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Proud to be an Export Champion

East of England Export Champion 2020 4Col thumbnail2US2U Consulting have been awarded the prestigious title of 2020 Export Champion by the UK Department for International Trade.

This is in recognition of the international work we have done over the last few years, with international projects and trade visits to the likes of Belgium, Ireland, Canada, USA and across the Middle East - along with the insights our teams can share with other businesses looking to export their goods and services. Read more >>>

News & Events

Intern Jess Connolly Shares Her US2U Consulting Experiences

Earlier in 2023, Business Management student Jess Connolly joined US2U Consulting as a Marketing Coordinator & Client Services Intern, working across several client projects and US2U Consulting initiatives.

Jess is currently in the final year of her degree at the University of East Anglia - at US2U Consulting we are proud to support and offer work experience opportunities to people considering Management Consultancy as a career.

We recently caught up with Jess to hear from her about her experiences being part of the US2U team in Spring 2023 - and what she is able to take back and apply to her studies and future career from her time with us. Watch this below!

During her time with us Jess was also part of the US2U team that attended the Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards Ceremony at Carrow Road. She also featured in our Spring 2023 episode of the US2U Consulting Podcast, on the topic of Gender Equality in the Workplace. Watch this podcast episode here.

If you excited to learn more about our industry and are interested in exploring work experiences at US2U Consulting, then do This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

US2U Consulting Celebrate 17th Anniversary!

US2U Consulting were pleased to celebrate 17 years of successful and profitable trading and making a Positive Difference to our clients on 1st April 2023.

Since our founding in 2006, we are very proud to have worked with hundreds of companies from across the UK, Europe and the world to help them tackle and solve some of business's biggest challenges - as well enabling them to reach new levels of success for their teams and staff.

In fact - US2U Consulting also received praise for our 17 years of commitment to our work and clients from the judges of the March 2023 Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards, following our nomination:

"The service provided by US2U is of a professional and high standard and project managed by Rachel individually, who is clearly committed to her client base and available for consultation 24/7. A desire to improve the client's business on each project came across strongly.

"Rachel works with clients and embeds her expertise within the organisation to help them progress. Excellence in service is evidently core to the business and importantly, the brand values have been personally tailored and the company has a clear vision in terms of agreeing what projects to take on and if they fit with the core values.

"Excellence in service for US2U goes beyond the organisation itself and this is evident in Rachel's involvement with the CBI and DIT trade missions."

Thanks to our clients and suppliers who have worked with us during these times, as well as those who have been part of the US2U Consulting team during this journey.

Here's to continued successes!

(P.S. the photo is of some M&M's in US2U Consulting colours, from M&M's World in Times Square, New York - we believe in playing hard as well as working hard!)

US2U Meet with the British Consulate General, New York, March 2023

Kerwin and Rachel Blackburn were pleased to meet Toby Usnik (pictured, left, with Rachel) - Head of Communications at the British Consulate General in New York recently to discuss potential opportunities for our services in the US. Our meeting took place in the iconic location of Grand Central Terminal, New York (pictured below).

Whilst Toby currently works for the British Consulate General in New York, he has a commercial background and was able to share positive insights into the Executive Coaching market. We are planning our US strategy so please get in touch if you have contacts who would benefit from our services in that part of the world.

Linked to this story is that the British Department for Business and Trade have asked US2U Consulting to be an Export Champion for the fourth consecutive year. Part of this role is to advise other businesses on their international strategies.

Our first year of being awarded Export Champion status was 2020 - read about this here.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how we can assist with you export strategies.

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US2U Consulting at the Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards Ceremony 2023

US2U Consulting attended the Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards 2023 on 7 March, hosted at Norwich City Football Club.

US2U Consulting had been nominated for the award in 'Excellence in insurance, Financial and Professional Services'.

We were proud to be one of the top 3 finalists in that category and therefore pleased of the achievements our organisation has accomplished.

Throughout the evening there was food, drink and lots of networking taking place. It was a pleasing evening with a fun atmosphere, celebrating the success and hard-working teams of Norfolk businesses.

Jess, our intern who has recently joined US2U Consulting to gain some work experience within the consultancy industry, also attended the evening (pictured alongside US2U team members Rachel Blackburn and Jan Baynham).

Jess said the event was "insightful and eye-opening, learning about some of the most successful businesses located within Broadland and South Norfolk, as well as being able to attend a fun evening hosted at an exciting location."

How has the world of work changed? Rachel Blackburn attends CBI Future of Work Conference

What is the future of work? Rachel Blackburn attends CBI Future of Work Conference to learn how the world of work has changed and what solution can be implemented for the challenges ahead

US2U Consulting Director Rachel Blackburn attended the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) Future of Work Conference in London on 1 March 2023 to understand how external drivers such as the pandemic have impacted the world of work in the current and future economy.

The aim of the conference was to bring the CBI community together and challenge members' ideas of what they think the future of work looks like. The audience also heard from key speakers on how to ensure their business strategies align with building a work environment fit for purpose. Keynote speeches also explained why the future of work is changing, giving example such as an aging population and technology advancements - and how this has contributed to the new principles of the labour market.

Throughout this conference there were also several discussions on leadership and whether senior management are ready for the new factors contributing to the change of work. There were also discussions on reskilling employees rather than rehiring, and how hybrid and remote working have been introduced globally since the pandemic.

Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, was also one of the keynote speakers in attendance, talking about how employers should apply innovative policies to increase productivity and to ask employees how they think their employers should manage flexible working.

Overall, this was an insightful conference learning about the future of work. It emphasised how today's jobs and work processes need to modernise and improve in order to produce a thriving economy, and how organisations such as US2U Consulting can assist with this.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how US2U Consulting can make a positive difference to your organisation and help your employees to achieve their goals.

We have also produced a summary of key Future of Work points from the CBI conference which is free to download. Access this below and let us know what you think:

US2U Consulting - CBI Future of Work Summary Points March 2023

 

US2U Consulting Travel to India for the CBI Trade Delegation to discuss International Expansion

US2U Consulting Director, Rachel Blackburn, flew to India on the 6 February 2023 for three days to attend the CBI's Trade Delegation to discuss and gain exclusive insights into India's market and the new and exciting opportunities it can bring to UK businesses. As Rachel is on the East of England CBI (Confederation of British Industry), it was important that she attended this trip to get the most out of her role as a member, as well as to enjoy the opportunities that come with the position.

The trip, to business hubs in Delhi and Mumbai, consisted of learning about India's market trends, attending sessions assessing the key trade opportunities and challenges India can bring, as well as networking with Indian and UK businesses. It was also a good opportunity to promote US2U Consulting and how we can make a positive difference to an array of clients across various sectors overseas.

When interviewed about her trip to India, Rachel expressed how great it was that the delegation was female-led, with the individuals involved being from a number of different ethnicities and religions including Hindu, Muslim and Christian. It was amazing to see such a diverse team work so well together. One of US2U Consulting's core values is encouraging diversity, so it was great to have that as one of the main features of the trip.

Rachel (pictured at the CBI delegation in India) proclaimed her favourite aspect of the trip was learning from lots of interesting people and understanding how India has managed its economy to create so many successful businesses.

Thanks to the information and knowledge gained from this successful trip, this trade delegation will add to US2U's current knowledge base and skillset when advising clients within different markets and territories, and across different cultural boundaries.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how US2U Consulting can support your organisation's international strategy.

Rachel Blackburn attends CBI meeting in London to discuss the Change The Race Ratio Campaign

Rachel Blackburn attended a CBI (Confederation of British Industry) meeting on Cannon Street in London on 23 February 2023 to discuss the Change The Race Ratio Campaign that US2U Consulting has been a key signatory of since 2021 (read more about this here).

The purpose of this movement is to campaign for race equity and encouraging diversity in leadership and senior management positions - which US2U Consulting has always been passionate about as one of our core values. We offer a variety of Diversity and Inclusion-focused services, with our Diversity and Inclusion language quiz being one of our activities on this topic. Read and have a go at this here - let us know how you get on!

Richard DeNetto (pictured with Rachel) was one of the key speakers at this meeting in his role as a Race Change Equity Agent.

Overall, this CBI meeting was helpful for members to discuss the topic of race equity within a variety of industries, and how an inclusive culture can help any type of business thrive.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how we can support your organisation's Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities strategies.

US2U Welcomes Intern Jess Connolly to the Team

We are pleased to welcome a new Marketing Services and Client Coordinator intern to the US2U Consutling team - as Business Management student Jess Connolly joins us while completing the final year of her degree at the University of East Anglia.

With her business degree, Jess has gained a thorough understanding of all aspects of business and aims to pursue a career in Management Consulting upon graduating. In order to utilise her knowledge, she wants to apply it in the real world and views US2U Consulting as an ideal platform for pursuing her goal.

She is currently the Academic Representative for her university course, which has provided her with knowledge and skills that can be beneficial to the US2U team.

Since Jess has had part-time jobs in hospitality for many years, she has developed the qualities of being a team-player and a motivated, organised individual, eager to learn and develop her current skills from US2U Consulting.

Welcome to the team, Jess! View the rest of our team members at the Our People page.

US2U Consulting Nominated for Broadland & South Norfolk Business Award 2023

US2U Consulting are very pleased to have been shortlisted as one of three nominees for a Broadland & South Norfolk 2023 Business Award, for "Excellence in Insurance, Financial and Professional Services".

The judges visited our office on 24 January and the winner will be announced at the Awards Dinner on 7 March at Carrow Road.

We will keep you posted!

End of Year US2U News Round Up

It's been a busy end to 2022 as we have been busy supporting clients and the professional community. A few recent highlights of what US2U Consulting have been up to are below:

Creative Swiping with ETA Green Power at Worldwide FruitETA at Worldwide Fruit

We often encourage our clients to visit other clients of ours, often from different industries, to conduct 'Creative Swiping' activities to drive their continuous improvement strategies. We recently arranged for Norfolk-based ETA Green Power to visit Worldwide Fruit in Lincolnshire to do just this. "It was a superb day; we have learnt lots of practical things that we can use to develop our continuous improvement culture" said Craig Joryeff, QHSE Manager, ETA Green Power.

 

ETA Green Power IET Partnership ProgrammeIET and ETA

We have been pleased to also recently launch the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Partnership Programme for our client ETA Green Power. "It is great that we have joined this world class network" said Liam Bowman, CTO, ETA Green Power.

 

Boniface Engineering 40th Anniversary celebrations continueBoniface and ASAMS

Rounding up the 40th anniversary year celebrations of Thetford-based Boniface Engineering Ltd, we were pleased to attend the sponsorship event with our client Thomas Whiskin, Managing Director of ASAMS Ltd. It was another great opportunity to see a truck recovered quickly from a crashed position by the internationally-renowned Boniface Engineering equipment. Pictured from left to right are Thomas Whiskin, Rachel Blackburn, and Boniface Engineering's General Manager Jackie Rix and Managing Director Mike Boniface.

 

Rachel Blackburn speaks on a Hays Recruitment webinar on Equality, Diversity and InclusionHays EDI to attract and retain people

Attracting and retaining great staff is forecast to continue to be a challenge during 2023. We were pleased to be invited to speak at a recent Hays Recruitment Webinar about the importance of maintaining focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as a key part of an organisation's People Strategy - not in a 'woke' way but in a 'Let's make this a great place to work for all" way. More information about the ED&I survey we conducted during the webinar will follow next year.

 

The Gem Appeal Charity Ball in ManchesterGem Ball

The Gem Appeal was started back in 1994 to raise funds for genetic research with a view to treating and hopefully one day eradicating life-limiting disorders. Two of the team were pleased to attend the Denise Welch Enchanted Wonderland Ball in Manchester in November, which was raising funds to support the appeal. Rachel Blackburn is pictured with some celebrities who attended the event.

 

We have enjoyed working with many different organisations this year as they navigated the challenges of 2022, and we look forward to continuing to make a positive difference to our clients in 2023.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how US2U Consulting can help you have a successful 2023.