Next Event

Business Plus Sefton
Thursday November 18th 2010

Formby Hall Golf Resort
Southport Old Road
Formby
Southport
L37 0AB

9.30am – 3.30pm

The next Business Plus Sefton event will take place on 18th November 2010 at Formby Hall Golf Resort. The event will give Sefton businesses the chance to access a range of support services, network with other businesses and access high quality expertise and advice from professionals.

Business Plus Sefton is part of a specific programme of support unveiled by Invest Sefton in November 2009 in response to an in-depth survey questioning over 800 businesses about their needs and issues.

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Previous Events

Event
Sefton Economic Forum - Thursday June 24th 2010

Following on from our successful recession response led BusinessPlusSefton events attended by over 300 businesses – we have another topical, relevant and focussed Economic Forum.

Key Note Speaker

Simon Caunt – Deputy Agent, North West, Bank of England

Simon has a 1st Class honours degree in management from Southampton Solent University. Before joining the Bank of England in 2009 he was Assistant Regional Director for the CBI in the North West region, with responsibility for representing members' views with regional and national policy makers. Simon has a background in management development, corporate entertainment and the hospitality and leisure sectors. Originally, from North Devon, he currently lives in Southport with his wife Jaine and two children Chloe and Harriet.

This next event has a range of subjects to be covered including:

• Feedback from the BusinessPlusSefton events & next steps
• Key note address from Simon Caunt Deputy Agent of the Bank of England providing an up to date and topical picture of the UK economy for business
• A brief update from Steve Parry of Neptune Developments, on the Waterfront development and an opportunity for businesses to take part in a short tour of the adjacent facilities

Event
Business Plus Sefton Event- 24th February 2010

Business Plus Sefton is part of a specific program of support unveiled by Invest Sefton in November 2009 in response to an in-depth survey questioning over 800 businesses about their needs and issues.

Following the launch of Business Plus Sefton in November 2009, over 200 business leaders attended a one day support event on 24th February at Aintree Racecourse organised by Invest Sefton.

A special "Question Time" debate was the focal point of the day where business owners debated key issues around the recession with a panel of experts including Gary Lee from insolvency practitioners Begbies Traynor, Employment law partner Andrew Cross from law firm Brabners Chaffe Street, Andy Wallis of Invest Sefton and Mike Taylor of Liverpool Vision. Steve Dickson CEO of Sefton Chamber of Commerce chaired the session.

Specialist workshops and seminars were delivered throughout the day by some of the region’s leading experts in finance, law, procurement and e-marketing. Leading support organisations from across the region exhibited allowing businesses the opportunity to access on the spot advice and help on a range of issues.

Content of some of the presentations on the day can be found here.

If you attended the event, please take a moment to tell us your views by completing this short form and return by email to info@businessplussefton.com. You can also use this form as an opportunity to request help with a specific area of your business.

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Event
Business Plus Sefton Event- 17th November 2009

Gallery

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Feedback

Over 150 businesses attended the BusinessplusSefton event on 17 November in Aintree Racecourse. The event followed a major survey completed in September 2009 of some 829 Sefton businesses to see what type of support they will require in the next 12 months and to ascertain future growth prospects. The event was a mix of seminars and key presentations on sales & marketing, access to business finance and employment & Skills. Over 50 Business support specialists were also on hand to provide one to one advice and guidance.

Despite poor weather and a very short lead in time over 150 businesses attended the event and feedback received has been impressive with 80% of respondents scoring 4 or above (out of a total of 5) on the quality of presentations. 80% also gave the same score for the event format. Other comments included:

 
Event was well organised with a selection of delegates from wide spectrum of business and business support. Good opportunity to network and to have good informative dialogue
 
 
Excellent support.....Very well attended day, useful networking.........Very useful on number of issues
 

 
Good event - very supportive of employers
 
 
Very informative thoroughly enjoyed it
 

 
It has been excellent networking and I have benefited from the day
 
 
Very well attended day, useful networking
 

The demand has led to a planned follow up event in February 2010 and businesses were asked what could be done to improve the next one. Comments included:

 
Maybe have smaller groups with discussion points
 
 
Initial marketing session for very much the novice. Better if split into two with one for more advanced. Focussing ideas / possibilities / success stories that others can benefit from
 

We will be taking on board some of these comments for the February event most notably splitting up the Advisers/Exhibition area and main meeting room. We are also looking at responding to other key business requirements from the survey with a focus on HR including leadership & management, Digital Marketing and Export/International trade opportunities. An Enterprise focus on assisting new businesses is also being investigated.

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