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International Women’s Day 2021: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world

International Women's Day 2021: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world

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UN Women announced the theme for today’s International Women’s Day as being “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. This year’s theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping an equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

In a recent article, UN Women stated that this year’s theme is also aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”, and the flagship Generation Equality campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs.

Around the world many women have stood, and continue to stand, on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers, full-time mothers turned teachers, and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme of ‘women in leadership’ means a lot to us at En Avant. As two women working in partnership for over seven years, we firmly believe in the importance of women ‘having a seat at the table’. Having worked mostly in the financial services sector it is no surprise that there has rarely been a large number of women at Board or Executive level, no matter where we have worked, although this being said, it has been refreshing and promising to see the vast increase in female staff members within this industry. It would also be unfair not to point out the initiatives that are beginning to be put in place to ensure further equality within this industry, as well as many others. From B Corp certification looking at the diversification of a business through to female initiatives popping up left right and centre from both an internal and external perspective.

In addition to this, we are incredibly proud to have worked with a number of strong female leaders, and have had exposure to supporting female entrepreneurs, family heads, mothers, supportive wives and thriving female rising generation members.

Having worked as a Head of Marketing for over 13 years in a strongly male dominated world, Co-Founder of En Avant, Nicola Roigard, offers this view,

“There is more acceptance now than ever that women bring different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table, which is only natural. Female leaders worldwide have been known to make valuable contributions to decisions, policies and laws, as well as, more often than not, offering the compassionate delivery of communications in order to ensure the success of their efforts.

I may be biased, but as a proud New Zealander, it has been clear that throughout the Covid-19 pandemic there have been moments of advantage and success by countries that are women led, New Zealand being one of many examples, such as other heads of government in Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand and Slovakia. Their speed, decisiveness and compassion enabled an effective initial response which was globally recognised.”

It is our belief at En Avant that female leadership can come in all shapes and sizes, from the importance of the role of a mother imparting family values upon the next generation and creating a nurturing environment in which for her wider family to flourish, through to female entrepreneurs and family business ‘heads’, who continue to innovate, inspire and progress their respective businesses.

The theme for this years’ International Women’s Day is incredibly strong and reflects the ever-developing world in which we live. Today, we join the world in celebrating International Women’s Day and fully support the vital work being undertaken by the UN, as well as their theme for this year.

Additional information related to the United Nations Observance of IWD 2021 is available on UN Women’s website.

[1] As of 8 November 2020. These data are compiled by UN Women based on information from UN Permanent Missions; only elected Heads of State are taken into consideration

Source: UN Women: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/11/announcer-international-womens-day-2021

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Monthly Update: January 2021

Monthly Update: January 2021

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2020. The year that will be almost impossible to forget. The year that already has a Netflix series documenting its events and without a doubt will grace Hollywood and the big screen in the near future. 2020 also saw significant change for us, with the launch of En Avant in November and we would like to extend our thanks to everyone that has supported us during these first two months. We are very much looking ahead, as the name of our business quite literally states with ‘En Avant’ meaning ‘to move forward’ in French and we join everyone else in hoping that 2021 will see some form of normality restored (whatever that is these days) and that it will continue to offer positive news and progress.

As we are one month in to 2021, it is safe to say that January has not been without its challenges. Covid numbers continue to remain high and restrictions remain tight across the globe, whether in the form of national lockdowns, curfews or other specific measures to try and control the spread of the virus. The second largest news story that crossed our screens was the storming of the US Capitol building in the United States, in an attempt to overturn the election outcome. A week after the riot, which resulted in five deaths, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for “incitement of insurrection”, making him the only US president to have been impeached twice.

The storming of the Capitol offered a perfect example of how social media can be misused and quickly saw Donald Trump permanently suspended from Twitter, due to the risk of further incitement of violence, as well as being banned from Facebook and Instagram for a period of at least two weeks. This being said, from a marketing perspective January has also provided further evidence of the importance of social media and how it can play either to a company or individual’s favour. In January we saw the continuation of pop stars and influencers rising to fame from their bedrooms during lockdowns thanks to social media platforms, as well as businesses continuing to invest in the ever-increasing virtual world in which we now live, with no immediate sign of lockdown easing in several countries around the globe. For more information take a look at our recent article on ‘the business of staying social’.

2021 has also delivered significant change already, despite only being one month in. The biggest vaccination campaign in history has begun. More than 86.4 million doses in 60 countries have been administered, according to data collected by Bloomberg. The latest rate was roughly 4.19 million doses a day, on average and there continue to be regular news updates of additional vaccines being approved and introduced.

January 20th saw the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States at the US Capitol, the very same building that had been stormed two weeks prior, and Kamala Harris as Vice President, making her the first female, first black and first Asian Vice President of all time. Talk about progression and significant change.

As we looked forward in January, we also remember those that have been lost, both due to Covid-19 but also January 27thmarked Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK. Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. The theme for the day this year is ‘be the light in the darkness’. This theme asks us to consider different kinds of ‘darkness’, for example, identity-based persecution, misinformation, denial of justice; and different ways of ‘being the light’.

As we enter February and continue to navigate these challenging times across the globe, we also hope that 2021 will continue to offer light to lift the darkness and that future monthly reflections will be outweighed by positive change and news from around the world.

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Adaptation: Digitalisation and the new normal

Adaptation: Digitalisation & the new normal

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“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

This is a statement that has been widely attributed to Charles Darwin, a man best known for his contributions to the science of evolution.

The Digital Revolution began anywhere from the late 1950s to late 1970s[1] and refers to the advancement of technology, from analogue electronic and mechanical devices, to the digital electronics technology available today. During the 1980s technology transformed the Nation with computers making their way into people’s home, schools and businesses.

As we move into to the fourth industrial revolution; which is described as building on the third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century, characterised by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres[2] , we need to accept that the world is changing.

As consumers and organisations, we need to transform to survive. We have been catapulted forward multiple generations, with already existing trends such as buying online, signing-up to e-learning, online tutorials, webinars and outsourcing functions, all changing the way we operate. All of which can be done without leaving your home.

Digitalisation has changed society and human behaviour dramatically over the past decade in particular. Amongst many other key areas, it has impacted consumer behaviour and habits in science, security, health, business, socialisation and, most relevant for the world today, it has changed how we work.

In March 2020 Covid-19 was declared a pandemic and lead the world to have to lean on digitalisation in a way that it has not done so before. Lockdown prohibited businesses from having staff in the workplace, unless they were unable to work from home, and physically meeting with friends and family became impossible. Daily routines had to be re-thought, parents became teachers overnight, multiple generations were getting the hang of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and many other video conferencing channels and online exhibitions, quizzes and virtual events made a new name for themselves within a myriad of industries, including the world of art and charitable foundations.

Those companies able to use technology well in order to keep momentum, whilst continuing to rethink their business models for the future by fast-tracking a digital transformation, will be the ones ahead of their competition. As stated in our recent blog, Why outsourcing, why us? – En Avant Marketing and Concierge Services (en-avant.co.uk), when it comes to digitialisation a number of businesses and individuals are rethinking and outsourcing some of their essential and non-essential functions to third-party companies, to save on costs, streamline efficiencies and also save what is considered to be one of the most important assets of all, time. This however would not have been possible without the recent digital transformation to allow businesses this opportunity.

When talking to our counterparts across the globe, one unforeseen and regularly mentioned outcome of COVID-19 is that companies realise the benefits of fast-tracking a digital transformation. In conversations with firms across the globe, it has been highlighted had it not been for COVID-19 and being forced to adjust to the transformation, they would not be having such focused conversations with other global organisations regarding their outsourcing requirements and adopting a new way of working.

Opportunities exist now for individuals and organisations to shift their focus to embedding digitalisation, and the possibilities that this possesses, into their day-to-day lives, making it business as usual as opposed to ‘one for the future’, and so Charles Darwin’s words could not be more relevant for the evolving world that we live in today.

So, why not adapt to change and consider outsourcing to En Avant as a way to stay ahead of ever evolving trends?

To contact us for an informal conversation regarding your requirements, please do not hesitate to email us at georgieandnicola@en-avant.co.uk.

[1] Jeremy Rifkin, The Third Industrial Revolution

[2] www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond

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Rolling with the tide: Marketing trends and importance in 2020

Rolling with the tide: Marketing trends and importance in 2020

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We are sure that this is not going to be the first article that you have read so far this year which begins by stating the obvious, 2020 has been the most disruptive year since peacetime and has brought a whirlwind of change for businesses and individuals alike.

In our last article, we discussed how these changes have impacted businesses from a financial perspective, with many having to make redundancies or budget cuts, or even worse, have had to close the doors altogether, not having managed to weather the storm. With the environment around us ever changing, both from political, health and business standpoints, as well as quite literally from an environmental perspective, some may have thought that a business’s reaction to this change would be to ‘go slow and steady the ship’ but, in many cases, this is far from what has resulted in 2020.

Due to the increasingly digital world in which we live, Covid-19 did not offer businesses or individuals the chance to ‘go slow and steady the ship’, but in many cases did quite the opposite and provided a huge amount of pressure and very little time to adapt to the digital space, as this was the only option. As the world moved online in what seemed like a heartbeat, whether to work virtually or to partake in social gatherings, hobbies, purchase assets or continue education at any level, it barely allowed people the opportunity to ‘take a breath’.

From a marketing perspective, there were a few dramatic shifts, the most important being the widened audience that was suddenly available to market through digital channels. Many generations whom were not well versed in technology previously were suddenly figuring out how to ‘Zoom’ their families and friends, shopping online and were forced to take a giant leap forward in terms of integrating these platforms into their daily lives if they were to continue to be connected to the outside world.

In addition, it wasn’t only the demographic that shifted, but the sheer volume of customers that were suddenly online daily for a myriad of reasons. There is little additional explanation required as to how important digital marketing has become.

The only way brands have been able to capture the attention of their prospects this year, with meetings and events cancelled in many cases for almost an entire year, is by creating a strong digital presence so that their target customers are well informed. Through a strong digital presence, aligned to a strategy, purpose and values, businesses can connect, inform and create an affiliation with their customers. Whether announcing a new product, organising a virtual or physical event or launching an online campaign, reaching your target audience through digital means is much easier and, depending on the numbers that you want to reach, is much cheaper than offline means.

A brand is as good as their target audience recognising it. If you are not making enough buzz in the market then you are working in vain away from what is sure to continue to be a vital aspect of business success. Whether your goal in increasing marketing efforts in 2020 is to gain new leads, conversions or downloads, sell a product, smarten up your brand or get support in managing your daily affairs in a virtual manner, this is something that En Avant can help you with.

Let’s roll with the tide and move forward together, no one wants to be left behind as we enter what is sure to be a thriving 2021.

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Why outsourcing, why us?

Why outsourcing, why us?

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The number of businesses and individuals that are outsourcing some of their essential and non-essential functions to third-party companies are rising globally, to save on costs and streamline efficiencies and also save what is considered to be one of the most important assets of all, time.

Even prior to Covid-19, outsourcing marketing and other functions such as project management were considered to be a common approach, with outsourcing areas such as operational elements becoming increasingly prevalent in recent times for many start-ups and larger firms. However, this year’s pandemic has offered times of uncertainty and hardship for many and has pushed people to cut back on costs to ‘steady the ship’. This means that marketing (and other teams) budgets and teams have been either cut back or cut all together, meaning that the only way to continue moving forward with existing efforts is either to add additional workload to existing staff or diversify and outsource business functions to cost-effective third party contractors.

In this ever-changing world, we have witnessed that individuals and businesses are not only busier than ever but are pushing themselves hard to keep up with the likes of increasing digital trends in order to compete during the pandemic. There have been few businesses that have cut back efforts and instead have faced additional workload to continue to drive performance, which is both unsustainable and inefficient. These circumstances, teamed with the inability or unwillingness  to commit to long-term staffing and budget requirements, is where outsourcing comes into its own.

Earlier this year, Capital Counselor, produced the following intriguing top outsourcing statistics:

  • In 2019, the worldwide outsourcing market was worth $92.5 billion.
  • The top reason for outsourcing (59%) is to save money and cut costs.
  • Around 300,000 jobs are outsourced by the US annually.

Around 37% of small businesses use outsourcing to handle at least one of their business processes.

With demands for outsourced marketing services increasing but the above mentioned challenges not seemingly budging any time soon, En Avant’s overall purpose is to act as an extension of you or your existing team(s) or to act independently on your behalf, providing several advantages for your business, which include:

  • Saving time. Our time is Your time.
  • Saving on costs and effectiveness.
  • Costing you less to deliver a better return on investment (ROI).
  • Giving you access to a broader pool of expertise.
  • Enable you to set a scope of work and budget, moving forward in a way that you are comfortable and confident with.

Additionally, there are several reasons outsourced marketing can be beneficial for businesses. Examples include:

  • You don’t have the expertise in-house.
  • You already have too much to do without taking on marketing or concierge activities.
  • You want to reduce spend on larger marketing firms or avoid hiring in-house.
  • You want to better position your business to achieve higher results and returns.

All businesses have different requirements and En Avant offers a private and personal approach, providing bespoke marketing and concierge services, ‘filling in the gaps’ in a way that businesses and individuals can trust and can tailor marketing packages to fit almost any budget.

For us, we owe a lot to the individuals and experiences that have shaped us throughout our lives and careers and believe that strong values and ethics, along with trust and dependability, are the key to success in our line of work. We take pride in everything that we do, from our strong relationships with clients and partners, through to delivering the final product and treating every opportunity as a new experience in which to immerse ourselves.

Let’s push things forward. Together.

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e: georgieandnicola@en-avant.co.uk

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