✅ Liz Brooks delivering what was unanimously declared "Greg's best ever presentation" despite Greg Richards not actually being in the room
✅ A stone light switch from Richard Shoubridge that somehow attracted more attention than some businesses
✅ Stewart Dunne reminded us how quickly unanswered phone calls can eat away at productive time
✅ Representing Louise Gisbey, Jeff Laming - Business Consultant, Strategist spoke passionately about Life Centre's work supporting survivors of sexual violence
✅ John Farthing proving that loading screens remain technology's greatest challenge
✅ Kevin Ayling bringing telephones as props and narrowly losing the inaugural Prop of the Week competition
✅ Jamie Boxall CeMAP reminding us that lenders are getting creative to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder before delivering an amazing feature presentation
✅ |Jonathan Rowden gave us an update on changing Statutory Sick Pay arrangements and highlighted just how complicated employment legislation can become
✅ A salutory tale from me about how often trades unknowingly leave themselves exposed through gaps in cover, particularly around EL
✅ Caroline Daniel 🪩a cautionary tale about a senior employee hired without a proper employment contract. The lesson? Don't assume your paperwork protects you simply because you have some paperwork.
✅ Visitors bringing expertise in aesthetics, law, branding and design, thanks to Jeff Laming - Business Consultant, Strategist, Lisa Nolan & Liz Brooks
And of course, the coveted Two Minute Oscar found its way back into the hands of trevor thurgood🏆
The big takeaway?
BNI is never just about referrals. It's about sharing expertise, supporting each other's businesses, helping our communities and having a few laughs along the way.
Bring referrals. Bring visitors. Bring a prop if you must.
Just make sure you can explain it in under 60 seconds... 😉😂

01/07/2026

🚀 Another brilliant morning at Chi BNI! 🚀
Where else can you discuss record business growth, cyber security, VAT, garden offices, caravan boilers and spiders before 9am? 😄
A packed meeting with great contributions from:
💷 Joshua Farrow DipPFS on pension growth and long-term planning.
🌍 Alistair Bacon showcasing awnings from around the world during his entertaining 2-minute slot.
📈 Roslyn Healey sharing news of record growth, record profits and a £275m investment programme, with exciting future services on the horizon.
🌐 Finlay Jefferis on websites, software and SEO.
☎️ Stewart Dunne explaining how his team keeps businesses moving behind the scenes.
📺 Richard Shoubridge (ably represented by Liz Brooks) on AV solutions that simply work.
🔥 trevor thurgood reminding us that spiders and gas boilers are not ideal holiday companions.
💙 Louise Gisbey sharing powerful insights into trauma and recovery.
🛠️ John Farthing helping business owners create productive garden office spaces.
⚡ Greg Richards proving electrical faults aren't always what they seem.
📊 Jonathan Rowden somehow making VAT and entertaining expenses interesting.
🔐 Kevin Ayling demonstrating the value of proactive cyber security.
🛡️ I shared some thoughts on Directors & Officers Liability Insurance and protecting the people behind a business.
👩‍💼 Caroline Daniel 🪩 highlighted how consistent LinkedIn activity turned into a new client.
🧭 Jeremy Garrard finished with practical advice for business owners seeking clarity and direction.
A warm welcome to visitors Clare Sparshott and Liz Brooks.
📈 £45,000 generated | 81 referrals | 156 one-to-ones
That's the power of collaboration, referrals and .

30/06/2026

🔥 Want to grow your business before most people have had their first coffee? 🔥
BNI Chichester is back this Wednesday – and it’s a room full of driven local business owners ready to connect, collaborate and pass quality referrals 👇
📅 Wednesday 1st July
⏰ 06:30 – 08:30
📍 Avisford Park Hotel
🎤 Feature Presentation: Joshua Farrow DipPFS
🎓 Education Slot: Greg Richards
💡 Core Value Slot: Richard Shoubridge
This isn’t just networking… it’s structured, supportive and designed to help your business grow.
Expect:
✅ Real referral opportunities
✅ Genuine relationships (not just business cards!)
✅ A brilliant start to your day with a motivated crowd
And this week, we’ll hear from Joshua Farrow DipPFS in our feature presentation 👏
💬 Drop me a message if you’d like to visit – we’d love to have you in the room

24/06/2026

🔥 Another cracking Chi BNI meeting this week!

We kicked off with Jamie Boxall CeMAP bringing the 🔋 Positive Attitude core value to life — setting the tone perfectly.
I then jumped in with my favourite topic… “The Power of One” 🥇
One meeting. One 1-2-1. One referral. One visitor.
Simple habits → serious results. 💰
💥 And then… the props arrived!
Only at BNI do you get a steel reinforced, lockable, waterproof bar heading to the mill to kick things off 🤣
Huge shoutout to Alistair Bacon — setting the benchmark early with something as solid as his business!
💷 Money & Perspective
Jo Hall stepped in seamlessly for Joshua Farrow DipPFS to remind us that pensions are often scattered like odd socks 🧦 — and getting them aligned can make a massive difference over time.
🔌 Tech, Connectors & Keeping It Real
From smart tech across the South Coast to Roslyn Healey’s “connector economy” (with a brief detour involving burglars 😅)… plenty of value and a few laughs along the way.
🛠️ Business Support All Around
John Farthing frm Panther Building Maintenance - Property maintenance keeping landlords sleeping easy
Websites making businesses pop from Finlay Jefferis
Call handling that actually gives you your day back from Stewart Dunne
🔥 Standout Two Minutes
Jamie Boxall CeMAP smashed it again with a clear, practical breakdown of upcoming property reforms — faster sales, fewer fall-throughs, less stress 👏
🛡️ Reality Check
Phishing attacks are getting smarter… and more expensive 💸
One wrong click = big problems. Message received loud and clear Kevin Ayling!
🤝 And from me? Know your insurance broker? been with the same insurer for years? business changing? Let's have a chat
⚡ Final Stretch
From electrics with Greg Richards to employment law wisdom from HR Hero Caroline Daniel 🪩, we wrapped up with:
Ice creams, sunshine, and WhatsApp banter 🍦
Practical legal reminders around school closures and heatwaves
🏆 Winner of the Week
Massive congrats to Alistair Bacon — 60 seconds done right 👏
If that was the 60… we’re all slightly worried (and excited) about the 120!
👋 Visitors/Subs
Barbara Ennis — from first aid to safeguarding, if you want to learn it, she’ll teach it (living rooms to festivals!).
Alannah Jeffries — protecting health and taking on an absolutely bonkers charity challenge (sponsorship encouraged!). https://lnkd.in/ez_Fh3kx
Liz Brooks — proving that even a marquee in a muddy field can look amazing with the right creative thinking
🎤 Feature Presentation
trevor thurgood shared the story behind Island Gas — born from a bet 20 years ago!
Let’s just say… there may now be 17 people knocking on doors across Sussex with a very new awareness of their soil pipes 🚿🤣
💬 Final Thought
A brilliant mix of business insight, practical value, and plenty of laughter — exactly what BNI does best.
👉 The opportunities are always there — you just need to stay switched on.

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22/06/2026

Chi BNI bringing the energy again this week ☕🚀
We kicked off with a great reminder of what makes us different… and no, it’s not just Richard Shoubridge’s “creative” building site standards! 😂
👌 Big shout-out to John Farthing and the Panther team for stepping in at short notice and leaving things so spotless the customer didn’t even realise they’d been there
Proof that quality and care always beat being the cheapest.
👏 Huge congratulations to Joshua Farrow DipPFS on another Chichester Chamber award — beating some serious competition!
Top tip: If your life insurance isn’t in trust… it could cost 40% in tax. If someone says “I’m not sure”… send them Josh!
⚡ Roslyn Healey is on a mission for 200 customers by August — just 15 to go… let’s make it happen!
🎥 Richard Shoubridge showed us CCTV tech that can literally track how you walk (slightly terrifying 😅)
💼 A reminder from me — relationships matter. Actually knowing your clients beats being a voice on the end of the phone
🪟 Alistair Bacon nailed it: quality is remembered long after price
💻 Finlay Jefferis helping businesses stop fighting their tech
💜 Louise Gisbey showcasing how businesses can partner with The Life Centre to create safer workplaces
☎️ Stewart Dunne taking the pressure off busy business owners (and their phones!)
🧾 Jonathan Rowden reminding us not to miss out on easy tax savings with trivial benefits
🏡 Jamie Boxall CeMAP - mortgage rates holding steady (for now…)
🔐 Kevin Ayling – hackers aren’t breaking in… they’re logging in 👀
🎯 Jeremy Garrard – your future isn’t found, it’s designed
💡 Greg Richards (yes, he does do residential… and biscuits 🍪) — looking for an intro to Avisford Park Hotel
🔥 trevor thurgood had us all thinking with one question… “How do you know?”
Safe to say most of us have no idea what’s happening in our lofts 😅
It’s not just about fixing boilers — it’s about thinking long-term, with smarter energy and investment decisions.
👏 And a brilliant feature presentation from Greg Richards — childhood memories, props, a quiz… the full works!
📈 Numbers are looking strong, but we’re pushing for 20+ members to keep the momentum going — more members = more business.
📅 Upcoming:
Generating More Business with Visitors
9th July | 1:00–2:30pm | Zoom
Final thought:
Another week of great energy, insights, and opportunities to support each other.
Now… who’s got a referral to share? 😉

16/06/2026

🚨 BNI Chichester this Wednesday! 🚨
Looking to grow your business, make great connections and start your day productively?
📅 Wednesday 17th June
⏰ 06:30 – 08:30
📍 Avisford Park Hotel
🎤 Feature Presentation: Greg Richards
Join a room full of proactive local business owners who believe in Givers Gain and building strong, trusted relationships.
Whether you're looking for referrals, collaboration or simply to expand your network – this is a great meeting to visit 👇
✅ Build meaningful connections
✅ Promote your business
✅ Hear from Greg Richards from Richards Electrical Services in our feature presentation
💬 Message me for an invite or more details