Government has made significant progress in promoting business mentoring in the last year
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:
“A year ago, we pledged to encourage more people to use a business mentor and to increase the supply of volunteer mentors recruited from the business community, which we have achieved.
“The government remains committed to working with partners to develop the network of business mentors, who contribute so much to the growth of the small business community. There is still much work to be done, and we have aspirations to recruit and train thousands more business mentors...
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk has announced key milestones in mentoring support for entrepreneurs
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk has announced key milestones in mentoring support for entrepreneurs as the first Global Entrepreneurship Congress to be held in Europe gets underway.
The week-long Congress in Liverpool will see a range of activities to champion the entrepreneurial spirit of business people in the UK and around the world. Today, Mark Prisk has announced that the Get Mentoring initiative to recruit 15,000 volunteer business mentors has now passed the halfway mark with more than 7,500 signed...
SME manufacturers may be able to claim Manufacturing Advisory Service funding of up to £10,000 towards implementing strategic change
Under the scheme, SME manufactures can claim funding up to £10,000 (or 50% maximum) towards approved projects carried out with the help of E-MK advisers. Business strategy specialist E-MK was one of the first to be registered as an approved MAS delivery partner.
E-MK’s advisers have extensive experience and expertise in starting, growing, funding and exiting successful manufacturing businesses.
The new funding is for suitable projects that fall under the MAS Level 4 Transformation Service for a strategic change...
Grants of up to £1,000 are available for business growth and strategy development
Businesses with between 2 and 250 full time equivalent employees, who display the potential for high or fast growth, can apply for funding to develop the leadership and management skills of their senior management team.
The 2011/12 Leadership and Management fund is managed in the South East by Skills South East and in the East of England and East Midlands by EMB Ltd, on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency. Up to £1,000 Leadership and Management matched funding can be put towards one or a combination of development...
Nothing new under the sun!
I have lost count of the number of business people I have met whose eye’s gloss over when I have asked them about their business plans. Unfortunately, many business owners think that planning is a waste of time, when it’s actually just good common sense.
I came across the following, in a book I have been reading, that illustrates why planning is as important now as its always been.
“No wonder, said an Ancient that chance has so much power over us, since it is by chance that we live. Anyone who has not groomed...
Are you looking for an investor? Do you know what investors are looking for in you?
Equity finance is a way of raising capital from external investors in return for a share of your business. Raising capital can be a time-consuming process and will require you to disclose a lot about your business, you and your management team. A key aspect is making sure you have suitable professional advisers working on your behalf.
The first step in preparing to raise any type of capital is the production of a detailed business plan that includes a detailed marketing plan and realistic financial projections. Investors...
Would your business benefit from some independent thinking?
Unsurprisingly, given the recommendations of the UK Corporate Governance Code, the use of non-executive directors is widespread in public companies. Their role is to provide some independent input to the leadership of the organisation including acting as a sounding board for the executives and offering a critical assessment of the effectiveness of the management of the organisation. So important are these activities that having too few non-executives or independent directors is often viewed as a sign of poor...
New Leadership and Management funding for 2011/12
Businesses in the south east and south west, with between 2 and 250 full time equivalent employees, can apply for funding to develop their leadership and management skills and support their most important asset.
Funding is now available to eligible businesses that display the potential for high or fast growth, defined as;
if trading for more than 12 months – have the potential to increase turnover by 20% each year for three years
if trading for less than 12 months – have the potential to achieve a turnover...