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/

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.

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 Apprentice: Lessons Learned

Copyright: PA

Alas, The Apprentice is over for another year.  I have to admit I'm a big fan, it is excellent entertainment though I'm sure the candidates may feel the editing doesn't put them in the best light.

Last night was the final, where we finally got to see the business plans. I've been waiting for their arrival since day one.  I was admittedly suprised to hear that Jim, who had until that point come across to me as highly financially driven, had an idea which was founded on a not for profit idea.

But the biggest suprise had to be Helen. Her business plan needed work to say the least. I also thought it lacked the money-making potential we'd so far seen Helen excel at and which would appeal to Sir Alan.

It was an excellent demonstration of how you need the combination of two things to make business a success - the right person and the right idea. Siralan loves a go-getter, an ambitious person who can make a sale. His £250,000 has been set aside and I could never see it being given on a lacklustre idea or person. But I was suprised to see the 12 weeks of work left to essentially a choice between a great business person (but not great idea) and a person who hasn't really excelled in the process so far, with a business plan with many gaps in it.

It just goes to show, if you make it to the end you're in with a shot.  Well done to everyone involved, The Apprentice looks exhausting and emotionally draining.  Good luck Tom and your latest inventions, we need more inventors!

What did you think? What does The Apprentice teach us about business and starting up?

Keeping up Your Motivation

Having an idea to start a business is an exciting, thrilling time, when the possibilities of working for yourself start to take shape. You may dream of the ability to make your own decisions, control your workload, make more money or spend more time with your family.

As time passes and you work on your business losing motivation can be a common issue. How do you keep focused on the business when you're worried about where the next job will come from or distracted by other issues?

Goals and ambitions are key here.  Take time to think about your aspirations - where do you want to be in 2 years time? Making a decent income, paying off your debts, on holiday somewhere exotic, paying for your children to enjoy themselves?

You also need to break this down into smaller, achieveable goals, perhaps on a weekly basis. Write them down and post them somewhere obvious, like a noticeboard or in your diary.  How many people do you need to contact this week? How much money do you need to earn? What else do you need to do? Lists are so important, but be as creative as you can be about how you represent this information.

And my final tip? Congratulate yourself when you achieve something. Learn from your mistakes, chalk them up to experience and find the opportunity even where you feel there isn't any.

What are your tips for staying focused on your goals?  Leave us a comment and share your thoughts.

Cameron's StartUp Britain: A Help or Hindrance?

David Cameron has announced the launch of StartUp Britain, a package of measures to encourage people in Britain to start up businesses.

The main focus of this package is support from 60 leading brands offering a range of freebies - from free access to hotdesking to 1 months free broadband. The sort of stuff you'd expect from major brands wanting to promote their products to small businesses. 

This will "drive growth by accelerating, inspiring and celebrating Britain's startup talent".

This strikes the chord of a government wanting to avoid spending money wherever possible.  The simple reality is that for startup businesses this will do very little.  Startup costs can be prohibitive, so I guess every little helps, but this really is a very little.

Research shows us that startups, especially those from regenerating communities, need face to face advice from people they can trust and who will challenge them to market research and test their idea.  I worry that we are setting up yet another generation of entrepreneurs to fail. 

Not only will this cost us all in the long run (think of all those suppliers who'll never get paid, all those people declared bankrupt, and the ever-increasing benefits queue) but we will damage individuals confidence which is easy to damage, hard to repair.  

This is short-term thinking, which will do little to impact the Growth agenda Cameron espouses.  Businesses need real people, with real skills and a real passion to help them.

Worrying.

Melton Mowbray Business Advice Day

 

Join HMRC for their business advice day at Melton Mowbray's Brooksby Melton College on Thursday 10th March 2011.

Seminars include the hot topics businesses have shown interest in - VAT awareness, becoming self-employed and your tax responsibiliities, first steps as an employer and opportunities from the Olympics 2012.

The day starts at 10am.  Book now.