2021 has felt like a game of two halves. We started the year shrouded in uncertainty, not knowing when or if life would ever return to “normal.” Living in Wales meant living with fairly heavy restrictions until mid-July with rules still in place around indoor meet ups and limiting the numbers of people we saw. This had a huge impact on the wellbeing of so many people as well as major implications for businesses.As restrictions slowly began to ease into August, it felt as though we’d gone from being on pause to suddenly being in fast forward. We were finally able to do so many things we hadn’t been allowed to for more than a year, returning to the gym, seeing friends and family inside, socialising, travelling and reconnecting with people. This part of the year seems to have flown by and I for one have felt a huge sense of gratitude being able to do all those things.Whilst 2021 has been yet another strange year for most of us, there have been some real stand out moments. As we look ahead to the new year, a clean slate, I’d like to recap some of those moments and share them with you.
As restrictions eased in the latter half of this year and the rules allowed, we couldn’t wait for the return of in-person events, and we certainly made the most of them. Our first major event Amplify, was held in September at Cheltenham Racecourse and the atmosphere was incredible! In all my time with the business I’m not sure I’ve ever felt an energy quite like that. It was both a celebration of how we’d all adapted and survived the challenges faced by the pandemic as well as some key announcements on the future direction of our business. We’ve also had events held at the Celtic Manor for our Rising Stars and Pacesetters, Partner Experience Days in London, in-person opportunity presentations, team building activities in the community such as climbing pen-y-fan, litter picking and wine tasting plus many, many more. Reconnecting with people at all levels of our business has been inspiring and I can genuinely say I don’t think there are many organisations out there that do it quite like we do. Long may this momentum continue.
The UK’s energy market has hit crisis point, with gas prices more than quadrupling over the last year and hitting consumers hard at a time when they’re already under huge financial pressure from the pandemic. It’s been predicted that of the 70 utility companies that once formed the UK market, around 9 are expected to survive this crisis and we’re proud to be one of them. Seeing other businesses struggle and many collapse is never a nice thing but what is has shown is how our long-term vision and strategy is now what has set us apart from many of our competitors and is what’s allowed us to survive this incredibly challenging market. Unlike many other utility companies, we’ve always paid a premium for our energy by signing long term contracts with suppliers rather than buying up at wholesale prices. This now allows us to fix our prices at 5% lower than the government’s price cap and provide some of the lowest rates on the market to our customers. Focusing on a long term, sustainable model for our business has not only enabled us to survive, but to thrive at this critical time.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, higher inflation rates, continued economic uncertainty, and the surging energy crisis, I am proud to say that our business has continued to grow. In fact, we’ve taken on more customers in the last 2 months than we have over the last 2 years. We are in a very fortunate position being able to report growth stats like these and it’s important not to take it for granted, understanding what our strengths are and showcasing these to both future customers and partners will be key to future growth. Gig-working in England and Wales more than doubles in five years, the demand from workers is clearly there and compared to other gig roles, our opportunity is considerably more accessible. Compared to buying a property for an Airbnb or investing in a car for Uber, we have a £10 joining on fee and then provide a personal mentor for 45 days to help every new member get off to the best start possible. Not only are we helping people to earn a residual income, but we are also empowering them to reduce their costs and to budget at the most critical time.
Investing in my own development is always high on my agenda and this year has been no different. For me, personal development is a continuous, ever evolving process and is made up of a variety of things from reading, learning new skills, working with people who have different skills sets, working with a mentor and trying new things to name a few. In the fast-paced world that we live in, it can be easy to overlook the importance of personal development so I schedule time in my diary specifically to work on myself, that way it forms part of my routine. A standout book that I’ve read this year is called ‘Let It Go: How to Stop Your Past Ruining Your Future’ by David Rahman. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all been holding on to some additional anxiety recently, but this book helped me to identify exactly what's holding me back and sets out techniques that empowered me to let go of those things. If reading isn’t your thing, try some other tasks focused on improving your wellbeing whether it be going for a walk, doing an exercise class or having a catch up with a friend.
The resilience, agility and determination of our team never ceases to amaze me, and we’ve got through yet another year stronger than when we started. There are so many uncertainties in life, that’s one thing that is for sure but it not what happens to us that matters, it’s how we respond to it. Having a strong support network, surrounding yourself with inspiring people and drawing upon what you’ve learned whilst investing in your personal development all culminate to ensure you can handle almost anything that’s thrown your way. This is why building resilience is an ongoing process, the world is always moving and changing around us, so we need to equip ourselves with the skills and experiences to empower us to handle new challenges. It’s important to remember that nothing worth having ever comes easy so when things do feel tough, just remind yourself of your why to help keep you on track.We’ve learnt that nothing is guaranteed, not even being allowed to visit our friends and family, so as we approach a new year, lets appreciate every single one of those special moments.2022 comes with a clean slate, new opportunities and new challenges so be sure to take some time out to rest over the festive period so you can kick off the new year with momentum and keep that rolling.See you on the other side.
Prior to starting his current business with UW, Derek dedicated 29 years to Primary Education, serving as a classroom practitioner, an Advisory Teacher for Information Technology, and ultimately as the Head of a Primary School until 2014.
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