Small Business Saturday Blog
Badge Your Brilliance with iDEA
Thursday, January 10 at 09:00
Superstar Karen Sheppard of #SmallBiz100 People First Mobility has completed not only her Bronze iDEA Award, in November 2018, but also her Silver, just a month later, in December 2018. We caught up with her to find out how out more about her approach to the awards and whether she’d recommend them to other small business owners.
What appealed to you about the iDEA award?
I am always looking at ways to learn and keep my brain active. Also I am a cancer survivor, and my treatment included eight rounds of chemotherapy, which can give you something called ‘chemo brain ‘,making you more forgetful. One of the best cures for this at the moment is to keep your brain active.
The iDEA award appealed because not only would it help with keeping my brain active, it was also very flexible. It can be done at home, at work, on the train, anywhere, and at any time and any pace and on many different devices. Being able to stop and start any badge at any time allows you to fit them in around other commitments. Being able to redo the badges at any time, to be able to refresh on any skills that you need to at any point is very useful.
I also wanted to enhance my skills in the digital world. The digital world is becoming more and more used in everyday life and part of the business world, so to have something that increased my knowledge in that area was fantastic. Receiving a certificate on completion and also having a record of achievement that I could use if I had to seek employment were valuable assets of iDEA. The iDEA is so easy to use, so much fun, it was not really like studying or learning at all. The way in which the badges are presented make it an easy way to learn.
What would you say is the most valuable aspect about iDEA for your business?
The most valuable aspect of iDEA is learning new Digital Skills that are helpful in the day to day running of the business. The digital world is fast advancing and to stay on top of the knowledge is a way to be a step ahead of your competitors.
Can you give us an example of when you have used knowledge learnt from iDEA in your business? What advantage has it given you?
I have used knowledge from a few badges already. I have used social media badges to change how I am going to approach my customers through the use of social media. Social selling and advertising have again given me different perspectives on how to approach these areas of my business. The Web Designer and Making Websites badges have given me much better streamlined designs that I am now using to redesign my website. The advantage of these are that I am able to reach out to more customers in a much more professional manner and it gives me an edge over my competitors.
Which badges did you enjoy the most and why?
I can honestly say I have enjoyed all of the badges, and looking back through them I am finding it difficult to answer this question. Admittedly there were a few that took me a few days to do as they were challenging and I had to keep coming back to have another go to be able to complete them. This just added to the fun, excitement and also the determination to finish them and get that sense of achievement. The coding badges were probably the hardest for me to achieve but also the most rewarding because of this.
The Silver badges were very addictive to do as you had to complete each level to get to the next level. You had to solve puzzles and challenges. At times I spent a few hours on the badges and could not put the laptop down, thinking: I will just do this one more, then another, then another.
Would you recommend iDEA to other small businesses?
I would recommend iDEA to anyone who is self employed, has their own business or works for someone or is even still in full time education who wants to invest their time in learning more about the digital world in which we now live. The world is evolving very fast in the digital age and there are many of the badges that can help in all different kinds of job roles and situations. The badges are easy to understand , can be done at your own pace and at your own time. When each module is completed there is also the sense of accomplishment. Just be warned that once you start you may find it very addictive!
Thanks Karen, and good luck with the gold award!
Interested in writing a Blog Post for Small Business Saturday? Here are our guidelines.
Categories:
- Accounting (1)
- Brand (1)
- Branding (1)
- Budgeting Tips For Small Business (1)
- Business (1)
- Collaboration (1)
- Customer (1)
- Digital (6)
- Economy (1)
- Exhibiting (1)
- Finance (2)
- Getting Online (2)
- HR (3)
- How To (4)
- Inspiration (1)
- Inspire Series (1)
- Legal (1)
- Marketing (3)
- Plan (2)
- Planning (3)
- Protect (1)
- Quick Guide (3)
- Recruitment (3)
- Small Biz 100 (2)
- Small Business (9)
- Small Business Saturday (10)
- Small Business Saturday Uk Champion (2)
- Smallbiz100 (1)
- Social Media (3)
- Start-Up Support (1)
- Top Tips (10)
Latest Posts:
- Feeling lighter than air at The Float Spa4 Weeks Ago
- At the cutting edge of local community5 Weeks Ago
- Sewing the seeds of success in Scotland5 Weeks Ago
- Joco's leap of faith pays off6 Weeks Ago
- No messing around! How Tom Foolery Coffee Company pivoted during the pandemic6 Weeks Ago
- How Mandira’s Kitchen has its eye on spicing up your freezer7 Weeks Ago
- Wild about keeping it local and healthy in Bristol8 Weeks Ago
- Award winning small business announced at Blue Tie celebration13 Weeks Ago
- Free leadership training for SME leaders delivered by leading Business Schools5 Months Ago
- Six things you can do in your business right now7 Months Ago
- How can my employees return to work safely and legally after Covid-19?7 Months Ago
- What is it really like being a #SmallBiz100? – Stamptastic spill the beans7 Months Ago
- Why apply to be a #SmallBiz100 2020?8 Months Ago
- Why embracing technology should be your New Year resolution12 Months Ago
- Starting a new business: financial tips for start ups13 Months Ago
- Top 10 security tips for small businesses storing personal data13 Months Ago
- From architect to artisan at the Dumfries Larder13 Months Ago
- Putting down new Roots in Abergele14 Months Ago
- How Amazon is helping one woman tackle taboos and period poverty14 Months Ago
- Creating a community: What it means to be a small business14 Months Ago
- Building an enabling bridge, brick by brick14 Months Ago
- Get ready to rock with Rockit15 Months Ago
- How to create an event for Small Business Saturday UK15 Months Ago
- Jampacked with passion: the local cinema that’s giving back15 Months Ago
- Celebrating the North East’s cycle stars16 Months Ago
- Don’t know what to write about? 9 ideas for your next business newsletter, blog or social media post16 Months Ago
- Take a butcher’s at the first of the #SmallBiz100 201917 Months Ago
- 7 essential growth tips that small businesses need to know17 Months Ago
- Making a great first impression: photography & small business17 Months Ago
- Strength in numbers18 Months Ago
- How to choose the right pricing strategy for your business19 Months Ago
- How taking matters into her own hands led to huge success for Revival Retro19 Months Ago
- Why apply to be a #SmallBiz100 2019?19 Months Ago
- 5 content ideas every small business needs20 Months Ago
- The Flour Pot Bakery's secret to success20 Months Ago
- How to harness the power of Instagram and drive your business forward - the GB Labels way21 Months Ago
- Making Tax Digital is here! What does it mean for your business?21 Months Ago
- How we should champion success for International Women's Day22 Months Ago
- Step aside Mystery Shopper scheme - hello new Public Procurement Review Service!23 Months Ago
- The top three causes of entrepreneur burnout and how to avoid it23 Months Ago
- Get a great digital ad for your business for just £50, and help tomorrow’s entrepreneurs learn with iDEA!2 Years Ago
- Badge Your Brilliance with iDEA2 Years Ago
- How to make your Christmas the most successful yet!3 Years Ago
- Life in the fast Laine3 Years Ago
- Small businesses shine at launch of Silver iDEA Award St James's Palace3 Years Ago
- Local and sustainable is winning formula for SmallBiz100 Hays Hampers3 Years Ago
- Red Herring Games – Case Study3 Years Ago
- Going for gold with the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award!3 Years Ago
- Keeping Up With The Tylers: How To Move With The Times3 Years Ago
- How to open a corner shop3 Years Ago
- Making our own kind of music at the Blue Tie Ball3 Years Ago
- How to guest blog (and look like you know what you’re doing)3 Years Ago
- How to market your small business on a budget3 Years Ago
- Top summer marketing tips!3 Years Ago
- Purposely: embedding purpose into the heart of your small business3 Years Ago
- A ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ for Britain’s small businesses3 Years Ago
- Your iDEA Award questions answered!3 Years Ago
- Five ways to make your business successful in five years!3 Years Ago
- SmallBiz100 Mooch revive the local high street3 Years Ago
- Why apply to be a SmallBiz100 2018?3 Years Ago
- SmallBiz100 Julu on design, manufacturing, and building an online business with friends3 Years Ago
- Small Business Champion Series From Rich Brady ... Setting Business Goals3 Years Ago
- SmallBiz100 Techsixtyfour on how to successfully build an online business3 Years Ago
- SmallBiz100 Frequently Asked Questions3 Years Ago
- Small Business Champion Series from Rich Brady...Putting the Family into Family Business3 Years Ago
- Exporting - not just for the big!3 Years Ago
- Can Giving Really Be Good for a Small Business? Spoiler: Yes!3 Years Ago
- Let's get organised....3 Years Ago
- Is your business leaking money?3 Years Ago
- Podcasting - The Ultimate How-To Guide - Part 23 Years Ago
- Podcasting - the Ultimate How-To Guide - Part 13 Years Ago
- Save time with automation3 Years Ago
- Setting BIG goals – why do it and how to go about it3 Years Ago
- International Women's Day 20183 Years Ago
- 9 tips for Business Success - it's all about love.3 Years Ago
- Demystifying LinkedIn for Small Businesses3 Years Ago
- 10 Top Money Tips for Small Businesses3 Years Ago
- Organising a Small Business Event - Tips from the Experts3 Years Ago
- 12 Top Tips for Micro-businesses3 Years Ago
- ACCA on board the Small Business Saturday Bus Tour4 Years Ago
- There is still time to get involved!4 Years Ago
- Is Britain Becoming a Cashless Society?4 Years Ago
- Small Business Spotlight - How Technology Can Help Small Businesses4 Years Ago
- Better people for Better business4 Years Ago
- Taking Your Business Beyond the High Street4 Years Ago
- Five reasons to be optimistic about access to finance in 20184 Years Ago
- Small Business Saturday App!4 Years Ago
- The Importance of Customer Service4 Years Ago
- Sign up today for free business mentoring!4 Years Ago
- 5 Ideas to Improve your Time Management4 Years Ago
- The Small Business Saturday Bus Tour launches across the UK for its fifth year!4 Years Ago
- 5 minute interview with Nick Entwistle from One Minute Briefs4 Years Ago
- Say Hello to the 2017 Small Business Saturday Champions4 Years Ago
- 5 ways to save money on your business energy4 Years Ago
- Establishing a Small Business through Online Branding4 Years Ago
- Get by with a little help from a friend4 Years Ago
- How Small Businesses Should Deal With Adversity4 Years Ago
- Three helpful ways your phone can reduce paperwork4 Years Ago
- How to Set Up Your Own Business4 Years Ago
- Give Your Business a Boost with Improved Conversion Rates4 Years Ago
- Protecting Your Business Against Risk4 Years Ago
- Small Business Budgeting Tips4 Years Ago
- Hiring tips for start-ups4 Years Ago
- How small businesses can build their online presence4 Years Ago
- Leading business experts come together in one-off inspirational event4 Years Ago
- Five Tips to Effectively Market your Business4 Years Ago
- Nottingham's Lady Bay Vintage Midcentury Antiques Fair5 Years Ago
- Spend with small busisness on Small Business Saturday up 15% year on year to £717 million5 Years Ago
- Why you need to add exhibiting to your marketing mix5 Years Ago
- Seven ways you may be able to reduce your tax bill5 Years Ago
- Practical advice from Acas to help small businesses succeed5 Years Ago
- Automatic enrolment problems? The PLSA has a Pension Solution5 Years Ago
- Ideas and Innovation Dens: help tease out those great ideas and turn them into reality faster.5 Years Ago
- Black & Gold: Supporting other local businesses through partnerships5 Years Ago
- Interview with Paul Gardner founder of the East End Trades Guild5 Years Ago
- Fully Funded Essential Management Skills Training5 Years Ago
- What I learnt in my first year in business5 Years Ago
- 4 Invoicing Mistakes you Should Avoid in your Small Business5 Years Ago
- Interview with Small Business Saturday Champion Elaine Pritchard from Caittom Publishing5 Years Ago
- A Guide to: Handling Small Business Disputes5 Years Ago
- Communication is key5 Years Ago
- How to get your small business found5 Years Ago
- Is cloud hosting for you?5 Years Ago
- Is cloud hosting for you?5 Years Ago
- How to: Get your product in a magazine5 Years Ago
- How to: Get your product in a magazine5 Years Ago
- Is Beer Brewing The Next Big Thing For The Hospitality Industry?5 Years Ago
- 5 tips to make starting your business easier5 Years Ago
- Do not underestimate the power of the internet5 Years Ago
- A Beginners Guide to Corporate Wiki5 Years Ago
- How to use social media to grow your small business5 Years Ago
- Recruiting for your small business5 Years Ago
- 5 Customer Experience Tips for Small Businesses5 Years Ago
- Effective interviewing techniques5 Years Ago
- How Your Small Business Should Go Digital5 Years Ago
- How to write the perfect job advert5 Years Ago
- Hiring a VA: What's it all about?5 Years Ago
- Surviving and thriving as a small business5 Years Ago
- Why job descriptions matter5 Years Ago
- Music makeover5 Years Ago
- Five things all SMEs should know when applying for funding5 Years Ago
- Self-assessment help for small businesses5 Years Ago
- Making the most of Small Business Saturday5 Years Ago
- Finding alternative sources of finance for your small business6 Years Ago
- Small Business Saturday 2015: Burton6 Years Ago
- Top tips for finding a great office for your small business6 Years Ago
- Interview with Martin George of the Post Office6 Years Ago
- Colourful New Photo Exhibition of Levenshulme Small Businesses6 Years Ago
- Small business and accessibility6 Years Ago
- 3 Online Tips for Small Business Saturday6 Years Ago