VOICE LOCAL BUSINESSWOMEN JOIN NATIONAL TASKFORCE TO HELP PROMOTE WOMEN IN ENTERPRISE AUTUMN EVENTS IN KENT THE. Kent & Medway

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Kent & Medway Your Development Manager: alison.parmar@fsb.org.

Deborah Turner have been appointed to a national taskforce founded to promote women in enterprise.

Annabelle, Nathalie and Deborah will join 14 other small business leaders from across the UK to build on the recommendations of an FSB report released earlier this year.

difficulty accessing finance (25 FSB hosts and promotes a range of events and free online webinars that may help your business. For a full list visit www.fsb. org.

Hear from Kent County Council, UKTI and South ANNABELLE WEBSTER per cent). However, there appeared to be issues which were more acute for women business owners.

1 Kent & Medway Your Development Manager: or call September/October 2016 LOCAL BUSINESSWOMEN JOIN NATIONAL TASKFORCE TO HELP PROMOTE WOMEN IN ENTERPRISE Kent businesswomen Annabelle Webster, Nathalie Christmann Cooper and Deborah Turner have been appointed to a national taskforce founded to promote women in enterprise. The FSB taskforce has been set up to champion the needs of the UK s many fantastic women small business owners. Annabelle, Nathalie and Deborah will join 14 other small business leaders from across the UK to build on the recommendations of an FSB report released earlier this year. Entitled, Women in Enterprise: The Untapped Potential, this report found women-led businesses face many of the same challenges all small firms encounter including cash flow issues (42 per cent) and difficulty accessing finance (25 FSB hosts and promotes a range of events and free online webinars that may help your business. For a full list visit org.uk/regions 2 September #Slopeoff Friday lunch and networking 15 September Kent Independent Traders Awards, Maidstone 30 September 100 days on from the EU Referendum. Hear from Kent County Council, UKTI and South ANNABELLE WEBSTER per cent). However, there appeared to be issues which were more acute for women business owners. Two-in-five (40 per cent) women said balancing work and family life was a key challenge. Achieving credibility for the business (37 per cent) and a lack of confidence (22 per cent) were also significant hurdles. The taskforce, led AUTUMN EVENTS IN KENT East LEP at this jointly run FSB and IoD conference, Maidstone 7 October #SlopeoffFriday lunch and networking 17 November FSB Kent and Medway AGM, Maidstone 18 November Small Business Saturday bus visits Tonbridge 30 November Grow Kent conference with IoD, International Hotel, Ashford DEBORAH TURNER by FSB Diversity Chair Helen Walbey, will look at ways to overcome these challenges and it will develop regional events and networking opportunities to help more women grow their business. Ms Walbey said: We now have a dedicated group of entrepreneurs across the UK to help drive cultural change towards diversity in business. MAGICIAN STUART WELLER ENTHRALLED #SLOPEOFFFRIDAY GUESTS NATHALIE CHRISTMANN- COOPER Each of these small business owners tells a different story about starting their business but all of them have first-hand experience of the challenges and barriers to women entrepreneurship. That s why the Women in Enterprise Taskforce is wellplaced to identify the barriers for women and break them down one by one. REGIONAL NEWS 2, 11, 14 BUSINESS UPDATE 3-10 REGIONAL CONTACTS 14 TO ADVERTISE CALL

LEADERSHIP TEAM LOOKS TO SECURE FURR LOCAL FUNDING As we move into the second half of the year there is much to celebrate in the recent activity of the South East LEP, writes Zoe Gordon, Business

2 LEADERSHIP TEAM LOOKS TO SECURE FURR LOCAL FUNDING As we move into the second half of the year there is much to celebrate in the recent activity of the South East LEP, writes Zoe Gordon, Business Engagement and Communications Manager. Since the beginning of this year we have welcomed our new Chairman, Christian Brodie, and now also have our new Director, Adam Bryan in post. On his appointment, Adam said: We will do everything we can to shine a light on the impact of investing in the South East and we will play our role in making sure new initiatives and infrastructure such as the Lower Thames Crossing happen as soon as possible. With a strong leadership team in place there are many areas of activity for the LEP to drive forward. Business groups and local authorities have undertaken significant recent work to develop a compelling case for investment in local projects that will accelerate economic growth. Funding is available for LEPs to bid into for investments in projects which will deliver growth, new jobs and new homes. Schemes must demonstrate private sector support and be able to deliver a good return on investment, create jobs and homes, and accelerate growth. The projects supporting this case for investment focus on development in the Thames Estuary, employability and skills, job creation and enterprise zones, homes, communities and culture and strategic connectivity. We are asking for 200m to be invested in our area and we will hear from Government around the Autumn Statement as to which schemes have been successful. Further details can be found on To be involved in a project relevant to your business contact zoe.gordon@ essex.gov.uk. EDITORIAL: This publication is produced by and published for the Federation of Small Businesses, Sir Frank Whittle Way, Blackpool Business Park Blackpool, Lancs, FY4 2FE. Copyright 1996 Federation of Small Businesses all rights reserved. Editor: James Connor. Tel: james.connor@fsb.org.uk. Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the Federation of Small Businesses and opinions expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily the policy of the Federation. PAGE 2 #SLOPEOFFFRIDAY SEEKS NEW VENUES By the end of the week, most of us are ready to relax. Which is why Andrew and Jules are making the most of it and combine an excellent lunch with networking with fellow Kent business owners. Magician Stuart Weller enthralled the #SlopeoffFriday guests DELEGATION BUILDING AND MAINTAINING TRADE WITH EUROPE As part of its EU-funded SME Internationalisation Exchange project, Kent County Council recently welcomed a delegation of European business support organisations and regional representatives to Kent to showcase the various export-support schemes that exist in the county. The visit was part of a five-year cooperation project which aims to improve internationalisation support services on the ground in each region and to develop trade links for the benefit of SMEs in each partner area. Kent has partnered with six European regions, all of whom are committed to improving the environment for new and existing exporters. Delegates represented the Lower Saxony (Germany), Cantabria (Spain), Aquitaine (France), Północny (Poland), Molise (Italy) and Ústí (Czech Republic). The visitors learned about the Kent International Business (KIB) programme and how this has delivered support for companies to attend international trade fairs, organised local events and provided opportunities for Kent firms to make overseas contacts. The KIB programme is backed by at the Crescent Margate Hotel in July. The stylish hotel team served a set lunch of seasonal Kentish produce, said co-host Jules Serkin. This was our second #SlopeoffFriday lunch with 17 diverse Kent movers from the business world. This monthly event is supported on the Twitter feeds of those attending who are encouraged to use #SlopeoffFriday. We re looking to showcase leading Kent venues so get in touch! #SlopeoffFriday is at 2pm on the first Friday of each month. Call Andrew Knott on to book and the set menu costs from per person. various business support organisations in Kent, including FSB Kent. Kent Invicta Chamber, UKTI South East and Enterprise Europe Network were among the local organisations that presented their support services to their European counterparts. The delegation was also able to visit some of Kent s top exporters including Shepherd Neame which exports to over 35 countries, Marden-based Scarab Sweepers, which won the 2013 KEiBA Award for Success in International Markets, and the small company AbBaltis, located at Kent Science Park in Sittingbourne. They supply blood plasma to disease-testing firms overseas and the company won a Queen s Award for Enterprise for International Trade in The firm was able to benefit from support to attend an international trade fair as part of a Kent stand. Whilst the uncertainty of Brexit looks set to continue for some time, Kent is investing in relationships with various European regions to ensure that international trade continues seamlessly for the foreseeable future. The SIE project is part-financed by the Interreg Europe Programme and runs until

AUTO ENROLMENT WHY SHOULD I CARE? Unlike the previous pensions initiative called Stakeholder Pensions, automatic enrolment is here to stay, writes Ken Tymms, Director of Kent Pension Services.

On the brighter side, it gives you the opportunity to provide a valuable benefit for your staff, showing that you care about them (although I anticipate mixed opinions on that one).

3 AUTO ENROLMENT WHY SHOULD I CARE? Unlike the previous pensions initiative called Stakeholder Pensions, automatic enrolment is here to stay, writes Ken Tymms, Director of Kent Pension Services. It is the law and you will be fined if you do not comply. On the brighter side, it gives you the opportunity to provide a valuable benefit for your staff, showing that you care about them (although I anticipate mixed opinions on that one). It s not rocket science, but do take care. It is possible to prepare for automatic enrolment yourself. Research undertaken by The Pensions Regulator suggests that on average this will take ten hours. Don t forget that you re putting in place business as usual processes that you ll be relying on for a long time to come. Therefore, it is worth taking the time to make sure everything works well from the start. Although it isn t rocket science, auto enrolment can be fiddly and many employers will at the very least need help in choosing a MATT SWORDER Chef Matt Sworder is passionate about great ingredients. Now running his first restaurant, The Corner House in Canterbury, Matt hopes to repeat the success of his restaurant in Minster which won Taste of Kent Best Restaurant 2015 and is listed in the Good Food and Michelin Guides. He said: The restaurant will serve the best Kent produce from Romney Marsh Lamb to locally caught seafood. As well as local food, we ve a range of award-winning beers from pension scheme. The problem is that more than one million small employers will have to comply with automatic enrolment over the next couple of years so getting help may become more difficult. As a new member of FSB I d like to offer some tips on what to do about automatic enrolment. Plan for automatic enrolment now and don t put it off. You ll then have time to understand the range of products and services out there. Choose a pension scheme that is right for you so that you can apply for the one you want in good time. No two schemes are the same and it is your scheme after all. To avoid the potential bottleneck you may face in 2017, think about bringing your staging date forward. Finally, be positive in explaining pensions to your staff. Don t let the Government get all the credit. Find out more via www. kentpensionservices.co.uk or benefits. SECOND COURSE FOR LISTED KENT-BASED AWARD-WINNER Gadds, the Ramsgate Brewery and local wines from Chapel Down, Tenterden. I look forward to dishing up Kent s best ingredients to FSB members. Matt has already found FSB membership useful and revealed: Having just opened my second restaurant I ve found the services offered by FSB invaluable from a HR perspective and I ve made use of the legal advice helpline to make sure that all our employment practices are above board. LOVE OUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT Five years since the Kent Independent Traders launched, the Awards have shown just how diverse and how vibrant the world of business is in the area. This year is set to be another one to remember with more categories introduced to showcase even more of Kent s hidden business treasures. FSB, as headline sponsor, is pivotal in making this celebration one that rewards and recognises what goes into starting, growing and sustaining a business. This year there have been a record number of entries for the startup category which is encouraging for growth in the county as a whole, especially during such uncertain times as have so far been experienced in Last year saw a record number of entries as a whole with some categories receiving over 50 nominations. It s not the size of the business that makes it stand out, nor is it the annual turnover, it s the way the business operates and plans to operate in the future that counts. Sole traders through to companies with 49-plus employees will be joining together to celebrate achievement in 17 categories. With nominations from all corners of the county, it looks set to be a real Kentish celebration. The ceremony takes place on 15 September at The Great Danes Hotel. Full details are here You can also follow the event live on PAGE 11

DEVELOP YOUR sustainable business growth strategy The event for SMEs looking to grow, develop or diversify business 80+ free

exhibition Conference hosting a speaker line-up of successful entrepreneurs and titans of industry Network with thousands of

to secure growth and build a smarter enterprise.

4 DEVELOP YOUR sustainable business growth strategy The event for SMEs looking to grow, develop or diversify business 80+ free to attend seminars and workshops be inspired by business leaders 150+ SME friendly suppliers and service providers in the exhibition Conference hosting a speaker line-up of successful entrepreneurs and titans of industry Network with thousands of SME owners and decision-makers and dedicated drop-in areas Join the very best of the UK s small and medium sized businesses to secure growth and build a smarter enterprise. PRESENTING BUSINESS LEADERS & SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS, INCLUDING: LARA MORGAN MARK FOSTER OLI BARRETT MBE Register for your FREE ticket EliteBizEvent Elite Business Live

JOIN BIG AND GET YOUR BUSINESS OPINIONS HEARD Big Voice is FSB s unique, online research community and it s free for members to join.

Senior politicians, Government Ministers and the Bank of England regularly use the results of Big Voice research to help shape their work and policies.

This evidence is used to support our lobbying and help shape the laws affecting small businesses. Join for free today and start making sure your voice is heard.

5 JOIN BIG AND GET YOUR BUSINESS OPINIONS HEARD Big Voice is FSB s unique, online research community and it s free for members to join. It s the place where our members can have their say on behalf of small businesses across the UK. Senior politicians, Government Ministers and the Bank of England regularly use the results of Big Voice research to help shape their work and policies. By commenting or responding to one of our surveys, members give us the evidence we need to take to politicians at all levels, across the UK and in Brussels. This evidence is used to support our lobbying and help shape the laws affecting small businesses. Join for free today and start making sure your voice is heard. FREE ROADSHOWS FROM FSB TO HELP, ADVISE AND SUPPORT FSB have announced they will be helping, advising and supporting smaller business owners by running a completely new series of Roadshows for These will run as one-day conferences, including: Free Seminars which are all aimed at giving you practical help and advice to help your business survive Network with business contacts from all over your region Exclusive offers and discounts. Exhibitors will be offering great value for money deals and exclusive offers Topics include new payment methods, encouraging female entrepreneurs, social media for business and case studies in innovation. The Roadshows are: 4 October at Leeds Royal Armouries, Leeds 2 November at Paintworks, Bristol 21 November at Beaumont Estate, Windsor For more information and to register for your free ticket go to events.fsb.org.uk/ Roadshows2016 NEW GOVERNORS ARE SOUGHT FOR WELLS FREE SCHOOL AS NEW BUILDING IS READY PAGE 13 The Wells Free School is a small single form entry primary school set up by its Founder-Governors under the government s academies scheme. It opened in September Taking in a new Reception class each year, it plans to be completely full by September 2017 and benefits from a strong waiting list. A brand new school building at the top of the old Kent & Sussex Hospital site is now almost ready for us to move into in September this year. Several of the original governors (including the Chair) will be standing down in the near future, and we are therefore seeking new governors who will continue to promote our unique and friendly ethos, and who will help to drive the school forward into the future. A passion for excellent primary stage education is more important than governance experience, and we are looking for applicants from all walks of life. More details about the school can be found on our website freeschool.co.uk, and anyone interested in becoming aa governor should robert. atwood@thewellsfreeschool. co.uk in the first instance.

POST EU REFERENDUM, WHAT NOW FOR KENT BUSINESSES? While FSB representatives talk to Government, we are keen to understand the implications of the EU Referendum on a countywide basis.

Join Institute of Director s and FSB members at a specially convened conference, 100 Days on from the EU Referendum at the new Kent Institute of Medicine and Surgery, Maidstone, on 30 September.

6 POST EU REFERENDUM, WHAT NOW FOR KENT BUSINESSES? While FSB representatives talk to Government, we are keen to understand the implications of the EU Referendum on a countywide basis. We have therefore invited key decision makers to outline how the road ahead may change following the EU Referendum result. Join Institute of Director s and FSB members at a specially convened conference, 100 Days on from the EU Referendum at the new Kent Institute of Medicine and Surgery, Maidstone, on 30 September. Speakers include representatives from the South East LEP who are responsible for 442m of Government funding, plus Ebbsfleet Garden City s Development Corporation Chief and councillors from Kent County Council. To book your place alison.parmar@fsb.org.uk. Tickets are 10 and please book early as spaces are limited. WHY ENTERING BUSINESS AWARDS IS WORTH WHILE There are many awards celebrating business achievements across the county and The Taste of Kent Awards, organised by the food and drink trade organisation, Produced in Kent, has now been running since 2004, making it the outstanding award for this sector in the South East. The value of entering awards, whatever sector you represent, has long been recognised as a valuable way to raise the profile of your business. There are businesses that do not recognise this opportunity and the tangible benefits in PR terms that come from winning or even from being a PRODUCED IN KENT WINNERS finalist. The finalists and winners in the Taste of Kent Awards receive branding both before the awards and afterwards which they can use to raise the profile of their business on their websites, in their social media marketing and so many other ways. This promotion is free and part of the reason for taking part. All awards are reliant on the support of local businesses, particularly the Taste of Kent Awards, which Big Voice is our unique, online research community. It s the place where our members can have their say on behalf of small businesses across the UK. Senior politicians, Government Ministers and the Bank of England regularly use the results of Big Voice research to help shape their work and policies. Big Voice is a free to join, online community for our members. By commenting or responding to one of our surveys, members give us the prides itself in working with largely Kent based businesses for its sponsors. Without such support, Kent SMEs would not be able to benefit from the uplift they receive through the publicity and being part of an awards programme always demonstrates the strength of working together. Produced in Kent is all about Keeping it Kentish and to this end our ethos is to use local suppliers ourselves as well as encouraging the public and Kent s visitors, to buy local. We run a campaign called the 10% Campaign, all about spending ten per cent of your food and drink budget on buying something local. However, our challenge to you all is why limit this to food and drink when you can you extend this to your business procurement policy. Support the Kent economy, boost employment and boost Kent tourism. The next time you are pondering shall we enter, is it worth the effort, engage with your staff, get them to buy into the idea and make the most of a free opportunity and above all KEEP IT KENTISH! Visit WANT TO MAKE YOUR OPINION HEARD? evidence we need to take to politicians at all levels, across the UK and in Brussels. This evidence is used to support our lobbying and help shape the laws affecting small businesses. Make a contribution and sign up today. REGIONAL TEAM CONTACTS Representing our members is a regional team of volunteers. These volunteers from businesses across Kent meet once a month to plan and discuss events, sponsorship and local lobbying. Regional Chairman & National Cllr Bill Fox bill@kentba.co.uk Regional Treasurer Neville Gaunt neville@mindfitltd.com Regional Secretary Sarah Poole admin@kentcastle.co.uk For the full list of Kent Regional members visit kentandmedway Kent Regional Office Open 9.45am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday. Telephone: office.kent@fsb.org.uk Follow us on #ibacksmallbusiness Find us on Linked In. Join the Kent Group Like us on Facebook FederationOfSmallBusinesses Watch us on You Tube FederationVideo PAGE 14

Your Development Manager: or call

Your Development Manager: or call Kent & Medway Your Development Manager: alison.parmar@fsb.org.uk or call 07917 628 904 May/June 2017 SKILLS 30:30 A BUZZING WAY TO BRIDGE SKILLS GAP Recruiting the right staff can be hard when it seems