Thursday 17 February 2011

Two IWCYC Unplugged Events for March

Here at 'If we can, you can' we are doing what we do best and shouting out loud about you guys, what we do and why those running their own businesses in the North East need to be part of our community, if they aren't already!

'If we can, you can' is all about promoting the growth of entrepreneurship in the region by sharing all of your experiences and knowledge. So we've hooked up with the Federation of Small Businesses and Newcastle Business Forums to put on not just one, but TWO great events in March for you!


The first of the two events will see us try out a slightly different format of event, away from the usual Unplugged events.

Inspired by If We Can You Can member Mike Bell's "Knowledge Cafe" events we invite you to co-create brilliant conversation about innovation and growth.

Conversation Question – ‘Why is innovation necessary for growth?’
When: Wednesday 9th March. 6.00 for 6.30 – 8.30pm.

Where: Kaffeccinos Coffee House, 54-56 Grainger Street, NE1 5JG. Buy your own drinks. Food will be provided.

To book on to either of the events, or for more information then email Will or call on 0191 226 7488.

Imagine joining three or four people at a Café-style table or in a small conversation cluster to explore questions where collaborative thinking can really make a difference. Nearby, other small groups are exploring similar questions and noting down key insights and perspectives. Soon, you move to another group or Café table, visit with new people, and cross-pollinate new ideas and insights. As the conversations connect, they spark new discoveries.

Innovative opportunities begin to appear. Collective knowledge grows and evolves. A sense of a larger whole becomes real, and the wisdom of the group emerges for all to experience.

When we engage each other in dialogue we enter into a conversation with a view to learn from each other rather than impose our views on the other.

The evening will be facilitated by "Mutual Inspiration CIC's" Mike Bell and we hope it will spark off its very own series of events with the discussion developing as we go!


The second event of the month returns to the familiar Unplugged format to discuss the issues faced when looking to take on your first employee or even your 250th.

Joining us on the panel will be Joanna Feeley, Emily Pitkethly and Jonathan Wadewho between them have a wealth of varied experience when it comes to taking on employees and growing the business.

Date: Tuesday 29th March
Time: 5:00 registration for 5:30pm start. 8pm finish.
Venue: Bewick Hall, Newcastle Central Library. NE1 8AX

Jonathan Wade started up Neuro Partners with two friends and began operating with just the three of them in January 2006. Five year's later, they have just taken on their 250th employee and now have offices in Newcastle, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Lancashire, showing phenomenal growth.

Joanna Feeley and Emily Pitkethly have very different experiences when it came to taking on their first employees. Both Joanna and Emily found that their workloads were increasing as the business grew, so taking on staff seemed the only sensible way to give them their time back to work on the business. However Emily soon found that she was spending just as much time managing her staff, and so had no more time than before to work on the business. Joanna’s workload was drastically improved by taking on board her first member of staff, but a new challenge arose in defining exactly what her own role should now be!

Having met through the If We Can You Can Challenge, Joanna and Emily who both work in design, have taken on interns and graduates and even allow their staff to cross over and work within each other’s companies to in a bid to share and enhance their knowledge and experiences as well as appreciate how other similar organisations work in their sector.

Come and join us for this informal evening event to hear from a broad range of experiences, and be inspired, energised and full of ideas to take back to your own business.

To book on to either of the above events, or for more information then email Will or call on 0191 226 7488.

Places are limited, and also open to guests as well as the member database of the FSB and Newcastle Business Forums, so please make sure to book early to avoid disappointment.

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