Spring to Action Ltd

Support for Food and Drink Businesses

 

Food Workshop

Get support to develop a food or drink business in Leicester. Learn about food hygiene, health and safety, business planning and test your idea and products alongside other food businesses.

Enrol on the FREE 2 day workshop at  http://www.thefoodworkshop.co.uk/enrol-now.php

 

Pitch Up Entrepreneur Competition

Leicester Market has a new initiative to inspire and assist budding entrepreneurs called the Pitch Up Entrepreneur Competition.

With this short term project they are looking for 8 “finalists” who will benefit from dedicated workshops, free test trading throughout June, a £250 trading allowance and overall business support.

The eventual winner will be judged by a panel and will receive a further £500, up to 6 months FREE trading at the market (if compatable with their Business Plan) and claim the crown of Pitch Up Entrepreneur 2012

 

Again entries and further information is available on line at www.thefoodworkshop.co.uk

Entries up until 18^th May

 

http://www.leicestermarket.co.uk/news/pitch-up-entrepreneur-2012/

The Startup Sessions - 21st March 2012

Join us for a starting in business workshop at Kettering's Naseby Hotel on 21st March 2012 from 9am.

The Startup Sessions are designed to offer an introduction to running your own business, giving you the chance to share your concerns, answers your questions and weigh up the pros/cons of running your own business.

The workshop will be informal and interactive, no chalk and talk here! You'll be learning through doing, using your own experience and skills to inform the day and help others, whilst their differing skillsets will help you focus on areas you need to work on to make your business idea thrive.

We won't get a chance in 8 hours to cover everything about running a busines (it takes a lifetime!) but this is a great start and will help you answer the age-old dilema of 'not knowning what I don't know'. 

We will also inform you about other support that's's available in your area and through government programmes.

The day will also feature:

• Take-away guides for business essentials to refer back to
• The chance to get reflections on your business idea from a qualified advisor and other people
• Top tips on key areas of business and sources of advice / information
• Information about networking groups and local support including access to free 30 mins of legal advice
• Plenty of drinks refreshments

All of this for a £40 fee is a great value offer.  This doesn't include lunch - you can bring your own, visit one of the local cafes within a short walking distance, or we can order in advance from the hotel on your behalf.

Book your place today.

New startup workshops in March and April, Leicester

We're delighted to announce a new set of workshops for the Enterprise as a Life project, on which we are a partner. Starting in March, they will cover key aspects of running a business including marketing, getting and keeping money, legal issues, tax and business planning.

To be eligible to attend you need to be aged 19+ and live in Leicester City.  We can support any business idea from gardening, to sport and beyond (as long as it's legal!).

March dates:

Thursday 15th March
Friday 16th March
Tuesday 20th March
Thursday 22nd March
Tuesday 27th March
Thursday 29th March

April dates:

Wednesday 18th April
Friday 20th April
Thursday 26th April
Friday 27th April
Wednesday 2nd May
Thursday 3rd May

 

All workshops are held at St Martin's House (next to the Cathedral), 9.30-12.30am.

Contact us to discuss this further and book your place on 0116 217 9250 or email kate.cowan@springtoaction.co.uk

Friendly Friday Goes Large!

Linwood Centre, Linwood Lane, Leicester, LE2 6QJ
9th March, 10am - 2pm

Spring can be found at this fantastic community event at the Linwood Centre on 9th March.  We're having a stall and will be doing a presentation about self employment. Pop by to visit us on our stand or come and see us speak.

What's on?
Refreshments, Stalls Information & Advice, Arts & Crafts, Fun Activities, Guest Speakers, Workshops, Community & Business Networking

Guest Speakers
We have 11 experts and guest speakers lined up to give talks on a range of subjects including; Self employment, Business Start Up & Development, Social Enterprise, Mulimedia, Marketing, Branding and Writing Funding Bids.

Business Surgery
Come and along speak to our panel of experts for advice on business start up and development, self employment, tax, accounts and marketing.

Taster Workshops

• Email Marketing
• Social Media & blogging
• Digital Photography
• I need a website but don’t know
  where to start

For more information or to book a place Call Beckie on 0116 224 9790 or 0790 000 2530.

This event is FREE, book your tickets at http://friendlyfridaygoeslarge.eventbrite.co.uk

Parking available

Meet / Mingle with Leicester's startups

Wednesday 29th February 2012
From 6pm at LCB Depot

Meet / Mingle Leicester is a new event designed to help local people interested in starting a business to connect, share experiences and meet.  Held at the creative LCB Depot, the event is hosted by our very own Kate Cowan and will feature 4 local business people, who've developed successful businesses right here in Leicester.

You'll have the chance to ask them questions and hear about how they made their businesses work, and the pitfalls along the way.  There will be honest accounts of the highs and lows, and some useful tips for you to use in your business.

Book your place at Meet / Mingle Leicester online, it's free, and includes a drink. We suggest you eat before you arrive though, so there aren't too many rumbly stomachs.

So far over 60 people have booked a place, with just 20 places left we suggest you book yours swiftly too!

See you there.

All new January 2012 business startup workshops

New year, new start - isn't that the common saying at this time of year?  In our experience, it's particuarly true of people thinking of starting a business.  January is an extremely popular time to consider a change of worklife balance and to set goals (and hopefully achieve them).

We're delighted to start this year off with some new workshops, courtesy of our involvement in the Enterprise As a Life project.  You can follow it on twitter @enterprisaslife or read the blog at www.enterpriseasalife.org.uk

Dates are:

• Thursday 19th January
• Friday 20th January
• Thursday 26th January
• Friday 27th January
• Thursday 9th February
• Friday 10th February

All workshops are held 9.30am - 12.30am at St Martins House, 7 Peacock Lane, Leicester, LE1 5PZ

Contact us to book your place and find out more about how we can help you start a business in Leicester on 0116 217 9250 or email kate.cowan@springtoaction.co.uk

This project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Leicester City Council.

New dates added - Selling to the Public Sector

Does you business or organisation want to sell to the public sector or improve their success rate?  A range of workshops have been organised including:

Introduction to Selling to the Public Sector - 14th November, 9.15am - 12.30pm

Completing a PQQ and ITT: Essential documents for tendering - 14th November, 1.15pm - 5.00pm

Writing a tender with impact - 6th December, 9.15am - 12.30pm

Advanced Tendering Skills: Winning the Bid - 6th December, 1.15am - 5.00pm

 

• All seminars will be held at Highpoint Conference Centre, 165 Glenfield Road, Leicester LE3 6DJ.
• Joining instructions will be sent to you once we have received the completed and Download Booking form - Selling to the Public Sector.

Get in touch with kate.cowan@springtoaction.co.uk or call 07921 992 194 for more information.

Learn how to do business with the public sector

Free workshops are on offer for Leicester City businesses wanting to trade with the public sector.  Learn how the public sector buys and how you'll need to get your business 'fit to supply'

This workshop provides you with the knowledge and skills to understanding the public sector procurement process, learn about Pre-Qualification Questionnaires and Tenders and put them into practice.  Discover how to write your bids, the policies required and insurance levels in addition to understanding the ways which public sector bodies buy goods and services. 

Delivered by BSS, with extensive experience in supporting small businesses in bidding and tendering for public sector work, their trainer will explain how to sell effectively to the public sector and improve your success rate.

Workshops:

31st October Book at http://31octobertendering.eventbrite.com/

14th November Book at http://14novembertendering.eventbrite.com/

28th November Book at http://28novembertendering.eventbrite.com/

All workshops are held at Highpoint Conference Centre, starting at 9am and include lunch.

Spring offers help to get your business idea off the ground

People with business ideas in Leicester are being offered support to consider self employment as a viable career option.

As well as one to one support the project offers you specialist workshops to help you understand the key aspects of starting a business and to build your confidence and motivation.  After you’ve participated in these workshops to provide you with basic business knowledge you’ll be supported to start with access to a business mentor.

The project, Enterprise As a Life, is open to anyone resident in Leicester City over the age of 19 years.  You may either have a clear idea or several ideas and not sure which to follow. We’ll help you with the information you’ll need to make that decision.

The next course starts on 20^th September, at 9.30am at St Martin’s House in the heart of the city centre (next to the Guildhall and Cathedral).  Get in touch to book your place.

All this support is offered free of charge, thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Leicester City Council.

For more information contact Kate Cowan on 0116 217 9250 or email kate.cowan@springtoaction.co.uk

The Absent Talent

Business advisors are soon going to be an endangered species.  Currently, Business Link is the major employer, but with many an enterprise agency, social enterprise development company, quango and local government officer employed to support businesses there are a range of business advisors out there.

But from November or even earlier, many advisors will have lost their funding or been made redundant. Many will have to re-train or enter the private sector perhaps in a related but different career.

What worries me the most however, is where is the next generation of advisors coming from? The current entry routes vary, but commonly people enter the sector through becoming project officers, administrator, information and guidance staff or similar occupations.  As the coalition governments spending cuts hit these entry routes will drastically decline.  Who else would enter the fray?

My own view is that at some point government will realise (perhaps through a bump on the head or worse, a complete drop in entrepreneurial activity) that they need funded business support, in some cases.  My argument of course assumes this, it assumes that we need business advisors, coaches, mentors and the plethora of business support that’s out there. But I would say that wouldn’t I?  That argument is for another day.

Any thoughts?