Rydal Penrhos Business ClubWinter 2013

Welcome to the first edition of theRydal Penrhos Business Directory.

The Business club was formed inMay 2013, with the purpose ofhelping self-employed parents andalumni market their businessesdirectly to the school community.In return, we hope that the schoolwill benefit from the strong linkswith a wide variety of businesses,through careers and fundraisingactivities.

In addition to direct marketing through the Business Directory andthe school web site, we aim to provide regular networkingopportunities for our members and their guests. We have alreadyheld a successful introductory event at The Quay Hotel, a well-attended meeting at the new Eirias Park facility with guest speakerRupert Moon, and are currently talking to celebrity chef BrynWilliams, who has agreed, not only to speak at one of our events,but also to host a Taster Menu evening at his new restaurant due toopen early in the New Year watch this space!

We are already discovering the incredible amount of talent withinthe Rydal Penrhos Community award winning entrepreneurs, giftedartists, accountants, finance and wealth management experts,solicitors, dental practitioners, interior and home designprofessionals, retailers, car maintenance and wheel specialists,photography, hospitality, outdoor education, recruitment, training,business consultancy, sports clothing design, manufacture and supply to name but a few!

As our Business Club continues to grow, so do the direct benefitsfor parents and pupils. In addition to raising money for the school,our members are keen to support careers events, provide advice,mentoring, and work experience opportunities for parents and pupilsalike.

For all this to happen, we need your support. All we ask is that youtake the time to read this directory and keep it in a prominentposition. Above all, we encourage you to think of our Club Membersfirst when you need exceptionally high levels of personal service,professional advice or quality products.

We will continue to send out regular bulletins on Business Clubactivities. If you would like to know more, please continue reading.

Warmest regards

Sue Lawton (Business Club Chair)

DirectoryWelcome

ContactSarah RitchieAlumni & Development Director

Rydal Penrhos SchoolPwllycrochan AvenueColwyn BayLL29 7BT

E: SJRitchie@rydalpenrhos.comT: 01492 539736 (direct line)

Spillane & Co. Wealth Management

Adventure Heaven

eden with pencils

Tony Bale Sports Photography

North Wales Holiday Cottages

The Wheel Specialist

Penrhyn Homes

Richard Williams (Deganwy) Ltd

Big Storage

Susie Mitchell Lifestyle Coaching & Business Transformation

Supertemps

Carlton Rhodes Associates

Sphere FS

Akuma Sports

Heading to Eirias Park on Thursday 19thSeptember for the first Rydal Business Clubseminar, with Rupert Moon as guestspeaker, became a pivotal moment in mybusiness. Having only recently entered theworld of entrepreneurial self-employment,juggling four businesses, three children, twosporting clubs and one car between myselfand Tom, being presented with anopportunity to get involved with thechampionship league Rygbi GogleddCymru through one of my business streams- wooden art - rocketed my self-confidenceand appreciation for 'networking'. Rupert's

Yvie Johnson from eden with pencils tells us how a chance meeting at a RydalPenrhos Business Club meeting led to exciting new opportunities for her business.

speech about his own career and personaldevelopment struck many chords with meand I wanted to let him know. Rupert askeda lot of questions about me and what I do,and after running through the four differentareas of my businesses, he markedly said "Ibelieve in right place, right time, you couldbecome our Official Artist in Residence,and we can support your business". Therewas only one answer for this! What mademe laugh was Rupert's follow up: "I don'tknow what you do, but if you've left a 9-year career to follow your passion then youmust be good!" Since that weekend I have

been diversifying my colourful wooden artgifts by introducing jigsaws for the Man ofthe Match shield and the Welsh MountainGoat mascot opposition gift, and now acorporate pencil holder dice. A chancemeeting, a decision to get involved, and tonetwork, has led to one of the most funwork-sport related roles I've ever had.Thank you Rydal Business Club forfacilitating such a career move!

Yvie Johnson (Rydal School 1988-98) eden with pencils

When I first sat down to discuss theconcept of a school business club with SueLawton and Sarah Ritchie, I must admit thatI was quite excited at the opportunities thiscould potentially create for more people tobecome actively involved within the RydalPenrhos School community.

As a proud former pupil, I've always triedto stay involved with my old school - initiallyas an Old Rydalian and via Rydal Vikingsrugby - and, more recently, as a Prep SchoolForm Rep, a member of FORPS (Friendsof Rydal Penrhos School) and as a memberof Rydal Penrhos Society. But for manyhard working parents or busy self-employedex-pupils, the chance to become moreinvolved or interact with others who haveclose links to the school, may be somewhatmore limited.

The aim of Rydal Penrhos Business Club isto offer a unique opportunity for

likeminded business people (with links tothe school) to engage and trade with eachother. We hope that this will provide mutualbenefits for all concerned with morecommercial interaction among currentparents and former-pupils. In return for thisunique networking opportunity, we are alsoinviting individuals to make non-specificcontributions to projects within the schoolif they pick up any business on the back ofthis new trading platform (contributionswill be entirely at the discretion of thebusiness owner or individual). Chris Spillane(Spillane & Co Wealth Management) hasalready generously agreed to buy newathletics vests and a set of multi-use sportsshirts for the prep school while DebsMcKinnel has kindly helped fund some newfootball posts.

Even before our first business club meetingin October, I had already successfullyestablished business links with the school

having won the contract to supply the newschool sports kit in June 2013. Im hopingothers will now find similar openings withinthis exciting new school businesscommunity. At our first meeting, I was ableto introduce Yvie Johnson (eden with pencils)to RGC 1404 General Manager RupertMoon while Tony Bale (Tony Bale SportsPhotography) also benefited from meetingRupert.

I believe we are one of the first schools inthe country to set up a business club wemight even be the very first! Im sure, likeall new projects, there will be teethingproblems but if the end result is a closermore harmonious relationship betweenRydal Penrhos School, working parents andex-pupils while also benefiting valuableprojects within our school then it will havebeen a success.

Marcus Copeland (Rydal School 1981 85)Parent of James and Lily CopelandAKUMA Sports and Sphere FS

Marcus Copeland shares some of his passion for the Rydal Penrhos Business Club

Rupert Moon, Yvie Johnson andher daughter, Syd.

Rydal Penrhos Business ClubThe Rydal Penrhos Business Club provides a unique networking opportunity for parents andformer pupils of the school. Established in 2013, the Business Club is a new venture which aims tobring together members of the Rydal Penrhos community who feel they would benefit from beingable to meet and exchange ideas with fellow members.

Membership is open to all parents and former pupils of Rydal Penrhos School who feel that theirbusiness would benefit from the professional networking and advertising opportunities that theRydal Penrhos Business Club provides.

Membership costs just 100+VAT per year and includes a 1/2 page advert in our bi-annualbrochure, entry on our online directory and termly networking events.

If you could benefit from joining the Rydal Penrhos Business Club,contact us today!

Sarah Ritchie, Alumni & Development DirectorE: SJRitchie@rydalpenrhos.com T: 01492 539736 (direct line)

http://alumni.rydalpenrhos.com/rydal_penrhos_business_club/

At the heart of every home

Call quoting ref: RYDAL

0330 022 9030or email: info@spherefs.co.uk

We believe that everyone should have access to trustworthy, friendly advice regarding their mortgage.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Sphere Financial Services Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Pink Home Loans. Pink Home Loans is a trading name of Advanced Mortgage Funding Ltd which is authorised to and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

'Whole of Market' Mortgages

For every mortgage arranged, Sphere Financial Services will make a donation of 50 to Rydal Penrhos Business Club to support projects within the school