Volume 514 Circulation: October 2017

Transcription

1 Volume 514 Circulation: October 2017 To subscribe to this free weekly newsletter, please World-renowned entrepreneurial event returns to Sheffield An illustrious line-up of entrepreneurs, experts and peers will be speaking at MADE Entrepreneur Festival, the UK s premier business event for entrepreneurship. Having been voted in the top 10 worldwide entrepreneurial conferences, this year MADE will be even better than ever. Returning to the Crucible in Sheffield on 9 November, MADE headlines with a conference aimed to educate, inspire and motivate new and experienced business leaders a-like by sharing their stories, advice and experiences on growing and succeeding in business. There will also be over 20 Fringe events covering a wide range of business topics. The exciting line-up includes Phil M. Jones, a best-selling author and multiple award-winner who is highly regarded as the world s leading sales trainer. From working with small business owners that are looking to increase sales to globally recognised companies that want to drive more activity from their staff Phil s unique skillset allows him to serve a vast mix of people with entirely different goals. Also speaking will be Sahar Hashemi, who was recently appointed Co-Chair of the Government s new Scale-up Task Force, brought the coffee cafe culture to the UK in the 90 s with her chain Coffee Republic. The event is packed with insights, inspiration and ideas to ignite the imagination with an amazing line-up of inspirational speakers and leading trainers in marketing and sales. For further information visit: Power Hour+! New series of essential expert marketing for your business Rob Taylor is launching his Power Hour+ events at pm on Monday 16 October 2017 at Cubana, Leopold Street, Sheffield, S1 2JG. The event will feature expert guests, marketing wins and real life marketing for your business! The Power Hour+ sessions are intensive, action-heavy

2 marketing workshops with effective networking for Sheffield City Region businesses. The best bits of Power Hour+ are here and have expanded to be a session of 2 hours of awesome, effective marketing for your business! Bringing together industry leaders from across digital, social, traditional and business marketing, you are guaranteed to take away huge value and immediate wins for your business. Guests will include Matthew Woodhall of MeshViz, outlining the top 10 things you can do to your website today, and Rik Courtney of Be More Social who will advise on what you need to focus on with Facebook. To book visit: FSB Christmas Networking Spectacular The Federation of Small Businesses, in association with Costco Wholesale Ltd, will once again be presenting the legendary Christmas Networking Spectacular, which has become a highlight of the South Yorkshire annual business calendar! The event will take place at pm on Wednesday 22 November at Costco Wholesale, Parkway Drive, Sheffield, S9 4WU. It represents 2017 s final opportunity for local businesses to meet their fellow-networkers, talk about their business, buy, sell and seek out those allimportant joint trading collaborations... delegates just never know what surprises the event may have in store! All the stands have now been snapped up, so we are expecting a bumper attendance for this event. We are therefore inviting delegates to book early to be sure of a place the event may sell out quickly! To book, visit: Free masterclasses for South Yorkshire businesses The Sheffield City Region Growth Hub Enhancement Project has a number of free Masterclasses open for registration. Open to SMEs within the Sheffield City Region, the Masterclasses aim to provide business support on areas where assistance is in demand. Businesses can sign up via the hyperlinks below. There is still availability on all of these Masterclasses. TOPIC DATE TIME VENUE Wednesday 8:30am Holiday Inn, 25 October 12:00pm Doncaster Leadership and Management Masterclass: Managing people and developing effective relationships Financial Management and Planning Masterclass Leadership and Management Masterclass: Managing key business tasks Monday 13 November Wednesday 29 November 1:00pm 4:30pm 8:30am 12:00pm Shorts, Napier Street, Sheffield Holiday Inn, Doncaster BOOK NOW BOOK NOW BOOK NOW

3 Meet the Funders - Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund The British Business Bank, together with the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub and Enterprising Barnsley is holding an event at am on Thursday 26 October at the Digital Media Centre, County Way, Barnsley, S70 2EQ to tell local partners about the new 400m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and how to access it. The event will brief the local business community on the new funding opportunities available and on how businesses can access the funds. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund will provide businesses with increased flexibility in the types of funding available, as well as boosting investment levels in the North. The Sheffield City Region Access to Finance team will be in attendance to discuss the funding opportunities available generally through the market as well as opportunities for support from the Growth Hub, and there will also be opportunities to meet and discuss business support opportunities with local representatives from the Enterprising Barnsley Team. Coffee and breakfast will be provided and there will be time allocated for networking after the event. To book visit: World class speakers come to Doncaster to talk about the art of the possible! Superfast South Yorkshire is holding a series of Art of the Possible events to encourage businesses to innovate and think about technology differently. business and will learn what it means to innovate. Following this event, delegates will know how to be more efficient and productive in their The theme of this event will be around connectivity, export and international trade. It is to be held at the state of the art National High-Speed College. Not only will delegates be able to experience this new state-of-the-art college, they will hear presentations around innovation, trade and export The event is free to attend and takes place at pm on Tuesday 17 October at the National College of High Speed Rail, Doncaster College, Waterdale, Doncaster. To book visit: Sheffield Urban CX round 3 With Sheffield Urban CX s main objective of re imagining Sheffield s iconic places and spaces, Park Hill Flats was destined to be a stop in the Sheffield Urban Cyclo Cross series. Urban CX is a race format that re-imagines spaces in the city and turns them into an arena for riders to test their skills on courses that will incorporate different features to make it a race to remember. The races are run in sprint rounds where up to 12 riders battle for a top 6 placing to get through to the final round for victory. The location of Park Hill and its sweeping vistas across the cityscape of The Outdoor City made for a dramatic and exciting second round of the series. Park Hill CX also saw some exciting racing and was the first round to include junior racing, which will now be a regular feature in a Sheffield Urban CX series races.

4 Round 3 will be held at Sheffield's Whirlow Farm on 11 November and entries are now open. To enter visit: Launchpad Mentoring Month celebration evening with Danny Mills SCR Mentoring invites you to join them to celebrate the success of SCR Mentoring Month with a unique celebration. The free event is aimed at existing or aspiring Mentors or Mentees to discover the world of Launchpad Mentoring whilst creating invaluable business contacts from around the Sheffield City Region and beyond. Danny Mills The evening will offer the chance to hear from celebrity VIP guest ex England International Football Star turned successful businessman Danny Mills, explore a live case study, learn more about the Launchpad programme, enjoy exciting live entertainment from Anastasia Walker of Bang Bang Romeo and delicious complementary food all housed in an urban warehouse and home to some of the city s most creative artists. Danny Mills is a regular pundit on the BBC and BT Sport and has always maintained an interest in business. He has co-founded a private equity company and one of his first and most high-profile investments was the West Cornwall Pasty Co. The event will take place at 7.00 to 10.30pm on Wednesday 25 October at The Hide, Scotland Street, Sheffield, S3 7AA. More details at: How can digitalisation transform how we work and live? This year s Business and Innovation Conference will take place on 30 October to 1 November at the Cutlers Hall, Sheffield. This is the conference where UK and international delegates can explore the challenges and opportunities presented by digitalisation. The conference will focus on digitalisation across the following key areas: Industrial Digitalisation: Exploring the challenges and opportunities that digital technology and automation present for the manufacturing industry and how businesses can become more productive and competitive by harnessing these new skills. Health and Wellbeing: Exploring how digitalisation of services and innovative technologies have the potential to transform the future of health and social care, overcoming growing barriers such as ageing populations, budget restraints and the challenges of modern life. Smart Cities and Mobility: Exploring smarter and more sustainable urban infrastructure and services to accommodate the growing population that live and work in cities. The full programme includes global examples of successful innovation ecosystems and international speakers exploring the latest developments in digitalisation. There will be a wide range of workshops and Q&A sessions, opportunities to develop research and innovation collaborations and social events to share ideas with local and international delegates. More details at:

5 Yorkshire exporters offered match funding to tap into overseas markets Yorkshire businesses new to exporting or already selling overseas could be eligible for match funding worth up to 5,000 towards the costs of investigating new international markets. The 6.7m European programme was highlighted by ExportExchange, the free peer-to-peer overseas trade network for businesses. costs of developing exports. Under the 6.7m European Regional Development Fund Exporting for Growth programme SMEs in the Sheffield City Regions and the Humber LEP can access matched funding of up to 60 per cent of the Investment eligible for financial support under the programme, which is delivered by Enterprise Growth Solutions, includes overseas travel, international exhibition costs, language training and export consultancy. Registering products in new markets and developing internationally targeted marketing materials is also eligible. More details at: RB partners with Hull s C4DI on startup mentoring programme Consumer health and hygiene firm RB is taking steps to give tech startups in Hull the support they need to unlock growth. The company struck a new partnership with digital hub C4DI (Centre for Digital Innovation) to launch the RB Mentorship 100 Programme, which will offer 100 hours of mentorship to the city s digital entrepreneurs. Scott Seville and John Connolly The programme will be delivered at RB s Centre for Scientific Excellence a 105m R&D facility being built at its existing Dansom Lane site when it opens its doors next year. It will see entrepreneurs learn more about topics such as product development, business partnering, regulatory strategy and project management. Scott Seville, RB s senior R&D manager, said: Our Hull site is one of RB s largest development centres globally so we have access to a wide variety of specialist skills and capabilities, which we want to share with the wider community. We ve therefore decided to dedicate at least 100 hours of mentorship to support C4DI and its members via our Mentorship 100 Programme. We can pass on a wealth of knowledge and experience that can help grow their businesses, and in return, we can be inspired and provoked by new ideas in digital innovation and small company thinking that can help our consumers. We are always looking for new ways to offer further career and skills development for our workforce and the partnership with C4DI will help us achieve that. C4DI s managing director, John Connolly, commented: This is a fantastic tie up with one of Hull s biggest and most innovative employers. By being involved in this partnership, RB will play a significant role in helping the region s digital entrepreneurs to achieve the success they deserve.

6 Mighty seeks to make a mark on business growth in Rotherham An initiative to develop start-up and young businesses across Rotherham, with free, tailored help and support launched last week. Mighty will deliver everything from practical help, such as finding premises or preparing contracts, to testing and developing business ideas, through both one to one mentoring and coaching, and a bank of resources. Part of the Sheffield City Region Launchpad scheme which delivers business support across the region, Mighty has been tailored by Rotherham Council s RIDO team and developed in line with Council plans to back local business growth. Amanda Parris, RIDO s Business Growth Manager, said: Mighty will work with entrepreneurs and new business to really test and hone ideas, make the most of all their opportunities and be prepared to confront any risks. We re also working with businesses under 24 months old who are looking to grow, perhaps taking on staff or moving premises, or diversify their offering. There s a team of experts waiting to mentor and support businesses like this in the region, and it s all free. Further information is available at: FSB urges Small Business Commissioner to end big business bullying Secretary of State for Business, Greg Clark, has announced the appointment of Paul Uppal to the newly-established post of Small Business Commissioner. The appointment of the father-of-three from Birmingham marks an important step toward ensuring small businesses have the support they need to thrive and grow a central tenet of the Government s Industrial Strategy. The FSB has already drawn a line in the sand to explain what it expects from Mr Uppal. There is far too much supply-chain bullying by big businesses. Their small suppliers are often messed around with lengthy delays in payments, underhand changes to contracts or forced to sign Paul Uppal unfavourable agreements. Fifty thousand small businesses a year are killed off by late payments. The hard work now begins to make a real difference and address the billions of pounds owed to small businesses by large companies. If successful, this could see the beginning of the end for Britain s poor payment culture. While the office will be up and running by the end of the year, we want to make sure he has the powers and the resources to resolve this kind of dispute. As Commissioner, Mr Uppal will lead an independent office tasked with empowering small businesses. The role will be crucial to supporting small businesses resolve disputes with larger businesses and will help drive a culture change in payment practices. Mr Uppal and his team will provide general advice and information to small businesses on matters such as resolving disputes, including signposting small businesses to existing support and dispute resolution services, which will be delivered through the commissioner s website. His priorities will reflect his 20-year experience as a small business owner in the real estate sector, where he saw how even sound businesses could struggle when faced with a culture of late payment by customers.

7 Timely advice for manufacturers on fourth industrial revolution EEF has launched a second podcast series designed to guide manufacturers through the challenges and benefits that the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) will bring, and help them implement a practical series of continuous improvement programmes and cost saving initiatives across their business that achieve long-term success. The series, delivered by experts from EEF s Manufacturing Growth Team and special guest speakers, will provide key insights into five different topics which will cover the impact of the digital future and, the culture change this is likely to have across the workforce. The topics will cover: Manufacturers and the 4IR journey Manufacturers and Cyber Security, guest speaker Nigel Mackie, Head of Cyber Security Business Development The Workplace of the Future Technology and digitilisation The Workplace of the Future Job security, role diversity and robotics The Workplace of the Future Upskilling and new skills Through the podcasts companies will gain valuable advice on where to focus and practical tools and advice which they can implement as part of business strategies for the digital future. They will also cover specifics and highlight key questions which manufacturers are raising through EEF s new Online Problem Solving Network which is linking manufacturers with their peers across the industrial community. The podcast is available to listen to at: House of Lords explores impact of Brexit 'no deal' The House of Lords EU Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the potential implications if the UK Government and the EU fail to agree a Brexit deal. The 'Brexit: Deal or No Deal?' inquiry will explore the implications of a 'no deal' situation on the UK economy and the future of its relationship with the EU. It will also identify the scenarios under which the outcome of the Brexit negotiations might result in 'no deal'. In addition, the inquiry will investigate how a Brexit deal could be implemented, the likely financial cost to the UK, the transitional arrangements needed and how the UK-EU relationship would be conducted during the transitional period. The committee is accepting written evidence until 26 October For further information, go to: ICO clarifies forthcoming data protection changes The Information Commissioner's Office has published a new online resource to help organisations prepare for and comply with forthcoming changes to data protection law in the UK. The resource clarifies the differences between the Data Protection Bill and the EU General Data Protection Regulation and their key provisions. In particular, the ICO has warned organisations that the Data Protection Bill has not been introduced just to bring the GDPR into UK law, and that the Bill will introduce further provisions that do not fall within the scope of EU law. For further information, go to: EU trade mark reforms take effect Key reforms to the European Union trade mark system came into effect on 1 October The requirement for a European Union trade mark to be represented graphically has been removed, meaning it is now possible to register a sound, scent or moving image.

8 A new trade mark category has also been introduced, enabling a symbol or mark which demonstrates that goods or services meet standards of manufacturing or performance to be registered as an EU certification mark. An example of a certification mark is the CE mark, which shows that goods comply with European Commission health and safety requirements. More information about the reforms to the European Union trade mark system is available at: Mental health webinars and workshops In their goal to help businesses become more disability confident, as part of World Mental Health Day Remploy are offering a series of free webinars and workshops focusing on mental health services, conditions and wellbeing in the workplace, aiming to improve your disability confidence as an employer. The webinars and workshops are open to senior business representatives who want to increase their mental health awareness in the workplace. The free webinar and workshop package includes a link to view or download a recording of the presentation slides, ongoing advice and support and Remploy support in implementing ideas and actions raised during session activities. These sessions are provided free by Remploy as part of its commitment to addressing mental wellbeing in the workplace. Register at: Improving access to growth finance for small firms The British Business Bank has published a new report calling for greater choice for smaller firms to access growth finance. 'The Benefits of Diverse Finance Markets for Smaller Businesses' report has revealed that while the British Business Bank has made significant progress in improving access to finance for smaller firms, there are still significant regional differences in availability and awareness of different finance options. Keith Morgan, chief executive of the British Business Bank, said: "We are committed to finding ways to support the market in increasing choice of both supplier and product as well as raising small business awareness of the range of finance options available." For further information, go to: Review into capital allowances tax relief The Office of Tax Simplification has announced a review into how the current capital allowances tax relief system can be simplified. In particular, the review will explore whether the current system should be replaced with an accounts depreciation system that would provide tax relief for firms investing in tangible assets. The review will examine the benefits and challenges of introducing the new system and the transitional arrangements that would need to be put in place. The OTS is expected to publish its final report in spring For further information, go to:

9 Record numbers of inbound tourists to UK International tourists made a record 11.1 million visits to the UK from May to July 2017, up 4% from the same period in 2016, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. In addition, July 2017 was the first time since 1961 that the UK welcomed more than 4 million international tourists in a single month. A significant rise in the number of visits from North America is a key factor behind the growth, with visits up 9% to 650,000 in July 2017 when compared to July Overall, international tourists spent a record 2.8 billion in the UK in July For further information, go to: Neville Martin Development Manager South and East Yorkshire Federation of Small Businesses Tel: Mobile: send your stories to him at: neville.martin@fsb.org.uk