Your Development Manager: or call

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1 Kent & Medway Your Development Manager: or call May/June 2017 SKILLS 30:30 A BUZZING WAY TO BRIDGE SKILLS GAP Recruiting the right staff can be hard when it seems that skills are lacking. That is why FSB has been running Skills 30:30 workshops for the past year, bringing students and businesses together. The format is free for schools and business owners. It simply asks 30 local business owners to spend a morning in a local school. Businesses and students take part in separate workshops and then get together for facilitated speednetworking. By spending a morning learning from each other, business owners and students come away with a new-found knowledge and interest in the options ahead of them. Workshop host Darrel Linehan of The Marketing Link ran a session at the last Skills30:30 called How to stand out in work- the unwritten rules of the office and how to survive. Deborah Turner of You Image Consultancy hosted the second workshop on How to present yourself at work. Darrel said; Being a Dad, a business owner and someone who over the years has taken on apprentices and worked with young adults starting out at work, I found the Skills 30:30 program to be an amazing platform for businesses to break their perceptions of young people. Talking to this inspiring, passionate and excited next generation not only gave me confidence in the people who will be running things when I am older, but also allowed me to share some of my thoughts and ideas with them. If each of them takes one thing from the day that helps them, it was all worth it. Being involved doesn t mean you have to employ a student, however it will allow you to start seeing how they could now or in the future be a valuable asset to your business. Get involved if you get the chance! Whilst students were enjoying their workshops, some 30 businesses gathered to hear presentations on apprenticeships, the new KCC guilds and the Schools Enterprise Network. Then students and business guests came together for facilitated speed networking. Nicola Coppen of Diligence PM said It was great to meet other business people and hear about ways to bridge gaps between education and the workplace. Carl Lincoln of Wiser Wealthier and a Leigh Academy alumni said It was a pleasure to be back at my old school meeting some fantastic Kent businesses and outstanding students. Bringing students and businesses closer together is going to reap huge rewards for all concerned. I m not yet an employer but I have no doubt that there will be some job offers flying around after what I experienced. Take part in the next Skills 30:30- June 30 at Wilmington Academy. FSB & WORLDPAY UK BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS REVEALED The FSB & Worldpay UK Business Awards area winners have been announced following a rigorous selection process over the last few months. Entries were received from the whole of the UK, with entrants split into 12 regions and across 11 categories. The winners from your local area, and the categories they have won in are; Business and product innovation - The Cheeky Panda Microbusiness Digitom Ethical Lettuce Flowers Online Create.net Start-up Tri Swim Family - Frog Bikes Community Chiltern Music Therapy Young Entrepreneur - Towers Design Lifetime - Barry Pegrum, Sector Projects Limited Employer Infinity Motorcycles Towers Design and Barry Pegrum, Sector Projects Limited will go forward to the National Gala Final to be held in London on May 10. See fsb.ork.uk/first-voice for announcements of the national winners. REGIONAL NEWS 2, 11, 14 BUSINESS UPDATE 3-10 REGIONAL CONTACTS 14 TO ADVERTISE CALL

2 Kent & Medway FSB EVENTS ROUND UP Check or on Twitter for more details. 10 May Kent Vision Live, Detling with keynote speaker Robert Peston 17 May - #FSBConnect networking, Tenterden 18 May Women in Business Golf Taster Session 23 May Women in Business brunch, Hythe 25 May - #FSBConnect Tonbridge business breakfast 2 June #SlopeOffFriday lunch 6 June Women in Business brunch, Dartford 14 June- Grow Kent Business conference and awards, Maidstone 21 June - #FSBConnect networking, Tenterden 27 June Women in Enterprise: Essential business tools to untap your potential 30 June Skills 30:30 7 June - #SlopeOffFriday lunch WOMEN IN BUSINESS BRUNCH WOMEN IN BUSINESS: POTENTIAL UNTAPPED As part of FSB Kent Women in Business activity for 2017 we are keen to focus on raising awareness of the number and range of women starting their own businesses, writes Deborah Turner, FSB Women in Enterprise Taskforce member. We want to encourage more women into enterprise and provide business support and advice. We have been organising an FSB Kent Women in Business Brunches at Dartford for 18 months and have developed a successful format that includes networking, presentation from a member about their business experience followed by a round-table discussion on a business topic relevant to the group. Having established the structure as one 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 that attendees enjoy and gain value from, we have encouraged other members to set up the Brunch events in other locations and are pleased to say women in business brunches will be coming to Hythe, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks this summer. Women in business taking action With three of the FSB National Women s Taskforce based in Kent we wanted to deliver the messages of the Untapped Potential Report to as many Kent members and women in business as possible. We are keen to demonstrate that FSB are taking action to solve some of the findings within the report. With this in mind, we have created an event for 27 June called Women in Enterprise: Essential business tools to untap your potential. The day will start with a member-only early breakfast where guests will gain feedback on the new FSB Business Profiling tool. The event will officially commence at 930AM with a welcome from Helen Walbey, FSB Chair for Diversity. Helen will give an update on the progress the Taskforce as well as its future plans. There will then be active workshops covering PR, Video Marketing, Digital Tools and Access to grants and finance. Guests will have an opportunity to ask the expert, followed by a celebratory afternoon tea all hosted by FSB member Frasers, a fantastic venue in the Kent countryside. Other women in business events coming up in Kent include a Golf Taster Day on 18 May and regular women in business brunches. If you are an enthusiastic business woman and would like to host a brunch in your area with our support, get in touch.

3 Kent & Medway MAKE SURE YOUR FIRM IS PREPARED TO FACE POST-BREXIT FUTURE AHEAD Most companies in Kent are already trying to work out how they ll be impacted by the UK s departure from the EU in two years time but they also need to keep growing and improving in the meantime, to cope with the inevitable disruption that Brexit will bring and make the most of the many opportunities that could emerge. Which is why this year s Kent Vision LIVE is maintaining a keen focus on the here-andnow, as well as looking to the UK s future outside the EU. In addition to essential perspectives on the economic landscape from ITV s Robert Peston and the IoD s James Sproule plus a special Big Brexit Lunch the programme includes nearly thirty different keynotes and workshops on almost every aspect of managing a successful business. In partnership with Kent County Council, the KM Group, FSB and the Kent Event Centre, Kent Vision LIVE is a unique opportunity for business leaders, senior managers and entrepreneurs to make new contacts and share ideas on current challenges. Key themes for 2017 include digital marketing, employing and developing skilled staff, improving productivity, implementing new technologies, funding and launching a new venture and much, much more. In just a single day on KENT VISION LIVE Wednesday 10 May, visitors can hear expert speakers from international drinks producer Chapel Down, internet giant Google, Rosemary Shrager s Cookery School, The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Companies House, the University of Greenwich, Kent & Medway Growth Hub, Zoodikers, Reflect Digital, Liquiproof, Metis Women and others. With over 3,000 visitors expected to attend and a major exhibition of 300 B2B suppliers, Kent Vision LIVE looks set to generate over 20m of new business this year, whilst also helping thousands of Kent companies to get fighting fit for the turbulent times ahead. Visitors can register online for free places at www. kentvision-live.co.uk or speak to Claire Boffey on to find out more about participating as an exhibitor. KENT WORKSPACE AVAILABLE FOR GROWING BUSINESSES Need more space? There are lots of options for growing businesses who need a desk, more space or a meeting room. Have you considered hot desking? This is where you can rent a desk within a coworking environment ether for a few days a month, or on a more permanent basis. Regus offices in Ashford offer flexible office space with short term rents as do Clover House in Whitstable and Basepoint Business Centres. Fruitworks in Canterbury owned by FSB member Jobs in Kent Director Paul Andrews offers co-working space in a relaxed environment, as well as networking and training events. Along the same lines is The House in Tunbridge Wells, and The Business Terrace in Maidstone But if it s something larger you re after, how about new FSB members Create a Cabin? They will build you your own office space from a flat pack, specifically to suit your place and business needs. For links to all of these flexible working options, go to regions/kent-medway/news PAGE 11

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6 Kent & Medway NEW MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES FSB announced on the 20 March, that it was introducing the most major changes to its offer since it was founded in The sweeping transformation programme sees the introduction of a range of innovative new joining categories, as well as new and additional benefits. It is the next phase in FSB s rebranding exercise, which began in 2015, to ensure its stronghold as the most relevant, significant and accessible business organisation. Dave Stallon, FSB s commercial director, says: When FSB was founded in 1974, we adopted the Ford maxim of you can have any colour you like as long as it s black. We had one membership category, delivering the same benefits to all. That model worked for over 40 years, but we recognise that today s landscape is fast-changing and we want to offer different options to different business owners, as well as to those who are thinking about starting a business, to help them achieve their ambitions. FSB recognises that the small business landscape is changing and diversifying. Today s business owners have different motivations, needs and ambitions, running their businesses as part of increasingly varied lifestyles. FSB Business Creation and FSB Business Connect are two new joining categories launching on 20 March which will sit alongside the original, but newly re-branded and enriched, FSB Business Essentials. For further details visit org.uk. CYBERCRIME COMING TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU Cybercrime is no longer just an IT problem; it s the type of crime that shows the most significant increase in prevalence since The cyber security threat has become more complex. Each business must first understand what it means for them, their level of acceptable risk and key areas for investment in cyber security. One reason for the steep increase is the take-up of cloud-based storage and growing prevalence of the internet of things, with everything from fridges to office coffee machines connected to a network and therefore vulnerable to hackers. Small businesses are bearing the brunt of cyber-crime as highlighted in our recent report Small businesses bearing the brunt of cybercrime. Despite the vast majority of small firms taking steps to protect their business from digital threats, two third have been a victim of cyber-crime in the last two years. Over that period, those affected have been victims on four occasions on average, costing each business almost 3,000 in total. Almost all of the UK s 5.4 million small firms rate the internet as being highly important to their business, with two in three offering, or planning to offer goods and services online. If action is not taken, the growing sophistication of cyberattacks could stifle small business growth and in the worst cases close them down. The vulnerability of small businesses needs to be reduced. The most effective way is to change business culture and practice. Cyber resilience should become a key part of day to day business activity, a central feature of business planning and seen as being as important as finding new customers, obtaining finance and paying taxes. Visit and select for more advice. As FSB members, you now also get FSB Cyber Protection. This new benefit gives you access to a helpline and a limited insurance designed to support and protect your business at no extra cost. 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. FSB Kent and Medway Steering Group David Miles: david.miles@fsb.org.uk Simon Wilson: simon.wilson@fsb.org.uk David Milham: david.milham@asc.co.uk Stephen Askew: s.askew@hwca.com For the full list of Kent Regional members visit kentandmedway 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