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Putting your Business First
WHAT ’ S INSIDE YOUR ISSUE
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CONTENTS
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & COMMENTARY
LinkedIn ’ s new redesign features Bill McCartney Think Social
Page 15
Spring Clean your finances
Ronan McGuirk ASM Chartered Accountants
Page 16
Suppliers are easy to replace & partners are hard
to displace Ian Laverty Ingenuity
Page 48
The importance of Air Route Development
Dr Peter , Bolan Ulster University
Page 56
Hello : haven ’ t we met before ?
As we go to print I ’ m sitting here at Business First HQ wondering just how the results of our March 2nd election will change our lives .
Will we see new faces at Stormont determined to move our economy out of second gear , or the old ones sitting outside Stormont trying to understand how to get out of reverse ?
Will our wellpaid , pampered politicians take the opportunity to think differently and pivot their positions just like we in business have to when reality doesn ’ t quite meet the business plan predictions . Or will they stick to the failed business model that got them into this mess in the first place ?
I have no doubt that some of the 90 elected representatives will want to get their teeth into preparing for the proposed 2018 arrival of the much fought for reduced Corporation Tax , but I fear that flags , the past and now the Irish language will continue to be the focus of the inevitable ‘ talks ’ process .
So what can we expect if as we suspect there will be a return to some form of direct rule for the rest of 2017 ? Water Rates , a review of welfare provision and same sex marriage legislation all become real possibilities . Because unlike our homegrown politicians , English ones do make decisions and do expect to make things happen .
But the most concerning thing for all of us will be the lack of any locally generated champions or representatives during the Brexit negotiations . Thankfully there are voices at Westminster that understand the dangers of a hard Brexit for Northern Ireland , but they are few and far between and frankly , we deserve better political representation than that .
See you on the frontline !
Gavin Gavin Walker , Managing Editor
FRONT COVER IMAGE by Leo Murray John D ’ Arcy , The Open University See page 12 for the cover story
TECH 2020
Funding from the crowd Prof Mark Durkin Ulster University
Page 46
BEST PRACTICE
Lessons on governance from President Trump Joy Allen Leading Governance
Page 18
Are you fit for the future ? Richard Simpson Atlas Communications
Page 49
Mediation will save UK businesses £ 2.8 billion this year Dorcas Crawford Edwards & Co
Page 38
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Xperience at the forefront of changing technology Richard Kennedy Xperience Group
Page 51
The importance of building a Creative Culture at work John Reynard Spirited Entrepreneur
Page 62
Could an insect burger be your dinner of the future ? Emily McDaid TechWatch @ Catalyst
Page 52
8 ways to gain trust in a sales presentation Essie Rewane-Adejare Toastmasters International
Page 64
In our Digital Issue you can click on any square to be taken directly to the article . Download it from businessfirstonline . co . uk
YOUR BUSINESSFIRST TEAM Editor Gavin Walker gavin @ businessfirstni . co . uk Sales Jenny Belshaw jenny @ businessfirstni . co . uk Finance Margaret Walker margaret @ twworks . co . uk Design Studio Tw2 studio @ twworks . co . uk
www . businessfirstonline . co . uk
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