VIable now provides professional services to organisations all over Northern Ireland in 3 functional areas – Bookkeeping & Payroll, Human Resources and Marketing. As a Social Enterprise, the organisation exists for a Social Mission, with 100% of the profits supporting programme development in VOYPIC and Include Youth.
“Changing Business, Changing Lives”, VIable exists to support small businesses, charities and social enterprises, identifying small changes over time in business practice to drive firm efficiencies. Thereafter, VIable reinvests into young people, changing lives and aiming to reduce inequalities across Northern Ireland by creating profit for those that need it most.
Why did you join FSB?
The Federation of Small Business (FSB) provides us with innumerable benefits. Through the FSB, we gain access to the latest business trends and data, as well as fantastic networking opportunities and connections with our local economy.
Here at VIable, we believe strongly in the power of collaboration. Throughout the 5 years of our operation, we have grown from strength to strength, and often the connections and opportunities provided by FSB have been instrumental in supporting our organisation.
For any small business owner or organisation, the FSB and the benefits that the body provides in capability building and resourcing is fantastic, and an asset to any SME in Northern Ireland.
Have you used FSB Services so far, how has it helped your business?
FSB provide a range of templates through the Legal Hub, which have been fantastic resources for VIable throughout the years. The Hub also provides members with a contact centre, which can be accessed for Legal advice and guidance, which in the early stages of firm conception is extremely beneficial, as usually these services come with a high cost to business.
In recent years, our team have attended webinars with fantastic key speakers sourced by FSB, such as the “Getting Ready to Grow” session with Philip Budd, which, during VIable’s current period of growth and scaling, was insightful and beneficial for our strategic planning process.
How did Covid-19 impact your business?
Before COVID-19, we operated from our offices in 100 Great Patrick Street, using paper filing and accounts for our clients, as well as using Sage and cloud software. When the pandemic lead to working from home, we had to completely adapt our approach, shifting to a completely digital set up to accommodate to our new working model.
Now, we operate all of our Bookkeeping accounts online, we support HR Challenges via Zoom, Policy and Handbooks, and have discovered the power of Social Media in shaping not only our own stories, but those of our clients. In the last year and a half, VIable has stepped onto the Digital Scene like never before, and as we continue to grow and scale, we will not be looking back.
We truly believe that having our operations online is beneficial for our clients, our operations and provides unmatched levels of security and protection for confidential client information. We have pivoted and adapted throughout the pandemic, but are proud to say that we have come out stronger than before. We are looking forward to a long, bright, and better future, working to support our clients, and creating profit for the 3,383 Children in Care across Northern Ireland, challenging inequalities as we continue to scale and grow.
What is single greatest challenge for any SME at the minute?
For any SME at the moment, we believe there are a vast range of huge challenges as we emerge from our current context. As we transition forward from our “new normal”, into what will again become a different “new normal”, a range of challenges arise for us as a team, but also for our clients and partners.
Wellbeing, risk assessments and return to work are the most prevalent amongst these issues. COVID Burnout is a real, and daunting presence across the working community at the moment, and for scaling SMEs with smaller teams, starting to find ways and create ways of working that build in wellbeing can be a complex process. For a lot of SMEs, wellbeing may be an issue that has not really been prioritised or considered before, as with smaller teams there is a sense of collectivism and shared purpose.
COVID has disrupted that, however we believe that as we transition back to in person working, that the SME sector will continue to shine through, and drive the growth and restoration of our local economy. Ensuring that the transition occurs in a safe, and measured way that does not expose staff and teams in terms of mental health and physical health is pivotal, and over the coming months, supporting our own people, as well as the needs of our clients across Bookkeeping, HR and Marketing will be a core challenge in that period of change.
What are the opportunities and positives for SMEs at the minute and how are you embracing recovery?
With the economy reopening, and a consumer trend towards shopping local and supporting smaller business, we believe now is the best time to be an SME, or establishing an SME in Northern Ireland. The local government are incentivising growth, encouraging £100 Vouchers to be spent with small businesses, supporting the livelihoods of individuals all across Northern Ireland.
As a team, we’re taking each day as it comes. We stay calm and collected, working together to plan next steps, and ensuring we live by our values – respecting, listening, responding, developing and solving the biggest challenges for both the 3rd Sector, and for the SMEs that we support across Northern Ireland.
Of FSB’s key campaign issues at the minute. Which is most important to you and your business at present and why?
At the moment, as for most businesses and people, we feel that Post-COVID Recovery is crucial. At VIable, we are client-centric, and across the pandemic we have prioritised supporting our clients in any way possible to ensure their needs were met, and that they could access essential support to survive.
With survival secured for most businesses, we must now come together and support one another to ensure we emerge from COVID a stronger, better sector. If COVID has shown us anything in the last 2 years, it’s that when we as a society come together, we can overcome and stand strong together.
Post-COVID Recovery, and ensuring we maintain our client-centric attitude and work together with all of our sectoral partners to revitalise the economy and the community – as well as provide for young people - is core to our business activity as we move forward.