Unique and untouched!
Seixal Beach, Madeira
Nature’s Finest
Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?
How we interact with wildlife and connect with nature can reveal so much about our own unique qualities.
Like nature itself, we all have something distinctive and extraordinary to share – even if we don’t see it in ourselves.
Shopperholics
Where would you go on a shopping spree?
Personally, I wouldn’t go anywhere on a shopping spree, I would go to the beach instead.
I’m not an impulsive shopper, but I always seem to leave a shop with more than I planned to buy.
Maybe the solution is to go cold turkey and leave my wallet at home…
A Penchant for Pensions
For some, the thought of a pension fills them with dread. Maybe you’ve been scarred by stories of failing pension schemes or it just makes you feel old as you stop and consider the distant or not-so-distant future.
Yet, the truth is, to give ourselves a measure of financial stability in the future, we have to start thinking sooner rather than later about the long-term effects of our regular day-to-day decisions.
It is always the course of wisdom to seek financial guidance from a qualified adviser. They’ll share with you the latest pertinent information to empower you to make an informed decision.
Does a private pension offer any tax advantages?
Well, every situation is different, but broadly speaking, yes it does. For every £100 you pay and lock into your private pension, HMRC will give you £25. It is important to speak to your tax adviser to establish what tax relief mechanisms are appropriate for you and can be implemented into your business.
Are there any self-employed pensions available?
Yes, self-employed pensions are readily available. You can pay a regular recurring amount or make an ad-hoc payment based on your earnings. Companies like PensionBee offer free, easy-to-use calculators to work out your pension budget and the future yield.
Who would benefit from my pension if I died?
You can stipulate who will be the beneficiary of your pension pot in the event of your death.
Are there any other advantages?
If you desire, when you reach the age of 55 you can withdraw 25% of your private pension pot tax-free.
What if I’m keen to get a quick return on my money?
Private pensions are not quick-fix short-term money schemes. They’re designed to give you a regular, consistent sum of money on top of your statutory pension – a pension paid by the government – after retirement.
What is the current statutory pension?
In the UK it is £10,600 a year. To qualify for the full amount you must have paid at least 35 years of National Insurance.
Is there any risk involved?
As with most things in life, there is a measure of risk involved. Pension pots can go up and down in value. There are ways to mitigate the risk by choosing a pension provider with a good track record and the type of pension pot based on your risk appetite.
PensionBee offers a broad range of options and presents all the information in plain English.
After seeking professional advice and considering your options, please feel free to use the following link to qualify for a £100 injection into your PensionBee pension pot. Once your pot hits £100 of your own investment, PensionBee adds another £100 for your future benefit.
https://www.pensionbee.com/?rsCode=-Nd4ust6tn9_r&utm_source=saas&utm_medium=RAF
Translation Blunders
The Coors Brewing Company has been in existence since 1873 and, therefore, should know a thing or two about advertising and translation.
Unfortunately, even well-established businesses make mistakes and this is exactly what happened with Coors’ trendy advertising campaign when they tried to translate the slogan “Turn it Loose” (meaning relax and take it easy) into Spanish. The result was “Suffer from Diarrhoea”. Not ideal for a liquid brand!
IKEA dropped a real clanger when they placed a large sign on a store in Bahrain which read in English “Create Your Perfect Night’s Sleep”. Unfortunately, the translation below into Arabic said “The same as above, but in Arabic”. It would seem the note to the translation team was misunderstood and they took it very literally.
There were no doubt some red faces at the advertising agency when KFC translated its slogan “Finger Lickin’ Good” into Chinese and the end result was “Eat Your Fingers Off”.
Interestingly, the Chinese don’t lick their fingers as a sign of tasty food, meaning the original slogan would have been tone-deaf too!
The Swedish giant, Electrolux, had a slogan “Nothing Sucks like an Electrolux” to emphasise the power of their products. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it didn’t appeal in the same way to the American market.
The American Dairy Association’s slogan “Got Milk?” was translated for the Mexican market as “Are You Lactating?” – Not a good opening line…
A Bed Fit for a King
Tucked away in a rural Lincolnshire village is a craftsman by the name of
Robin Cowlard. He is a friendly faced, upbeat man with more than a story or two
to tell. He welcomes me to his home, which he is currently restoring; peeling
back layers of mock Tudor and dodgy artex swirls, and I immediately get a sense
of someone who is not afraid to take on a challenge. His wife, a skilled
seamstress, is also here; she seems quiet and unassuming, but genuine and
sincere.
Robin crafts beds for a living, for the rich and famous no less, but we’re
not just talking any old mass produced flatpack, these are bespoke, timeless
pieces. In fact, Multibends, Robin’s company, is so confident in its skilfully
handcrafted product that every bed comes with a lifetime guarantee!
It’s not a wonder then that his past and current order book is filled with
recognisable names like David Bowie and Sir Mick Jagger, not to mention the Royal
Family.
Nonchalantly he tells me, “I had an email from Mick the other week
stating he wanted to order three new beds and he asked whether I would give a
discount for a bulk order…” This seems to be a well-trodden path and he
is unrepentant when he says to me, “we price the beds per square inch and
the prices are the same for everyone.”
Despite this he seems completely enamoured with Sir Mick Jagger and tells me
about the time he and his wife were given VIP tickets to see the The Rolling Stones
play in Southampton—the first time he had seen them live. “It was a
wonderful night, Mick danced for almost two hours and he’s almost eighty… I, on
the other hand, struggle to even walk down the garden path!” I muse over
the thought that with all that gyrating Sir Mick must sleep very well at night.
Clearly the sales model works as Multibends has supplied handcrafted beds
for swanky hotels and stately homes all over the world and to a plethora of
energetic pop stars. The royal dwelling at Balmoral has reportedly put in an
order for new beds too, proving that the King knows who to turn to for a good
night’s sleep.
But now I find myself having to deal with the elephant in the room, why is
the company called Multibends and not “Royal Dreams” or “Robin’s
Handcrafted Beds”?
Well, the company was originally called “Golden Slumber” when it
was started in 1934 by Frederick David Lee—a descendant of Robin’s on his
wife’s side of the family. The name was based on the title of a song he liked
and followed a suggestion by his great friend and brother-in-law.
In time the small Golden Slumber bedding factory in Vauxhall, London, gained
momentum and, just prior to the Second World War, moved to bigger premises in the
Elephant and Castle, South London.
With the rise of mass retail and in a bid to diversify, Golden Slumber
bought out a well-known company called “Multibends” which was skilled
in wood bending.
In time the Golden Slumber name was dissolved and Multibends took up the
mantle of creating high-end beds and mattresses, as well as sofas, chairs,
stools and pouffes. The company now purely focuses on bespoke luxury beds and
mattresses tailored to the individual requirements of its clients.
So, the next time you happen to be walking around a stately home or a very
plush hotel, take some time to admire the craftsmanship of the beds. The
chances are it will be a Multibend bed, handcrafted and sustainably produced by
Robin and his team… oh and might I add, it will be a bed fit for a king.
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