Business diary: Meet the yogipreneurs from Sheffield

It might seem timely for those in long-term relationships, but not yet married, to consider the financial benefits of marriage or civil partnerships, according to the national financial planners, LEBC Group.

The taxman, it seems, has yet to offer any breaks for co-habiting couples who make up three million households in the UK. LEBC points out there are significant tax disadvantages for them, when compared with their married friends.

These include potentially paying inheritance tax (IHT) on assets inherited from each other, and they also have no right to inherit NISA allowances from each other on death, so more of any inherited savings will be taxable.

LEBC director, Kay Ingram, said: “Co-habiting couples are at a significant tax disadvantage compared with their married counterparts.

“We urge all couples to review their finances and consider how best to arrange their financial affairs to make the most of many new tax rules introduced in the last two years.”

Feel the heat

Diary has encountered a wide range of entrepreneurs over the years.

But this week was certainly the first time we have come across a yogipreneur.

Changing lives, one class at a time, is the mission of Hot Yoga Sheffield, which has opened its second studio on Edgedale Road, Sheffield.

The new studio will have a grand opening on Saturday, March 11 with a day filled with hot yoga and food from the Wild Leaf Vegan Cafe.

Hot Yoga Sheffield was established by the ‘yogipreneurs’ Anne Marie Gordon and Koreen Clements.

They started Hot Yoga Sheffield on Commonside in Walkley in 2013 and have seen the yoga community grow to more than 300 students from all walks of life.

“Over the last three years we’ve seen the success of our students bringing yoga into their lives and feeling better for it; mentally, physically and spiritually.

“We’re all about celebrating that,” said Ms Gordon who grew up in Queens, New York.

Ms Clements added: “Hot yoga helped us make needed changes in our lives.

“Many of our students have quit jobs and started new careers, left unhealthy relationships and found supportive partners, stopped eating junk food and started eating better and generally feel like they have more energy, more focus and can deal with the day-to-day stresses better.”

Diary often gets out of breath just walking up the stairs to the newsroom, but if you’re feeling inspired visit www.hotyogasheffield.co.uk

Porky’s happy feat

In business, it always pays to have an eye-catching title.

So Diary wasn’t too surprised to hear that the online gift retailer Porky Penguin is making waves on a national scale.

Rebecca Kellett, the owner of Porky Penguin, received an endorsement from retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, after the Huddersfield-based firm won his Small Business Award at a ceremony in Birmingham.

Ms Kellett started the business in 2014, after creating a bespoke print to celebrate the engagement of two friends.

Sales started to come in after she advertised the print on her Facebook page, and Porky Penguin was born.

Ms Kellett told Diary: “We already have 47,000 followers on Facebook.

“I quit my job in November as a national account manager for a large workplace solutions company, so that I could concentrate on Porky Penguin full time.”

In 2016 the company brought in a new jewellery collection with personalised boxes and gift cards.

The business – www.porkypenguin.co.uk – is based in a converted mill in Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, and is poised to cause a stir on a global stage.