The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 24: April/May 2016 | Page 4

BUSINESS NEWS COVER STORY: Enterprise Nation supporting and giving a voice to the UK’s small business owners from start-up to growth In October 2015 Enterprise Nation officially launched in the South West and is raising its profile locally with a series of events to help and inspire regional businesses on their growth journey. On January 16, the membership organisation’s Start-up 2016 event took place at Excalibur Communications in Swindon, inspiring wanna-be entrepreneurs to make their mark this year. Set up ten years ago, Enterprise Nation is the UK’s fastest growing small business membership organisation with 66,493 members and a network of 33,000 advisors. There are three levels to membership: FREE • Access to daily blogs • Useful practical information and resources (such as how to complete a tax return, top tips for social media, advice on exporting and how to get business funding) • Weekly webinars • Access to Enterprise Nation TV Channel on YouTube CLASSIC A year’s membership is £30, giving you: • Access to free consultations with advisers • Ability to connect with other Enterprise Nation members • 25% off Enterprise Nation events • Special business offers, from mobile phone contracts to business cards BUSINESS ADVISOR MEMBERSHIP • £50 a year • Opportunity to connect with small businesses within the network and build your business development pipeline Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation and South West Champion Alison Edgar met with TBE to give us more of an insight into how they are supporting local companies and their plans for the rest of the year. TBE: What opportunities do you see for business in 2016? Emma Jones: We see three distinct opportunities. Firstly, international trade. We’re going on five trade missions this year, to Dublin, Germany, South Africa,the US and China. There’s a huge opportunity for anything with a British label. The second is making the most of the digital opportunity. Social media has been a great friend to start-ups and small businesses, but they want expert advice on how to keep up and monitor success. We’re planning a national road show with a day’s seminar in each location providing top tips and advice on embracing digital. Included in this will be supporting businesses with how to complete an online tax return. The Government have pledged that this will be going live by 2017 and people need to be educated. Finally, we’re equipping small businesses to sell to bigger brands and the Government. We host something called ‘The Exchange’ where we match buyers from top retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury and Ocado to small producers. These brands love being attached to the entrepreneurial story and the authenticity of small business. We provide practical advice on how to get the skills, finance and production capacity to be taken seriously by these larger firms. The Government has repeatedly said that they’re committed to spending £1 in every £3 with local businesses. This sounds great, but in reality the procurement process is tricky and we need to work to make this easier for small business. TBE: What events do you have planned in Wiltshire in the coming months? Alison Edgar: We’re hosting two events in April. Our Meet the Journalist event on April 4 in Swindon with TBE editor Anita Jaynes, Fiona Scott and Vicki Owen, enterprise editor Mail on Sunday. Then in Devizes on April 8 were running The Food Exchange, connecting food and drink businesses with government contracts. In May we’re also hosting an event called “Take the leap”- How to grow your small business. This will be on May 9 at The Enterprise Network) in Royal Wootton Bassett. Listen to an exclusive podcast with Emma Jones and TBE editor Anita Jaynes online at: http://ow.ly/ZFKnv You can book all Enterprise Nation events and find out more by visiting: www.enterprisenation.com/events LAUNCH OF BoA BUSINESS AWARDS Bradford on Avon has always been home to some of the most successful companies in the county from Avon Rubber, to Moulton bicycles and Antony Best Dynamics who supply advanced testing systems to the global motor industry. In recent years it has also been a popular place to start a foodie business with five new eateries opening in the last year. Its beautiful riverside setting has also attracted a number of bridal shops to the town thriving from the town’s romantic setting. A small team of Bradford on Avon business people passionate about their town and celebrating the successes of the businesses based there are launching the first ever BoA Business Awards on May 1. Entries can be made via the Boa Business website www.boabusiness.co.uk The awards will represent retail, tourism, exporting, financial services, the creative industries and more with set categories for each.The awards are supported by BoA Business, a community of more than 300 businesses based in and around the town. Membership is free and open to all companies in the area. The Business Exchange is proud to be media partner for the awards alongside local Bradford on Avon magazine The Gudegon, culminating in a glittering black tie dinner and awards ceremony in October. Further details to be announced in the next edition of TBE. To find out more email: [email protected] “Creative communications strategies to grow your business” www.geometrypr.co.uk 4 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2016 01255 422051