The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 15: Spring 2020 | Page 38

BUSINESS ADVICE We are a voice for small business - not Russian spies.... As an avid fan of James Bond, one of the things that you understand is that if you work for a spy organisation you should never admit to it. Therefore if I tell you I work for the FSB and you quickly look up that acronym you may be surprised to learn it stands for Federal Security Bureau, the Russian counter- intelligence agency and the successor to the KGB. But no, I don’t work for them (or would I tell you if I did?) The FSB I really am proud to work for is the Federation of Small Businesses, the biggest business representation group in Britain which boasts thousands of small business owners, entrepreneurs and self-employed people here in Bath and Somerset. So, what does my FSB stand for? Well, we see ourselves as THE voice of small businesses and having just returned from our annual member conference I was both staggered and delighted to hear of some of the amazing achievements we as an organisation have done in recent years to influence and improve the lives of small business owners across the UK. As well as doing lots of lobbying we also provide a whole raft of unrivalled benefits – we aim to be a one-stop, one-annual- payment support service for all SMEs – and stage and support events where we can. You can see some of the events coming up by going to www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar. html or by following either myself as the Bath Development Manager on Twitter (@ FSBGlosandWoe) or my colleague Ruth who looks after Somerset (@FsbSomAndWilts). We also have a new Bath area Facebook page at: https://business.facebook.com/FSB. GloucestershireBristolBath. Can I finally say how pleased I am to be able to write for the Business Exchange in this area? As one of two of you may remember I used to be the editor of the Bath Chronicle, Somerset Standard and Somerset Guardian newspapers so I know what a truly remarkable place this is to both live and work. I always loved the business scene in this area and even more so the people who are so proud to call if their home so if you do spot me at an event please come and say ‘hi’. And I promise I won’t share anything we say with my FSB colleague Vladimir Putin… Sam Holliday, FSB Local Development Manager @FSBGlosandWoe If you want to know more about the FSB please visit www.fsb.org.uk or (for Bath) contact [email protected] or (for Somerset) [email protected] When you need time away from the offi ce to allow clarity of thought, Combe Grove is the perfect destination to help you deliver results, with great views guaranteed. OUR DAY DELEGATE RATE INCLUDES Mid-morning tea and coffee with fruit or biscuits Sandwich lunch Bottled mineral water Mid-afternoon tea and coffee Data projector and screen Flip-chart, notepads and pens Complimentary WiFi www.combegrove.com TBE 1/4 page ad.indd 1 38 CG www.tbebathandsomerset.co.uk ROOM HIRE Free onsite parking. You can enjoy a dip in the pool, a steam and sauna or one of our dynamic studio classes for as little as £12 extra per person. 01225 834 644 Get in touch to book your bespoke meeting today. Combe Grove is owned by The Elmhurst Foundation, a charity that is transforming the site into a centre for work-based learning excellence with a range of high quality, enhanced apprenticeships. Over the coming months and years, The Elmhurst Foundation will continue to evolve the hotel into a go-to destination for health & wellbeing, making the very most of its tranquil woodland setting and outstanding views. [email protected] 22/08/2019 16:53