Please find more information in the links below:

Taste of Enterprise

TERESA’S TAX TIPS

A TASTE OF ENTERPRISE – Explore the potential of being your own boss

FREE 2 day course 10.00am – 3.00pm

Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th January 2013
Monday 11th & Tuesday 12th February 2013
Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th March 2013

VENUE
Ropewalk Centre
53 Derby Road
Southampton SO14 1DJ

FREE INFORMAL NETWORK EVENT – TERESA’S TAX TIPS

Wednesday 16th January 2013 6pm – 8pm

VENUE
Ropewalk Centre
53 Derby Road
Southampton SO14 1DJ

Robust business mentoring for established businesses of all sizes

WSX Enterprise has been awarded a Government contract to provide start-up loans for young people aged 18-24 looking to start their own business.

The national scheme, which is currently at the pilot phase, will now be available in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Dorset and Surrey.

Under the scheme, loans of an average £2500 will be made available for new business ideas that are submitted for approval between now and the end of March 2013. Interest is fixed at 6% and the new entrepreneurs will have up to 5 years to pay back their loan. Crucially, each applicant will be assigned the support of a business mentor who will work with the young person to develop the business idea and prepare the business for launch.

“We are very excited to be leading this fantastic new opportunity for young entrepreneurs” said Jonathan Morris, Managing Director of WSX Enterprise. “Young people have some of the best ideas and this innovative loan and mentoring project will enable a lot of new entrepreneurs to take their first step into business.”

It is hoped 150 new businesses will be supported in this initial phase, and the scheme will also offer continued support to the new businesses, once they have started trading.

“New businesses that receive mentoring support are twice as likely to survive and grow” said Rachel Cheetham, Programme Manager. “Combined with the offer of funding to pump prime the new enterprise, we think this is a massive opportunity to support young people who are considering starting their own business”.

Full details of the scheme can be found at:

www.wsxenterprise.co.uk/start-up-loans

Enquiries to Rachel Cheetham on 01329 223214 or Rachel.cheetham@wsxenterprise.co.uk

As the local newspaper industry launches its highly acclaimed Local Business Accelerators campaign led by Deborah Meaden of Dragon’s Den, new research shows that Britain’s young businesses are positive about prospects for growth despite tough economic times but they still need advice and support.

The campaign, supported by the Government and private sector’s Business in You campaign and backed by the Prime Minister David Cameron as well as the Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King, launches today (Wednesday 3 October). Over 500 newspapers across the UK are joining forces to deliver a £15 million boost to promising young businesses through free advertising and mentoring.

Businesses aged between one and five years old can enter LBA for the chance to win a free ad campaign in their local paper plus mentoring support from local business leaders. The most promising businesses will go forward to the national stage of the competition to win a year’s mentoring from Deborah Meaden and a local advertising campaign devised by a top London creative ad agency.

LBA national ambassador Deborah Meaden said: “With last year’s LBA having demonstrated the unique power of local and regional press to provide a meaningful boost to promising young businesses, I am delighted to be supporting the initiative once again.

“The campaign provided tangible examples of the real contribution that local newspapers can provide to young businesses across many different sectors, accelerating their development.

“Enterprise and entrepreneurism in the local community is more important than ever before and I look forward to finding another young business to mentor and drive forward.”

Last year’s overall LBA winner, Ilkley Brewery in Yorkshire, which is currently receiving mentoring support from Deborah, saw its orders in Leeds double as a result of the free LBA ad campaign in its local paper and the business expanded to take on two new employees since taking part in the initiative.

Research conducted by Toluna and campaign organisers the Newspaper Society reveals that a third of owners of young businesses expect some or significant growth in the next 12 months (35 per cent) with the majority saying they expected their businesses to perform at the same level (53 per cent). Just 12 per cent said they expected decline. They cited high rent and rates, sluggish consumer demand, access to affordable finance, and access to advice as the biggest barriers for local businesses.

Owners were most likely to use local newspapers to advertise their businesses (22%), followed by internet advertising (15 per cent) and directories (14 per cent). Local newspapers were cited as the most effective of all forms of advertising (49 per cent), followed by outdoor / point of sale (48 per cent), and internet (45 per cent).

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The Local Business Accelerators campaign has provided tremendous support to fledgling businesses across the country and I am delighted that it will be running for a second year.

“Local newspapers play a vital role in their communities and are uniquely placed to support small businesses, giving them the boost that they need to grow, which is good for local areas and good for the economy as a whole.

“I hope more young businesses put themselves forward over the coming months and get involved with this innovative scheme, which rewards entrepreneurship and creative thinking in business.”

Businesses aged between one and five years can enter the competition in their local newspaper via the LBA hub – www.accelerateme.co.uk – before the closing date of 16 November.

Over 500 daily and weekly local newspaper titles are registered to take part in LBA which aims to highlight how local newspapers can provide a meaningful boost to young businesses.

For more: http://www.mentor-net.co.uk/case-studies/

Growing? Starting out? Business in You

Thanks to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, we’re working with a group of other like-minded mentoring organisations across the country to really push the message about the power of mentoring to small businesses. Naturally, we know it works, we see it everyday from start ups to long-established businesses, who want to develop, grow and be competitive in their sectors, and do.

We’re proud to be supporting British businesses in the south of England. We’re proud to support the other mentoring organisations and the upcoming ‘Business In You’ campaign (www.businessinyou.bis.gov.uk) too.

If you feel you would benefit from a mentor get in touch with us info@mentor-net.co.uk or visit our website www.mentor-net.co.uk. To find out more about becoming a Mentor (and free introductory training) go to www.getmentoring.org or to find a Mentor in your area go to www.mentorsme.co.uk.

What’s stopping you getting your own collaboration with a Mentor going?

Just some of our great partners

For more www.mentor-net.co.uk/case-studies/

We have an increasing number of people in just that position who are receiving financial support whilst they do it. We need volunteer Mentors who are particularly interested in helping this group of people.

If you could help them harness their ideas, pull together a realistic business plan and actually start their business, we would love to talk to you. Help us to nurture this enthusiasm and, who knows, you could find yourself mentoring another Richard Branson, or at least someone who can help to make more jobs to support the recovery of our country and our communities.

Call us on 0845 45 86 454 or email to : info@mentor-net.co.uk for more information.

In an announcement made on Monday the Government, in conjunction with five high street banks, have launched a new mentoring portal

www.mentorsme.co.uk

The website provides a single point of access for those seeking mentoring and those seeking to be mentors, covering the whole of the UK.

The Government wants to encourage experienced business people to sign up to mentor new and growing businesses.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:

“From my own experiences running a small business I know how valuable insight can be from people who have done it all before.

“Small business owners have repeatedly told us that the support they value most comes from other experienced business people. For the first time in the UK, there will be a single, cohesive network of mentoring provision.

“Small firms are the lifeblood of our economy and we are determined to give them every opportunity to succeed and secure the long-term growth we need.”

The launch forms part of the Better Business Finance campaign, set up by the Business Finance Taskforce.