'What Being Part of If we can, you can has meant to me', by Christine Pearce, 2009 Challenge Ambassador

This last year and being involved in the If We Can You Can Challenge has had an extremely positive affect on Restoration & Beyond. The publicity gained through the Hartlepool Mail has been invaluable and really helped our business to become known and even finding a new supplier.

When we entered, we had no idea just how much being linked to the Entrepreneurs Forum would help us to grow and become established.

When we were first short-listed we were invited to be questioned by a 'Dragon's Den' style panel consisting of local successful entrepreneurs, last year's finalists and representatives from ONE (One North East) and NECC (North East Chamber of Commerce).

At first it seemed a little daunting, but we soon got in to our flow and not only enjoyed the experience, but took a lot away from it too. It gave us the opportunity to have our business idea scrutinised by very experienced people in business and also to confirm to us that the concept and plan did stand up to scrutiny and was definitely worth pursuing. The unexpected outcome was that one of the judges, eventually became our mentor and investor as he was so convinced by us and our business.

Setting up in business is like a roller-coaster ride, but having the 'If We Can You Can' team and Entrepreneurs Forum behind us offering support, mentoring, introductions and much more, has really helped us to reach the summits. All of the other finalists have become friends too and we all support each other.

We like to express our thanks and appreciation for this to the whole team. We were delighted to attend the Entrepreneurs Forum Annual Conference last year which was a fantastic and inspirational experience and we hope to attend it again this year.

I would like to say to anybody who is either thinking of starting a business, or who is already up and running, to seriously consider entering this year on the 8th March. Why struggle alone when you can have all of the help, support and experience of seasoned entrepreneurs at your fingertips.

Our business emerged from the recession and redundancy. We hope we can show others that it is possible to turn your life and fortunes around by staying positive and turning problems into opportunities. After all, If we can, you certainly can!

Silvermoor Gallops Nationwide

The refusal of horse owners to neglect their animals during tough economic times has helped a Northumberland firm to a 36% surge in sales this year.

And, such is the demand for Alnwick-based Silvermoor’s horse feed, that the company is now planning to invest £250,000 in new equipment that is expected help it grow sales by as much as 60% in the coming year.

The business started life in 2005 making horse feed on the Thompson family’s farm, which has been run by the family for three generations. The products quickly grew in popularity and, after being sold in a 20-mile radius to 10 retail outlets in year one, are now a national brand which is supplied to 70 retailers and wholesalers.

Company founder and If we can, you can Challenge 2009 winner Ralph Thompson said the firm is now planning on applying for around £250,000 in funding from the Rural Development Program to invest in new technology which will enable it to launch an entire new range of niche produce.

Mr Thompson said the company had not been affected by the recession, thanks largely to the commitment of horse-owners to the welfare of their animals.

He said: “Basically, people need to feed their horses regardless of the recession - you can’t just not feed them.

“More importantly, horse owners are usually passionate about their horses and will sacrifice something in their own life to make sure their horses are looked after.”

Story courtesy of http://www.bdaily.info/

Chance to Change

Early findings from a new report into the challenges of starting a business offer real encouragement for aspiring entrepreneurs in the North East.

The report, commissioned by Regional Development Agency One North East, is a summary of the 2009 Challenges and Opportunities for Growth and Sustainability (COGS) survey, conducted annually by Delta Economics, of 2121 growth-oriented entrepreneurs, 300 of whom are in the North East, who have been running established businesses that had been growing for more than two years.

The report, which coincides with the announcement of Chance to Change, an event targeting those who are considering self-employment or the creation of a new venture, indicates that 77% of these businesses have experienced growth faster than or at the rate they expected, with 28.2% growing by more than 500% since they started.

Furthermore, on average, the founders in the North East have set up businesses that have created seven jobs and expect to grow by 157% over the next three years.

And this new report follows last year’s figures that show the North East is catching up with other areas of the country when it comes to entrepreneurship. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reported that enterprising activity in the region has grown to 5.1% of the adult population, which bring us level with the rest of the UK.

The COGS report also concludes that entrepreneurs in the North East find motivating themselves easy or very easy but they are generally more self critical, rating their business performance across a range of areas less positively than their counterparts in the rest of the UK.

The report also highlights the fact that 73% found the advice they received from mentors useful and 70% turned to other entrepreneurs for support.

Delegates at ‘Chance to Change’ at Newcastle Civic Centre on February 22nd, organised by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum in partnership with One North East, will hear from entrepreneurs who have already been through the start-up experience and have the opportunity to consider the real and perceived barriers they face including confidence and motivation as well as issues relating to ideas and finance.

At a time when many traditional career routes are no longer feasible, the study suggests that founders of businesses in the North East are motivated by many things but interestingly, 54.2% are motivated by the desire to make a difference and for nearly 46% of these, (43.9% of men and 53.3% of women) it is the primary motivator. Nearly 95% of these re-invest their profits in the business itself and have a real social purpose and benefit.

Carole Beverley, Chief Executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said “‘Chance to Change” could be exactly the starting point many need – delegates will hear from those who have already been through the experiences, be guided through the barriers and challenges, meet like-minded people who will stimulate their thinking, or find someone to work or collaborate with, and be signposted to the extensive support network in the North East.

Some feel at odds with their circumstances - the people, the processes, the politics or the constraints placed on them. Others may be forced to reconsider their options due to redundancy or the uncertainty of their current situation, or simply a lack of opportunity. Whatever the starting point ‘Chance to Change’ will offer a route to achieving their dreams and goals.’

Tim Pain, Head of Business and Enterprise at One North East, said “‘Chance to Change’ will save delegates a huge amount of time and work by offering them the opportunity to find out about the various programmes on offer and the support and funding available around the region. They can also meet with people who could help them make progress or signpost them in the right direction. Above all, it will allow delegates to take stock and start conversations that could ultimately be life-changing.’’

‘Chance to Change’ has been backed across the region by leading organisations including Newcastle City Council, Sunderland Council, Gateshead Council, Darlington Council, Stockton Council, Middlesbrough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Council, Hartlepool Enterprise, JobCentre Plus, Tyne and Wear Development Company, Business and Enterprise North East, Business Link, North East Chamber of Commerce, Project North East, Enterprise UK, Newcastle University, Northern Pinetree Trust, Young Enterprise, a:design, Be Enterprising, Go Wansbeck, Enterprise Island, Teesside University, Actif, Sunderland City Council, Five Lamps, Learning and Skills Council, Institute for Digital Innovation and Fastforward Now.

Delegates can register for the event by visiting http://www.chancetochange.co.uk/, calling 0870 850 2233 or emailing info@entrepreneursforum.net

Croft Takeover Boosts Growth For TSG

North East-based Technology Services Group (TSG) has made it's 23rd acquisition, following the takeover of Newcastle firm Croft Technology - a firm specialising in network design and installation, disaster recover and business continuity.

Launched in 2003, TSG is building nationwide coverage and this latest acquisition marks the 23rd purchase by the firm, which was founded by Graham Wylie. Croft's office in Hertfordshire will provide a further stepping stone to wider geographical coverage and the deal swells staff number to 460 across 14 offices.

Croft managing director Phil Renton said of the takeover: "The key is that TSG as a group have an awful lot of clients, many thousands more than we have here. This gives us the opportunity to work with the TSG regions and to deliver into the regions to their clients the skills the group didn't have at the moment."

TSG's chief executive David Stonehouse said: "The launch of TSG Enterprise Solutions through the national coverage and wide skill set of Croft Technology staff will truly enable us to be a one-stop IT service for our clients, covering all of their IT, cabling and telecommunications requirements.

"It will provide us with the skills and capabilities to extend the product and services range currently offered by TSG to incorporate areas such as telephony, unified communications, large scale wireless deployment, structured cabling and virtualisation solutions.

"They have a national set-up already and the skill-sets they've got are what we think a lot of our customers need."

ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS MASSIVE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

Results of a national enterprise research study could dramatically increase the number of people in the North East who are looking to explore their entrepreneurial potential.

The ‘Untapped Potential’ research, unveiled at an event hosted by Enterprise UK and One North East last week, highlighted the range of different entrepreneurial personalities of people in the North East and their motivations to become entrepreneurs.The aim of the research, which is the first of its kind, will identify more potential entrepreneurs in the region.

The research challenges the stereotype that all entrepreneurs are ‘Self Starters’, in fact they represent only a minority of those with business potential. It also demonstrates the opportunity of tapping into the talents of a range of enterprising people more effectively.

Seven groups of individuals or ‘personality types’, who displayed similar attitudes to enterprise were identified – from ‘self starters’, who just get on with it, to ‘independence seekers’, ‘creative team players’ and ‘structured planners’.

The results show that 21 percent, the largest percentage of people in the North East, fit into the ‘Structured Planners’ category. They are confident in their own abilities, driven, ambitious and like a challenge. They also have a strong desire for structure and discipline, prefer to plan for the future, but still like to act on opportunities.

Self Starters make up four percent of the North East’s population. They are confident in their abilities, decisive, and regard themselves as natural leaders. They are quick to spot opportunities, and take decisions and do not hesitate to turn business ideas into reality. Independence Seekers make up ten percent, they display strong entrepreneurial characteristics and are confident, creative, and believe that they possess the skills and have the right contacts to set up a business.

Eighteen percent are Creative Team Players, who are confident in their own ability, driven and like a challenge. They display strong preferences for working in teams, sharing ideas and being creative. They prefer to take each day as it comes and be free from structure. They are more likely to take risks, and see change as an opportunity.

If we can, you can member Christian Cerisola of North Shields based PR consultancy Quay2Media who spoke at the event is an example of how creative team players can be reluctant to take the plunge on their own. He said: “I wrote down a list of all of the reasons why I should start my own business and all of the reasons why I shouldn’t. Ultimately, the only thing stopping me was that I didn’t want to do it on my own. It was only a chance conversation with my current business partner that led to the creation of Quay2Media.

“I can certainly identify with the creative team player type and I’m sure there are plenty of other people like me out there.”

The research suggests that a majority of people, particularly those who don’t fit into the self-starter category, can be motivated by hearing stories about people who have been in a similar position and felt the same way about exploring and developing their entrepreneurial potential.

Peter Grigg, Head of Policy at Enterprise UK, who presented the research said: “In the current economic climate, the entrepreneurial talent of everyone in society represents a massive untapped resource available to our long-term economic success. Enterprise UK has been working to help promote entrepreneurship to those groups with untapped potential to encourage them to take the next steps on their enterprise journey.”

Tim Pain, Head of Business, Enterprise and Skills at One North East said: “The results of the Untapped Potential research allow us to understand the different attitudes to enterprise so we can better target and tailor support. This research gives us a much better understanding of how we can promote enterprise and business to all kinds of people in the region, and therefore increase start up rates across all groups.”

The Enterprising Places Network in the North East, is jointly funded by One North East and Enterprise UK. It offers a year-round programme of events showcasing the impact of enterprise and the role it can play in transforming places and regenerating communities.

The Untapped Potential research coincides with the announcement of Chance to Change, an event targeting those who are considering self-employment following redundancy or uncertainty about their current position.

Delegates at ‘Chance to Change’ at Newcastle Civic Centre on 22 February, organised by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum in partnership with One North East, will hear from entrepreneurs who have already been through the start-up experience and have the opportunity to meet people who are or have been in a similar position.

Delegates can register for the event by visiting http://www.chancetochange.co.uk/, calling 0870 850 2233 or emailing info@entrepreneursforum.net