Only Connect Business Networking Podcast

Changes to the Employment Rights Act and their impact on SMEs

Small business owners and directors face a raft of changes that will affect the rights of their employees from October, 2026, and into early 2027. This podcast is a live recording of an Urbano speaker panel breakfast that discussed how these changes, including liabilities around workers’ rights, unfair dismissal claims, sexual and third-party harassment, tribunals and union recognition for employees, will affect businesses and to explain how to ensure the correct procedures and safeguards are in place. The two main speakers you will hear are Debra Spurway and Hayley Preedy , directors of HR Dept London City & Central, both experienced advisors on matters relating to HR, Employment Law and Training & Development, with well-earned reputations for providing pragmatic and commercial advice to employers from a variety of sectors. The event was hosted at SAGAL Showroom in Clerkenwell , with the session was facilitated by Mark Herring , Connector-In-Chief at Urbano Network . You will also hear contributions from those with HR and People responsibilities at different member companies. For more details on HR Dept services, including a free download on the changes covered at this event, and to send enquiries to Debra or Hayley, please visit: HR Dept London City & Central For more details on Urbano, including upcoming events, please visit Urbano Network . Urbano Network is supported by Stewart Title , the specialist insurance company providing a suite of title insurance products for residential and commercial property transactions.

SMEs Abroad: Developing Opportunities Overseas

On this podcast recording of our recent Urbano speaker panel breakfast, you will hear from directors of member businesses from different sectors which do business internationally. On this pod, they share their experiences and offer advice on how to set up in Europe, including Ireland and Italy, the USA, Middle East and even Ukraine. They cover sectors including media, film & TV, construction and property related services, and cover issues such as regulations and taxation. You will also hear about the power of an individual connection to create opportunities, which is the essence of what we help to facilitate at Urbano . This event and podcast are sponsored by CAMA Assetstore , which provides sustainable storage solutions to film and TV production companies in the UK, USA and Europe. CAMA Director Michelle French opens with the news of CAMA receiving the King’s Award For Enterprise: Sustainable Business To be part of our next event and to find out more about Urbano, please visit our website www.urbanonetwork.co.uk

How can SMEs demonstrate their purpose beyond profit?

At our most recent Urbano speaker panel event, we brought together a cross-section of member and other companies to look at how they can show their commitment beyond making a profit. Most small business directors and owners share a belief that their companies should be kind to their employees, support their communities, and have the minimal impact on the environment. They are also generous supporters of charities and charitable projects. Without the resources that larger companies enjoy, demonstrating purpose can be costly and complex for SMEs. Social value - the measurement used by the government and its agencies to measure such activities for tenders - can appear onerous and dissuade smaller companies from tendering. Measuring sustainability can be challenging. B Corp certification divides many and is introducing new scoring that will stretch smaller businesses. CSR. ESG. EDI. The list goes on and on. Our panel for this event was Michelle French - Director at CAMA AssetStore, who works with many leading production houses in film and TV, Steve Drury , Director at Rooff Construction, whose role includes leading on social value as part of the company's ethos and its tender submissions and Ben Schneider , Founder of IT Guys, a B Corp certified company. The discussion between the panellists and contributions from the audience was facilitated by Mark Herring, Urbano’s Connector-In-Chief. This event was hosted at workplace designers SAGAL 's showroom in Clerkenwell and sponsored by CAMA AssetStore. Urbano is supported by Stewart Title, which offers insurance solutions to the residential and commercial property sectors.

Urbano Networking Podcast featuring Pano Christou

Urbano speaker event - The new Procurement Act & SMEs

"Thousands of small businesses to benefit from new government buying rules, boosting local jobs, growth and innovation" This headline was published by the UK government to highlight its priorities for the new Procurement Act, including “driving economic growth and strengthening supply chains by giving SMEs.. a fair chance" of winning a larger share of direct tenders and places on project supply chains. As Urbano Network , we have been helping bring SMEs into procurement by creating business communities to engage business owners and encourage collaboration, drive innovation and create real new business opportunities through training and explaining the benefits of becoming a supplier to the public sector. This podcast is a recording of our recent Urbano speaker panel event, where representatives from AECOM, Peabody, Mace, and Trowers & Hamlins and an audience of SMEs discuss the impact of the new rules and policies. Please email feedback etc to mark@urbanonetwork.co.uk

Talent Lab Expert Panel on Tendering - Lessons Learned on Writing Better ITTs

Talent Lab brought together three very knowledgeable and experienced bid professionals to share their experiences. The discussion led on to what would improve the process - and ultimately help create winning submissions, including lessons shared on how to write better Invitation to Tenders (ITTs). Panel: Caroline Brock, Director, Talent Lab Mike Raynor, Raynor Bid Consultancy Samantha Burns, Head of Bid Management and Direction, EiB Facilitated by Mark Herring, Director, Talent Lab and Producer of the Urbano Network Only Connect Podcast Also available as a video: https://vimeo.com/912701916

Urbano Speaker Breakfast on ESG & Property

Urbano hosts regular speaker networking breakfasts on topics of interest to our SME membership and audience which we release as podcasts following each event. In this episode, Dr Armando Castro , Associate Professor at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, kicks off the session, along with Dr Kell Jones as they discuss the key findings of the newly released publication , ESG in the Real Estate Finance Industry . The post presentation discussion features a cross section of the event's attendees and is facilitated by Urbano's Connector-In-Chief Mark Herring . The event was hosted by Urbano Members Seddons and Urbano gratefully acknowledges the community support of Stewart Title, which offers insurance cover against losses arising from title related risks in property transactions.

Talent Lab Expert Panel: Tendering for Mega & Major Bids

Talent Lab brought together three very knowledgeable and experienced bid professionals to share their experiences on working on mega and major client bids. The discussion led on to what would improve the process - and ultimately help create winning submissions, including whether the bid stages most companies follow are fit for purpose. Panel: Caroline Brock, Director, Talent Lab Mike Raynor, Raynor Bid Consultancy Samantha Burns, Head of Bid Management and Direction, EiB Facilitated by Mark Herring, Director, Talent Lab and Producer of the Urbano Network Only Connect Podcast Also available as a video: https://vimeo.com/902956885

Urbano speaker panel event on the future shape and role of the workplace

Speakers Christian Logue, Director at Sagal Group Debra Spurway, Director at HR Dept Jo Geraghty, Director at Culture Consultancy Mark Herring - Director at Urbano & Talent Lab

Dale Sinclair, Head of Digital Innovation, WSP

Introduction to the Security Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work', and its place in RIBA work stages