Events

Description

BRIC Talks Event No.2 - Brownfield Remediation Technology

About this Event

Own or occupy a brownfield site or thinking about buying such a site or renting premises on one? Not sure about the advantages and disadvantages? Want to know more about what might be involved in developing brownfield land or the latest techniques available to support your development?

BRIC Talks could be a good place for you to start. The talks will focus on topics which help underpin the successful development and re-use of brownfield sites such as tax incentives, new building scanning techniques and assessment of sites, followed by time for networking.

BRIC Talks - Event No.2

We are delighted to host the second in a series of talks and networking events. We have the pleasure in welcoming Paul Pearson of Dunton Environmental Ltd who will discuss Brownfield Remediation Technology. The cost of remediation can often deter many developers from utilising brownfield land, especially as heavy contamination can make it an even more daunting and challenging task.

Paul will be providing an overview of the latest technologies being utilised in brownfield remediation to deliver a cost effective service, such as turning waste into an asset with Duntons innovative circular economy business model.

This event is being held on Tuesday 3rd December 2019, 9am - 10.30am

Location: ECMS building, University of Wolverhampton, Springfield Campus, Cambridge Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0JR.

Arrive: 9am for 9.15am start

Introduction by BRIC team – 9.15am

Guest Speaker – 9.20 – 9.40am

Networking – 9.40 – 10.15am

Register:

We look forward to welcoming you to this event. Please register your attendance via Eventbrite. If you have any queries, please email the BRIC team at BRIC@wlv.ac.uk

About us:

This series of events has been created by the University of Wolverhampton Brownfield Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC) which supports the regeneration and re-use of brownfield sites for social, domestic and business purposes. The Centre, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, is able to provide assistance to qualifying Black Country SMEs in areas such as:

• Soil Scanning

• Soil Analysis and Remediation Techniques

• Building and Ground Scanning

• Geographic Information Systems

• Water Contamination, Ground Stabilisation and Demolition

www.wlv.ac.uk/bric

Twitter: @BRICerdf

About our guest speaker

Paul Pearson is SHEQ Director at Dunton Environmental Ltd. A highly qualified health and safety expert with vast experience in assisting clients with health and safety matters on a consultancy basis, including auditing and monitoring of health and safety systems. Paul is an expert at devising bespoke training packages on all matters relating to health and safety within the construction sector, as well as general health and safety in the workplace

https://duntonenvironmental.com/

Travel to the event:

The University of Wolverhampton Springfield Campus, where the ECMS building is housed, is currently under development. Due to building works, there is no on-site parking and street parking is limited. Wolverhampton railway station is only a 5-10 minute walk away as are local pay and display car parks operated by Wolverhampton City Council. The following link identifies the nearest car parks which are located at Faulkland Crescent and Broad Street.

https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/parking-and-roads/city-centre-car-parks

Description

Welcome to the launch of the West Midlands Creative Scale Up Programme.

The West Midlands Creative Scale Up Programme is a 2 year programme funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport that aims to help Creative Businesses in the region with support including Access to Finance, Marketing, Value and Pricing, Intellectual Property and Contract Law, Business Growth and Scaling Up and Sales, Pitching and Presenting support.

The Programme aims to work with a raft of Creative Businesses across the region including screen, gaming, VR, AI, performing arts, marketing, PR, design, architecture, galleries, theatres etc…

Those businesses with an interest in receiving investment will then be introduced to a number of different investors and funding streams through Showcase Events which will happen biannually.

Agenda:

09:15 Arrival and Networking

09:50 Introduction to the Creative Scale Up Programme (Fiona Latter Programme Manager, West Midlands Creative Scale Up Programme)

10:00 Welcome address / Formal Launch of the Programme (Andy Street – Mayor of the West Midlands)

10:15 Introduction from Simon Blake, Deputy Director for Creative Industries, Department of Culture, Media and Sport

10:30 Break

10:40 Introduction from 3 Creative Businesses based in the West Midlands (Fiona Latter)

10:45 Imagineer

11:05 Vermillion Films

11.25 Simworx

11:45 Break

11:55 The Bull Ring for the Creative Scale Up Programme (facilitated by Bart Dalton Consulting)

5 x Creative Scale Up Workshop providers to ‘pitch’ their workshops to the audience

This is an opportunity for those businesses who are interested in participating in the WM Creative Scale Up Programme to find out more about the different types of business support that will be offered throughout the duration of the Programme.

12:35 Question and answer session.

12:45 Closing remarks (Fiona Latter)

12:50 Lunch and Networking

1:45 End of session

To ensure your place please register your attendance.

Description

The government has introduced a range of measures to support businesses during coronavirus. But even if you’re eligible, it can be hard to know which options to consider.

Join Mike Stanley, Lender Partnerships Manager at Fluidly, for a breakdown of how to apply for funding during this crisis.

The session will cover:

• How the government-backed CBILS and Bounce Back schemes work
• What you need to know before taking out a business loan
• An introduction to alternative finance options
• How to think about a plan a, b and c for your business funding

Speaker:

Description

Part of a series of Onboardlocal Webinars brought to you by High Speed (HS2) Ltd that aim to help local businesses navigate the HS2 supply chain and better understand some of the things that we are looking for from suppliers. We want local businesses along the line of the new high speed railway to be able to make the most of the opportunities HS2 will bring, and get involved in the supply chain wherever they can. Health and Safety is at the heart of everything we do. It means caring for our workforce, communities along the route, future passengers and public, and also setting new industry standards, and finding innovative solutions to challenges. We want to set the bar higher than ever before and create an environment where no one gets hurt. During this free webinar an expert from HS2 Ltd will: - Demonstrate how HS2 is setting health and safety at the heart of everything we do by working with our supply chain on seven key areas of focus - Explain how our health and safety ambitions are reflected in our procurement process - Provide you with insight in some of the ways you can better showcase and stand out to us through your health and safety commitments - Spend some time answering your questions

Description

Why Change Management is a crucial universal business skill and how it can help you to achieve deep, meaningful and faster change to sky rocket their business results. This session will show you why Change Management is a skill every business person needs, it will show you that change management can be scalable to every business size and applicable to every situation. The session will also show you how it will make an immediate difference to your business results and the next steps you can take if you want to learn more about the must-do minimums and easy-win extras that deliver the successful and sustainable change.

Description

WEBINAR

We are living in an unprecedented time. Working from home (or not working at all) might be the biggest change to how we work since email was invented. So, how do you help people thrive in this uncertain time? Dr Andrew Dewar, a Chartered Psychologist with a PhD in motivational psychology, is offering a webinar to discuss some important things you need to consider to maximise motivation and performance for you and your team. We will cover topics such as pillars of wellbeing, communication, psychological safety, and motivation.

People are the most important resource in the workplace. Without your employees, the workplace cannot function efficiently. One of our aims at EnTRESS is to support SMEs in the Black Country with resource efficiency. By focusing on maximising motivation and wellbeing we hope to support a healthy and efficient workplace.

Andrew brings calm to your chaos. He uses expertise in psychology and continuous improvement to enhance performance and solve complex problems.

His innovative work has been published in academic journals, providing life-enhancing advice to people around the world. Andrew’s knowledge has propelled him through a young but stellar leadership career, gaining awards in high level sport, third and public sector.

He currently pursues his passion for performance improvement in three ways. Building and developing high performance teams within and across organisations. Helping leaders develop through one to one coaching so they have an even greater positive impact. Leading change by improving morale, motivation, systems, processes and culture.

Description

With so much change, challenge and confusion just now, it’s easy to feel lost. That’s why we like to use the Business Model Canvas – a single page road map of your business. By having your entire journey in one view, it’s easier to remain focussed and in control by understanding where you are, what your options are and where danger may lie. This view is crucial when managing change or uncertainty. Join the NatWest Business Builder team as examine the 9 key areas of a business model and talk through the best practises for your business. You’ll come away with a sense of where changes could be made to your business model to retain customers, improve cashflow and refine objectives.

Description

This webinar provides an overview of the scheme, including how the scheme works, eligible establishments, registering and making a claim and what happens after you’ve claimed.

Description

BRIC Talks Event No.3 - Application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) within brownfield development projects

About this Event

Own or occupy a brownfield site or thinking about buying such a site or renting premises on one? Not sure about the advantages and disadvantages? Want to know more about what might be involved in developing brownfield land or the latest techniques available to support your development?

BRIC Talks could be a good place for you to start. The talks will focus on topics which help underpin the successful development and re-use of brownfield sites such as tax incentives, new building scanning techniques and assessment of sites, followed by time for networking.

BRIC Talks - Event No.3

We are delighted to host the third in a series of talks and networking events. We have the pleasure in welcoming Matthew Guy, of Geomatrix Earth Science Ltd, who will discuss the Application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) within brownfield development projects.

This event is being held on Tuesday 28th January 2020, 9am - 10.30am

Location: ECMS building, University of Wolverhampton, Springfield Campus, Cambridge Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0JR.

Arrive: 9am for 9.15am start

Introduction by BRIC team – 9.15am

Guest Speaker – 9.20 – 9.40am

Networking – 9.40 – 10.15am

Register:

We look forward to welcoming you to this event. Please register your attendance via Eventbrite.

If you have any queries, please contact the BRIC team via email BRIC@wlv.ac.uk.

About us:

This series of events has been created by the University of Wolverhampton Brownfield Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC) which supports the regeneration and re-use of brownfield sites for social, domestic and business purposes. The Centre, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, is able to provide assistance to qualifying Black Country SMEs in areas such as:

• Soil Scanning

• Soil Analysis and Remediation Techniques

• Building and Ground Scanning

• Geographic Information Systems

• Water Contamination, Ground Stabilisation and Demolition

www.wlv.ac.uk/bric

Twitter: @BRICerdf

About our guest speaker

Geomatrix Earth Science Ltd are a specialist provider of hardware and software for exploration geophysical surveying, covering all current techniques. Over the past 17 years, Geomatrix have built up a profound knowledge of each geophysical technique and are retained as exclusive sales representatives by many of the leading geophysical instrument manufacturers and sustain one of the largest lease pools of geophysical equipment within Europe.

Matthew Guy has been employed by Geomatrix since completing his post graduate MSc course in Archaeological Prospection in 2011. Whilst at Geomatrix Matthew has specialised in the application and development of geophysical instrumentation, regularly providing consultation and training to geophysical contractors. In addition to his duties at Geomatrix, Matthew currently sits as the Chair of the Near Surface Geophysical Group, a special interest group of the Geological Society of London, and is a member of the EuroGPR committee.

https://www.geomatrix.co.uk/

Travel to the event:

The University of Wolverhampton Springfield Campus, where the ECMS building is housed, is currently under development. Due to building works, there is no on-site parking and street parking is limited. Wolverhampton railway station is only a 5-10 minute walk away as are local pay and display car parks operated by Wolverhampton City Council. The following link identifies the nearest car parks which are located at Faulkland Crescent and Broad Street.

https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/parking-and-roads/city-centre-car-parks

Description

VARIOUS AUGUST DATES AVAILABLE This webinar tells you how to claim the second grant in the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, who is eligible, the amount you can claim and other support available.

Description

On 13 December at 11am we are joined by Charlotte Nichols of Harvey and Hugo to discuss how to drive your sales with smarter marketing.

If you're interested in how Public Relations should tie into your marketing strategy, this is the webinar for you. We're going to be covering as much as possible in this session to give you all the advice you need to start your own PR campaign for your business in 2020.

We'll also delve into how to build in values to reflect your companies culture.

Charlotte Nichols grew a successful PR that focusses on building their clients’ brands by telling their stories. In today’s world of attention overload, it can be hard for your story to be heard above all the noise. We help make sure your story is seen, shared, watched and most importantly felt through creative traditional and digital campaigns. Ultimately, we help our clients’ messages reach the hearts and minds of their target audiences.

Join us! You'll even get the chance to ask your own questions at the end of the session.

Description

Running a business in today’s challenging environment can put unwanted pressure on business leaders. You may find yourself constantly juggling work and life pressures, as well as supporting the staff that you lead.

In the Stress Management Society’s ‘Excelling Under Pressure’ Workshop, you will learn what stress is, how it affects your daily life, when it is beneficial and when it is harmful.

In this workshop we will explore some of the flawed strategies that people commonly use to deal with stress and provide practical exercises and techniques designed to help you de-stress at work and at home.

We cover three key areas
• Understanding stress; giving people the skills to recognise the signs, symptoms, causes and effects of stress
• Creating and maintaining a healthy work balance; these practical techniques and strategies will include time and prioritisation management
• Increasing personal resilience; tips and tricks for SME Leaders

Why attend?
The event would suit business owners keen to find out more about how stress can affect their daily life, including when it is beneficial and when it is harmful. Delegates will learn how to recognise the symptoms of stress in both themselves and their teams and what tools and techniques are at their disposal to de-stress.

We want to support as many local businesses as possible, so therefore can only accommodate one attendee per company.

This will be an interactive event hosted by Santander and delivered by the Stress Management Society.

Register to attend by the 30th August.

Description

Low Carbon SMEs invites you to free webinar series co-hosted with Bryt Energy. Across three bite-sized webinars, Low Carbon SME speaks to Bryt Energy for tips and insight into managing your business electricity. Webinar 1 : Understanding your business energy bill: Tuesday, 8th Sep, 11:00am-11:30am What do the charges on your invoice mean? Why is it important for you? How can you manage these to reduce costs and become more efficient? Webinar 2 : Understanding your business electricity usage: Tuesday, 15th Sep, 11:00am-11:30am How can you optimise your energy usage? How can you reduce costs and maximise the benefits from half hourly data? Webinar 3 : Find out more about Renewable energy and Low Carbon SMEs diagnostic and grants: Tuesday, 22nd Sep, 11:00am-11:30am What is renewable energy? What options are there, and which one might suit your business? How can it boost your business? Access 2-5 day free energy efficiency support by Low Carbon SMEs to identify energy waste and potential for improvement. Find out more about the grant support (match-funded) available to SMEs in the Greater Birmingham, Solihull and Black Country. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Please note- By registering, you consent to Low Carbon SMEs programme to store your registration information If you have any concerns or questions, please email smelowcarbon@aston.ac.uk. This webinar will be recorded via Microsoft Teams. Joining instructions will be emailed to attendees in due course. Please register all attendees and include their email address to be able to receive the webinar invite on MS teams. This workshop is open to all SMEs in the Black Country, Greater Birmingham and Solihull area. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Low Carbon SMEs: Aston University’s Low Carbon SMEs Programme supports energy-intensive industries to reduce their carbon footprint, energy costs and improve profitability. The programme is open to small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Greater Birmingham & Solihull and Black Country regions. We provide:  Access to energy efficiency capital grants of up to £6000 (match-funded)  Free on-site energy efficiency survey  Cutting-edge collaboration opportunities with Aston University Academics  Workshops/Webinars sharing best practice Eligible businesses can receive dedicated one-to-one support from energy experts and Aston university's Academics to reduce their carbon footprint, and develop a holistic approach to energy efficiency that will lead you to higher productivity and increased net profit. SME eligibility: Have an annual turnover of not exceeding €50 million and/or an annual balance sheet not exceeding €43million Have received no more than €200,000 of de minimis State Aid in the past 3 years. Employ fewer than 250 employees Contact us: For enquiries, please email- smelowcarbon@aston.ac.uk or call us on 0121 204 3480, 0121 204 4248. To find out more about the Low Carbon SMEs programme, please visit-http://www.smelowcarbon.co.uk. This Programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Description

The BECCI project invites you to join in with some interesting conversations and a chance to make new contacts, all from the security of your own home. Collaboration over a coffee has never been more rewarding!

Join us to share your thoughts and experiences about the challenges brought on by the current pandemic situation. It’s more important now, than ever, to stay connected.

We want to gather your feedback on future webinar sessions. What topics would you like our technical team to cover? Is there a particular business aspect you need help on? The current pandemic situation is a great opportunity to focus your attention on personal and business development.

Our aim is to provide a weekly “Build Your Business with BECCI” webinar, covering different topics at YOUR request. We'll start with baby steps; have a virtual coffee together and build out based on the communities’ needs and interests.

Join the conversation – we’re here for you!

Description

Want to generate more leads, increase your online sales & improve your CX? Join Mark Kirby from Leadoo, the lead-driven marketing platform to discover how to convert more leads and put your marketing & sales results through the roof.

Description

Given the shift towards life-cycle costing in the procurement process, just how should you structure your costing model to capture the true cost of your contract? This webinar will identify the life-cycle elements you need to consider, as well as those additional costs, such as added value or innovation. Getting your award criteria right can help to ensure you achieve the best price/quality ratio.

Description

In support of Minerva Birmingham PitchUp and to encourage greater engagement between our local successful business people with our local entrepreneurs we a running familiarisation program for those interested in finding out more about investing in our high growth start-ups and scale ups . This is the fifth webinar in a series of 8 covering the important aspect of Term Sheets and Shareholder agreements. Through the series you will get chance to chat to experts , experienced investors and academics on being an angel investor. We aim to break the myth on type, age profile, investment levels and what is actually an angel investor. The angel investors speaking during these events will continually change to provide you with the maximum possible exposure to different views. Introduction to Business Angel Investing For the Potential Angel Investor Agenda & Led by Prof J Lyon of Warwick Business School Prof J Lyon is not only an accomplish academic, he is a serial entrepreneur having stated life in the private sector and has been both an active investor and receiver of angel funding. He thus comes with a unique perspective. In addition you will get a chance to hear for another active angel investor on their opinion of the challenges of getting the right Board structure which can be a key to many failures when its wrong. 1. Boards, their need, their structure when it works and when it doesn’t 2. What red flags to watch for 3. Any do’s and don’ts? 4. An active Minerva angel investor's perspective (10 mins) 5. Q&A All events are recorded and available on request

Description

CityFibre is investing £50 million into a digital infrastructure project that will make Wolverhampton one of the best-connected cities in the world. The session will discuss why digital infrastructure is crucial to growing and protecting the local economy. The benefits full fibre connectivity brings including; increased business productivity and innovation, adding value to property prices and unlocking flexibility in the workforce. Full fibre is also the foundation to other community benefits including smart lighting and traffic management and IoT initiatives.

Description

Free virtual 1:1 sessions for SMEs to discuss funding options, COVID-19 impact, resilience and strategy with a professional fund manager.

Are you concerned about the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on the finances and cashflow of your business?

Our Finance Clinic aimed at businesses based in the West Midlands is here to help. Receive free one-to-one support from our fund managers and find out more about the funding options and support available to you. One-hour bookable appointments are available from 10am-4pm

One-hour bookable appointments are available from 10am-4pm.

As well as providing information about the government funding available as a direct response to COVID-19, this 1:1 session will also give you the chance to find out about a range of funding options to support business expansion including debt funding, equity investment, asset finance and other alternative funding streams.

Our clinic provider, Chirag Mistry, works on the MEIF fund, collaborating with clients and intermediaries to provide growth funding in the West Midlands.

FREE ONE-TO-ONE FUNDING CLINIC

THURSDAY 2 JULY 2020

BOOKABLE ONE HOUR APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE BETWEEN 10.00-16.00

You will be asked to select your preferred time slot when you register. Please make a note of the time slot you have selected.

Please note: Your meeting with our expert will be delivered via online video conferencing (e.g. Zoom meeting) or telephone, so you don’t need to leave the house or office. You will be asked to choose your preferred option when booking.

Description

This is your chance to join fellow Black Country business owners and entrepreneurs to chat over a complimentary tea or coffee after work in a friendly, informal environment.

In January, we will be joined by Lucy Cross, Business Development Manager at the Black Country Growth Hub. She will talk to us about How the Growth Hub can support your business through collaborative working

Lucy offers an individual signposting service across the region to help drive business growth. Come along to find out how your local Growth Hub's specialist staff can use their knowledge to ensure that you, the customers, access all the support available to you to ensure the best chance of growth for your company.

In addition, FSB representatives will be on hand to talk to you about ensuring that you get the most from your FSB membership. Of course there will be time to mingle and circulate with your promotional literature and those all-important business cards!

This networking evening is free and open to all small business owners, self-employed and entrepreneurs. Non-members are welcome.

Complimentary soft drinks and snacks will be provided. You can buy your own drinks from the brewery if you wish.

Agenda:

• 18.00 – 18.30 Registration & Open Networking
• 18.30 – 19.00 Introductions & Elevator Pitches (Optional)
• 19.00 – 19.15 What’s the FSB all about?
• 19.15 – 19.45 30 minute Keynote Presentation
• 19.45 – 20.00 Presentation Q&A & Business Clinic
• 20.00 – 20.30 Open Networking

There is parking available at the trading estate. Please see a map of the location here.

We look forward to welcoming you! Don’t forget to download our Business Networking - 10 top tips.

For general enquiries regarding the event, please contact Elanor.Godbold@fsb.org.uk

Description

The Black Country Growth Hub team will soon be heading out to various locations within the Black Country to reach local businesses and provide FREE and impartial business support.

You won’t be able to miss the brightly coloured double-decker bus popping up all over the region from Monday 18th November to Thursday 21st November 2019.

The tour will feature some great local specialists such as Catax, Natwest, Talbots Law, Forresters, People Plus and Higgs & Sons - speaking on a number of different topics from recruitment to intellectual property.

Jaspal Sohal, Head of Black Country Growth Hub said:

“This is an excellent opportunity for businesses to find out exactly what we do and how we can help them. The Black Country Growth Hub is completely free and impartial support service, and our specialists have been chosen to provide help on topics such as finance, new business, intellectual property and legal advice. We understand it can be difficult for businesses to be aware of what support programs are available in the region, so this is the perfect opportunity to meet with our team and get support to help their journey towards business growth.”

Whether you’re interested in growing your business, implementing a new innovative process, recruiting apprentices, finding networking opportunities, moving your business to the Black Country OR have a different enquiry – come along and speak to the team!

Pre-book your appointment when a member of our team or a local specialist by clicking here

Click here to go to our bus tour page to find further information

Full Schedule:

Description

FREE 1 Day Course - Understand how your business can take advantage of Additive Manufacturing Technologies

About this Event

Objectives of Training:

• Understand which Additive Manufacturing Technologies exist
• Understand how your business can take advantage of Additive Manufacturing
• Fully understand different Additive Manufacturing processes, materials and applications
• Gain an overview of where and how Additive Manufacturing has been used to create alternative solutions
• Understand the processes involved in designing a part for Additive Manufacturing

Description

This event provides adult social care employers with the opportunity to learn about and explore the recruitment and retention of people who may face barriers to employment, including people with criminal convictions.

Attendees will hear from leading policy figures, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) and Care Quality Commission (CQC), about the advantages of recruiting from a wider talent pool and attracting a diverse range of candidates for roles.

The event will also feature case studies, Q&A with an expert panel and an interactive and engaging legal briefing delivered by Dominic Headley, Director of Dominic Headley & Associates, one of the leading safer recruitment experts in the UK. This event will help delegates to:

• understand the benefits of open recruitment and widening your talent pool
• improve the diversity of their workforce
• learn how to recruit people safely and fairly from different backgrounds
• understand how to minimise any potential or perceived risks that might be involved
• find out how to access further support from Skills for Care, DWP, DBS and key employability support organisations to address workforce supply.

Description

The current pandemic has taught us that leadership matters now more than ever, whilst leaders try to diversify their businesses, encourage resilience and think under pressure, it has been the “ultimate test of management and leadership”. The pandemic may have encouraged us to improve our intellectual ability in areas such as managing teams remotely and utilising digital technologies more effectively, but what about our emotional ability? This is known as Emotional Intelligence. The most successful leaders are those that spend their time developing their emotional intelligence and understanding how their behaviour impacts others. In a time of crisis, Emotional Intelligence is key. Our ability to be aware of our own behaviours, the impact we have on others and to self – regulate our emotions during times of stress will be what differentiates us from others. We also need to develop our ability to be genuinely empathetic towards others emotions so that we can best support our teams and colleagues in the post-pandemic world. This session will help leaders to: Describe the key components of Emotional Intelligence. Analyse how emotional intelligence, impacts you and the people around you. Reflect on leadership strengths and areas for development to increase self awareness. Use techniques to self regulate own emotions in the workplace. Enhance social skills to communicate and manage relationships more effectively. Speaker: Emma Bloomfield is Head of Executive Education at the University of Wolverhampton Business School. An expert in leadership and management, Emma has over ten year’s experience of working with some of the UK’s most successful companies to develop dynamic and innovative industry led Executive Education, CPD and degree apprenticeship programmes to develop business leaders and support organisational growth. Emma has held various senior management positions, including running her own business and has been a mentor to over 100 senior leaders to help them achieve personal growth. She has a highly developed knowledge of the economy of the West Midlands, with a focus on productivity and skills and is committed to supporting the development of skills growth in the region.

Description

Roll Up, Roll Up, for a new-style exhibition for the Black Country!
 
A fun, entertaining and informal way to meet new customers and talk to a range of businesses providing offers, discounts and promotions.

Time is precious and exhibitions are an amazing way to explore a range of products and services all under one roof and one day!
 
Exhibitions are also a great way of experiencing product demonstrations, networking with new people and making connections and talking to different suppliers about how they can help you, your teams and your business. 
 
On the day, you'll get a chance to meet with exhibitors and:
 

• Explore a range of promotions, discounts and offers
• Learn more about different products and Innovations from over 80 exhibitors
• Develop your understanding about what Is In the marketplace and find solutions which could help you
• Meet with prospective new partners, customers and prospects
• Take part in our business card tombola on the day to win some great prizes

 
Refreshments will be available to purchase on the day

Description

WEBINAR

Responses to COVID-19 have increased the volume of online conversation. It can be difficult for businesses to break through, when a strong online presence has never been more important.

SpeechifAI can boost your visibility by turning every one of your customers into effective social media influencers.

This webinar will show you how you can maximise your referral marketing metrics – generating organic impressions, clicks, and conversions! – without paying for digital advertising.

While word-of-mouth marketing isn’t able to happen face-to-face, SpeechifAI makes it happen online.

Description

WEBINAR

This webinar will cover:

• Asia’s response to the Coronavirus Crisis so far & it’s impact
• How following the experience of Asia can support your business’ response and recovery
• Answer your questions

Description

This event will focus on how firms across the Black Country can ensure that their premises are safe for members of staff, customers and visitors. With a focus on how Covid 19 has changed business practices, we will be inviting Regulatory Service teams from across the four Black Country Local Authorities to discuss how to Covid-proof a workplace with Black Country businesses. We will also be inviting the Health and Safety Executive as a guest speaker, as well as having business support teams from the various local authorities to answer any questions that businesses may have. The world has changed, potentially irrevocably, over the last five months. What was considered normal business practice is now seen as unsafe and potentially life threatening to 'at risk' members of staff. It is crucial that all business owners, of all sizes and from all sectors, fully understand the role they play in ensuring the safety of their staff. That's why we think it is crucial, that as united Black Country, we ensure the safety of employees in the region. We will be calling on the Regulatory Services teams from all Black Country local authorities, as well as the Business Support teams and Public Health, to ensure that MDs, FDs and HR Departments understand what must be done, for their firm to operate in a 'post-lockdown' landscape. We want to ensure that attendees can ask the necessary questions and seek the advice they need on making their premises safe. We will have experts in the room that can point to further support, answer the necessary questions and support businesses to make the necessary changes.

Description

The ‘Enterprise for Success’ programme has been designed to help support SMEs to accomplish their business ambitions.

Enterprise for Success is led by Solihull MBC and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

You can book directly onto one of our 2 day workshop programmes specifically designed and created in partnership with successful business leaders and entrepreneurs. The workshop will cover a range of steps to growth, and will look at developing or redefining your business strategy and preparing your product/service for market, aligning your marketing strategy with your overall business strategy.

We do recommend that that you take advantage of our easy to use Business Diagnostic Tool and complete the online questionnaire in advance of attending a workshop. It should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. After you submit all the required information, you will receive a Business Analysis Report detailing your results. You will also receive a one-to-one Business Growth Consultancy session with Birmingham City University’s SME Growth Advisor, who will discuss your report with you in further detail and formulate a bespoke strategy unique to your business. The Business Diagnostic Tool can be accessed by clicking https://bcu-survey.growmycompany.co.uk/index.php/692579?lang=en

Please register to attend Workshop 1 which is 2 separate workshops - Day 1 is on Tue 18th Feb and Day 2 is on Thurs 27th Feb 2020.

Workshops:

Round 1 Tuesday 18th and 27th Feb

Round 2 Tuesday 21st and 28th April

Round 3 Tuesday 21st and 28th July

Round 4 Tuesday 22nd and 29th September

Round 5 Tuesday 17th and 24th Nov

Description

A 12-week summer series of 90-minute self-learning and development sessions has been launched to help those who may have felt a little overwhelmed in recent weeks and for those who have had to pivot, not just in their personal life, but in their role and function within an organisation and who are steering their way into an unknown future of very different possibilities and opportunities. The Chamber are encouraging everyone to tap into each of the six topics, and whilst all are stand-alone, each one dovetails with the next to help individuals with their own personal and professional development. Each session will be delivered by award winning performance and development coach, Wendyanne Shapiro from Lotus Flower Consultancy. This session will cover: Resilience & Mindset Reflexive or reflective thinking patterns Strengthening your resolve and breaking the habit Future thinking and moving towards.

Description

WEBINAR

This webinar will cover:

• How to successfully earn from home so that you have the time to pursue your passions
• The most common mistakes people make when trying to earn from home, and how to avoid them
• Answering your questions

“Even before COVID-19 hit, many entrepreneurs and prospective business owners have been looking for ways to earn from home. However, sadly, majority of small business owners earn less than half the national average salary and would be better off earning from a job. Many more spend hours on the internet researching and, even though they know they have it in them, they find it hard to get started on the right path and find their first clients. In this webinar I will share with you the most common mistakes people make when trying to earn from home and you can find ways to make money that still gives you the time to do what you are really passionate about.”

Description

The UK Government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance for businesses in England, to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible. Join this free webinar, hosted by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to find out more about how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

This webinar is designed to be relevant for any food preparation or food service setting where food is sold for takeaway or delivery. For example:

• bars

• pubs and restaurants operating as take-aways

• cafes

• food to go

• food delivery

• takeaways and mobile catering

• contract catering at the point of service to the consumer, such as in offices or similar environments

It also applies to the food services provided by businesses. It does not apply to food preparation or food service in clinical or healthcare settings.

How to join the webinar:

• You will receive a link to the online event page after you complete your registration. You will also receive reminders and links from Eventbrite 48 hours, 2 hours, and 15 minutes before the event starts.
• Use the link in the email to access the online event page (you will need to sign into Eventbrite).
• Further technical details on how to watch the webinar are available on the event detail page after you register.

This is one of a series of webinars about how to work safely in different types of workplace. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may wish to attend more than one webinar as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe. View the full series of working safely during coronavirus webinars below.

• Working safely during coronavirus: factories, plants and warehouses
• Working safely during coronavirus: restaurants offering takeaway or delivery
• Working safely during coronavirus: shops and branches
• Working safely during coronavirus: vehicles
• Working safely during coronavirus: construction & other outdoor work
• Working safely during coronavirus: labs & research facilities
• Working safely during coronavirus: offices & contact centres
• Working safely during coronavirus: other people's homes

View all the working safely during coronavirus written guidance

Find out more about the business support measures available:

• Use the business support finder to see what support is available for your business, or visit the Business Support Hub to find all business support information
• For the latest information direct to your inbox, sign up to the Coronavirus Business and Employers Bulletin here.
• Follow the Business Support Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.
• There are also Business Support helplines providing free and impartial business support. The number for England is 0800 998 1098, for Scotland 0300 303 0660, for Wales 0300 060 300 and for Northern Ireland 0800 181 4422.

Description

Join our lunchtime webinar programme to help businesses navigate the design to manufacture journey. Turning an idea into a scalable, commercial product is a challenge that faces many entrepreneurs, innovators and SMEs. Developing a new product, new functionality or new customer experience can be difficult, and the design to manufacture process must be given careful consideration to ensure that development costs and timelines are managed effectively. Navigating this process can be daunting and good communication between stakeholders is vital. By understanding what designers and manufacturers care about, it will be easier to establish the good relationships and processes that will avoid costly, time consuming changes further along the development process. KTN in partnership with Product Design Scotland have curated an exciting and informative a lunchtime programme – join us each week for an opportunity to hear from representatives across the design to manufacture space. Experienced innovators and specialists will give their own perspectives on the challenges and important considerations that should inform early stage product development. Grab a tea and a sandwich and join Abi Hird and Alastair McInroy each Wednesday for expert insights, stimulating debate and an opportunity to join our diverse and vibrant community collectively focused on navigating the design to manufacture journey. REGISTER for Navigating the Design to Manufacture Journey Webinar Series. You can select one or as many weekly event sessions to attend.

Description

WEBINAR

The AI for Services team is hosting a lunchtime webinar to provide support for Innovate UK grant funded projects impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. This webinar will be curated by members of the network and is open to all sectors.

This session is scheduled for Tuesday 21st April 12:00 – 13:30 and will include presentations from member organisations covering business support guidance, legal challenges and the impact on the angel community and early stage investment. There will also be time for Q&A.

Agenda to Follow

Who will be Presenting?

Each presenter will give a 15-20 minutes presentation followed by some Q&A

• Business Support – Wesley Rashid, CEO, The Accountancy Cloud

• Legal Challenges – Pamela Austen, COO, Legal Beagles Group

• Impact on the Angel Community and Early Stage Investment – Charlotte Thompson, KTN

Description

The Middle East is a diverse, hugely lucrative but also challenging export market. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the UK’s largest civil export market in the region and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Arab world and an important export partner.
Western and Arab cultures have very different views on how to do business and it is important to get a deeper understanding of what these differences are and how to overcome perceived barriers. 

This half-day training will help you to improve your communication with partners in the region. Knowing your way around the do’s and don’ts in business culture will save you from uncomfortable miscommunications. The Middle East is a difficult market to penetrate, so it is important to get it right.
 

The training will cover:

• Arabic business culture: religion, beliefs, values, attitudes and customs
• Arabic business and economic environment
• Arabic business communication and negotiation style
• Challenges and solutions for doing business in this region
• understanding and overcoming common trade barriers / pitfalls
• market entry and protecting your business
• ease of doing business
• e-commerce strategy

Who is this workshop for?

This event is funded by West Midlands Chambers of Commerce’s ERDF SME International Growth Project. In order to attend you must be an SME registered within the West Midlands.

Description

eCommerce is here to stay — and growing at a rapid pace. The online opportunities to expand your company's brand presence and global reach are huge!

Join us in 2020 for Go Global: Grow your Digital Footprint, a free Midlands Engine event focused on selling via international online marketplaces. This event is for you if your business ticks one or more of the following criteria:

• a Midlands based SME with a turnover of £500k+
• are already exporting, with a web presence
• have a strong domestic business, have an e-commerce site and are ready to export through an online marketplace 

Expect a thought-provoking start to the day with a panel session hosted by Jatin Bhurabhai, Ecommerce & Marketplaces Consultant from DIT, where you will hear from: 

• Candy Kittens - Jamie Laing & Ed Williams, Founder and Managing Director 
• BrewDog - David McDowall, Group Chief Operating Officer 
• Ohh Deer - Laura Philbin, Sales Manager 

Description

Join Timothy Armoo, CEO of Fanbytes group & noted as one of the “Most Influential People in Advertising 2019” by the Evening Standard to learn:

• How to create an army of fans around your business or brand using TikTok
• How to grow your TikTok account to 100,000s within 14 days using Fanbytes’ 3 step strategy
• How a single TikTok campaign lead to over 200,000 fan videos within 4 days
• How Fanbytes used these insights to build ByteHouse, the first-ever UK TikTok house which has clicked over 70 million views in its first month

Description

Walsall Works will be hosting the borough’s largest recruitment event this year!

Come along and meet with over 80 employers and providers offering hundreds of employment, apprenticeships and training opportunities.

The Walsall Works Expo will take place on Thursday 5 September 2019. The Event will be held at The Hub, Walsall College, Littleton Street West, Walsall WS2 8ES from 10.00am – 4.00pm

Description

With an increase in the number of employees being based remotely and the expectation companies will continue to offer this level of flexibility long-term, now more than ever, small businesses need to look at solutions to help them streamline operations, reduce costs and deliver agility, speed and performance. Join Noel Victor, Business Development Manager for Dell Technologies as he discusses: The challenges being faced by small businesses today regarding IT operations and keeping the lights on How Dell Technologies offerings and Management Solutions can help overcome these challenges How can small businesses manage their Data Centre remotely in a simplified, automated, Intelligent & secure manner Dell Technologies products and solutions and some of the other tools & services we provide outside of technology such as Financial support to help address these challenges

Description

In the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, many business owners and entrepreneurs find themselves feeling apprehensive as they continue to face an uncertain future. Join award-winning startup CEO Merlie Calvert to learn how to rediscover your confidence and ambition in order to spot and seize the business opportunities created by the new normal.

Description

This webinar provides an overview of the changes to the scheme, how employers will be affected, flexible furloughing, key dates and support available.

Description

WEBINAR

Many ecommerce sites have had their sales damaged by the economic effects of Covid-19 and yet some, are still flourishing. I’ll cover the advertising strategies, ad copies and creatives they’re using to generate sales where others are failing. Facebook and Instagram has seen an explosion of traffic since isolation and so it’s essential your ad setup is well placed to capitalise on this. I’ll share how a company had it’s best month in 2020 during the outbreak of covid-19 and how you can replicate their success. In the webinar I’ll share a link to a free audit I’ll conduct of your Facebook ads.

Description

These are difficult times. These are times when we are unsure what will happen next, let alone what the future will look like. These are times when we need to look after ourselves and our employees.

This webinar will look at coaching and counselling skills and tools that are easily accessible to support you and others. We will look at tools to develop the conversation, tools to uncover and support the real issues and tools to take action.

Speakers:

Jenni Jones is an Associate Professor at the University of Wolverhampton Business School, UK, where she is the Course Leader for the MA and ILM programmes in Coaching and Mentoring. Previously, she has worked in a variety of HRD leadership roles and currently leads a variety of external coaching and mentoring projects within the private and public sector.

Nicky Adams is a Senior Lecturer in HR and Leadership at the University of Wolverhampton Business School. Prior to joining the University, Nicky worked in customer services management, taught in Further Education and has run her own Learning & Development consultancy providing learning, development, coaching and mentoring for individuals in organisations large and small in the public, private and third sectors. She has also delivered training and mentoring within Samaritans, where she has been a listening volunteer for over 25 years.

Description

The B2B exhibition attracts 100 exhibiting businesses and a footfall of over 1,500 visiting businesses from across the Midlands. The Midlands Business Network Expo is an excellent platform for networking, brand recognition, promotion and business connectivity in the region. 

If you are looking to increase your business network, spread product brand awareness, find new sales opportunities and increase your sales pipeline then this is the perfect event for your business. Come along as an exhibitor or a visitor and showcase your business at the biggest B2B expo in the Midlands. 

Why should I attend the Midlands Business Network Expo?

• Make valuable business connections within the Midlands

• Generate sales leads for your business 

• Identify new customers

• Promote your brand

• Develop your skills and gain business insight 

Description

This event is brought to you by The UK Circular Plastics Network and WRAP.

Creating a circular economy for plastics through the reuse of plastic packaging – when is it worth it and what opportunities can it bring in the fast moving consumer goods sector?

This free event will give you the insights to make more informed choices about re-use in your business.

Guest speakers will include:

Waitrose – Ben Thomas | Greenpeace – Louise Edge | Sheffield University – Sarah Greenwood | Plus many more to be announced.

Eligibility: Attendees must be members of The UK Plastics Pact and/or UK Circular Plastics Network.

The event will be chaired by Peter Maddox Director at WRAP. Topics of discussion and debate will be:

• Defining plastics reuse and what this means.
• The benefits of plastics reuse and why is it important.
• Plastics reuse in practice – presentations from organisations using reuse systems.
• Understanding the barriers and opportunities to implementing reuse.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided but please note that all food will be vegetarian.

There will also be insight into government funding for this sector in a session delivered by Sally Beken of The UK Circular Plastics Network and Innovation Lead on the Sustainable Smart Plastic Packaging challenge at Innovate UK.

Description

This seminar will cover Furlough and will also look at other workforce challenges created by the current lockdown, including how businesses can consider redundancy and restructuring for the future.

Paul Scope is currently advising clients on a range of employment issues in relation to coronavirus, including furlonging employees and the Government’s Coronavirus Job Scheme.

He is an experienced employment lawyer who deals with all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment issues, focusing on pragmatic and commercial solutions wherever possible. Paul has a great deal of experience of conducting cases before Employment Tribunals, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Central Arbitration Committee.

Paul regularly advises clients on managing trade union issues (including union recognition, collective agreements and strikes) and collective consultation obligations (including substantial restructuring exercises, outsourcing, site closures, TUPE transfers and collective redundancies.

Description

Servitization offers manufacturers huge opportunities for future-proofing their business model, especially following the disruption caused by Coronavirus. The transition from manufacturing products to selling services and the added value they provide is one that requires business transformation. To achieve this, marketing needs to be one of your top priorities. Crafting the right marketing strategy and understanding how best to position your business in this new world is key to effective diversification. This webinar will help you to re-evaluate the current position of your business, understand how to effectively take your services to market and communicate your value propositions to key stakeholders. Delivered by marketing specialists with many years’ experience in manufacturing and allied industries, this will be a practical session with key actions that you can take away and implement in your own business.

Description

A 12-week summer series of 90-minute self-learning and development sessions has been launched to help those who may have felt a little overwhelmed in recent weeks and for those who have had to pivot, not just in their personal life, but in their role and function within an organisation and who are steering their way into an unknown future of very different possibilities and opportunities. The Chamber are encouraging everyone to tap into each of the six topics, and whilst all are stand-alone, each one dovetails with the next to help individuals with their own personal and professional development. Each session will be delivered by award winning performance and development coach, Wendyanne Shapiro from Lotus Flower Consultancy. This session will cover: Strategy & Planning What was, what is and what can be… Short, Medium- and Long-term focus Alignment to aims and aspirations

Description

The Nue Co launched in the UK, after a US launch which saw a waitlist of thousands for its exclusive Net-A-Porter launch. The company has seen sales of immunity-boosting products increase by 600% MoM during this uncertain time, and has responded to the soaring demand for stress-relief treatments with an initiative that donates ‘self-care packages’ to volunteers, nurses and doctors on the frontline, featuring products which are clinically-proven to support easing the symptoms of stress, including anxiety, tension and lack of sleep.

Description

Working Safely During Coronavirus

The UK Government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance for businesses in England, to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible. Join this free webinar, hosted by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to find out more about how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

This webinar is designed to be relevant for people who work in or from vehicles, including couriers, mobile workers, lorry drivers, on-site transit and work vehicles, field forces and similar.

This is one of a series of webinars about how to work safely in different types of workplace. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may wish to attend more than one webinar as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe.

View the full series of working safely during coronavirus webinars below:

• Working safely during coronavirus: restaurants offering takeaway or delivery
• Working safely during coronavirus: shops and branches
• Working safely during coronavirus: vehicles
• Working safely during coronavirus: construction & other outdoor work
• Working safely during coronavirus: labs & research facilities
• Working safely during coronavirus: offices & contact centres
• Working safely during coronavirus: other people's homes

View all the working safely during coronavirus written guidance

Find out more about the business support measures available:

• Use the business support finder to see what support is available for your business, or visit the Business Support Hub to find all business support information
• For the latest information direct to your inbox, sign up to the Coronavirus Business and Employers Bulletin here.
• Follow the Business Support Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.
• There are also Business Support helplines providing free and impartial business support. The number for England is 0800 998 1098, for Scotland 0300 303 0660, for Wales 0300 060 300 and for Northern Ireland 0800 181 4422.

How to join the webinar:

• You will receive a link to the online event page after you complete your registration. You will also receive reminders and links from Eventbrite 48 hours, 2 hours, and 15 minutes before the event starts.
• Use the link in the email to access the online event page (you will need to sign into Eventbrite).
• Further technical details on how to watch the webinar are available on the event detail page after you register.

Description

WEBINAR

We all have goals, certain things we strive for. A certain level of turnover, multiple product streams, outsourcing development. Setting goals quite often isn’t a struggle but sticking to them and building those goals into everyday decision making can often be challenging and so quite often, we lose control and sight of what we really want – particularly when life throws us a curveball like COVID19! In this session, we’ll take a look at revising long-term visions to keep you inspired and motivated through these challenging times. After that we’ll break those visions down into milestones that feel manageable and give you a clear list of actions, allowing you to feel in control and feel your own progress towards those big ticket goals.

Description

Whether you’re a Customer Service, Marketing or Comms leader, ensuring that your organisation delivers the best possible customer experience during the Covid-19 crisis is paramount.

Join CrowdControlHQ and Jo Causon, CEO at The Institute of Customer Service, a recognised thought leader on all customer service issues for this live webinar. Jo's work and research helps guide the UK's biggest organisations on how to engage, serve and satisfy customers for improved revenue and customer retention.

In this session we'll be sharing unique insights into customer service comms during the Covid-19 crisis. Learn why the winning brands so far have helped and guided their customers, rather than focussed on sales, and what the future holds.

What you'll learn

• Key customer service lessons learnt so far from the Covid-19 crisis.
• What's coming next - it's a marathon, not a sprint.
• Examples of brands delivering good service and customer communications.
• Why serving rather than selling will lead to long-term rewards.
• Plus, a live Q&A at the end.

Description

Part of a series of Onboardlocal Webinars brought to you by High Speed (HS2) Ltd that aim to help local businesses navigate the HS2 supply chain and better understand some of the things that we are looking for from suppliers. We want local businesses along the line of the new high speed railway to be able to make the most of the opportunities HS2 will bring, and get involved in the supply chain wherever they can. HS2 provides a fantastic opportunity to create new jobs and up-skill Britain’s existing workforce. The Skills, Employment and Education (SEE) activities of our supply chain are crucial in helping to achieve this. Our collaborative effort will leave a legacy of a highly skilled and diverse workforce able to deliver HS2 and future projects. During this free webinar an expert from HS2 Ltd will: - Explain the areas of focus across HS2 on skills, employment and education - Provide you with an introduction to the skills, employment and education strategy which sets out how we are working with our supply chain - Guide you through some examples of the ways that your business could stand out by helping us to deliver on our SEE ambitions. - Spend some time answering your questions

Description

From banana bread to sourdough, the lockdown has generated a surge in home bakers! Let’s discuss the ‘rising’ trends and how to create catchy social media content over a cocktail with 2019 Apprentice winner and CEO of Dough Artisan Bakehouse, Carina Lepore. Speaker: Carina Lepore Owner and Co-Founder Dough Bakehouse

Description

WEBINAR

This webinar will cover:

• How to launch your own podcast as part of you marketing strategy, and why YOU SHOULD!
• Tips and advice on works and what doesn’t work
• Answering your questions about podcasts

“I’ve come to realise, first hand, that podcasting is one of the most powerful tools for business and personal growth. I have now recorded nearly 250 episodes of my own show and which are downloaded in 140+ countries. I have also created many other podcasts for different entrepreneurs and brands. Throughout the course of creating, launching, and marketing my podcasts, I’ve learnt a lot about what works and what doesn’t work. And for the last few years, I’ve been working with numerous people to help them launch their own podcasts.I’d now like to share the power of podcasting with you too!”

Description

Join us on Friday 31st January for our first quarterly Manufacturing Forum for 2020.
The Forum returns to The Black Country Living Museum for a regular home throughout the year.

As well as the opportunity for networking with local manufacturers, the session will see a presentation from Manufacturing Growth Manager, Helen Fortune. Following feedback from members, we know that funding is hard to come by, so this is a fantastic opportunity to come and engage with the Manufacturing Growth Programme and find out how your business can secure extra funding for areas such as Strategy, Finance, Sales and Leadership.

The morning will also see an update from the Chamber on recent work in the manufacturing sector, from our engagement with government departments, to increasing our Brexit support packages.

Description

This webinar provides an overview of the changes to the scheme, how employers will be affected, flexible furloughing, key dates and support available.

Description

WEBINAR

The world is changing and business owners need to change with it! In this fast-paced, actionable and transformational session, bestselling author and international business mentor, Chris Ducker takes you through 2 discovery exercises, followed by unveiling 5 different ways you can start creating more revenue based on your expertise. It’ll open your eyes and you’ll love the simplicity of it all!

Description

This is a practical session to help exporting businesses prepare for Brexit.

When and where?

Location Wolverhampton Business Solutions Centre, Coxwell Avenue, Wolverhampton WV10 9RT

Date 11 October 2019

Time 08:30-13:30 

Why attend?

The Government is accelerating Brexit preparations so that it is ready to leave the EU on 31 October.

This is one of a series of Department for International Trade events to help you prepare for Brexit.

What will you learn?

You’ll leave the event with a personalised action plan covering:

• paperwork needed to continue exporting
• impact to supply chains
• changes to regulations and contracts
• where to find tariff information, commodity codes and duty rates
• what you might need to speak to customers and employees about
• moving goods across borders
• business travel to the EU
• providing services to EU clients
• how to treat personal data

Who is this event for?

All exporters, particularly those exporting to the EU. There are several events like this running across the country. Please visit the main page to see the full list of events.

Please note places are limited and offered on a first come, first serve basis. Registration is required.

Description

Join Kevin Tewis-Allen from Office Freedom for a discussion on how to keep your business agile post lockdown using a flexible office solution to suit your needs. Office Freedom helps businesses find super-flexible COVID-19 compliant office space of any size.

Description

In response of the lockdown Enabling Technologies & Innovation Competencies Challenge project run by Aston University have created series of the fully funded Webinars and On-line workshops for companies in manufacturing, engineering and technology sectors. Our on-line events give participants knowledge of three key enabling technologies - digital, materials and photonics - and an opportunity to identify resources, skills and expertise to grow and develop their business through innovation and application of these technologies to development of new products. For more information about support available through ERDF-funded project Enabling Technologies & Innovation Competencies Challenge run by Aston University please visit project website or call 0121 204 3370. Agenda: 10:00am Introduction Bethan Bishop, Aliciyo Ltd 10:05am Enabling Technologies & Innovation Competencies Project Dr.Valentina Barker, Aston University 10:10am Photonic technology for industry and everyday life Dr. David Benton, Aston University This will be a quick introduction to light and a tour around the ways in which light can be used for communication, sensing, production and many more things 10:35am Q&A, open discussion (please feel free to join us with your camera, speaker on) This free event is a part of the Enabling Technologies & Innovation Competences Project activities. The project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Delegates are required to register for the project to benefit from the project support.

Description

Speaker: Nikolay Priankov, CEO of Taylor & Hart (an award-winning London jeweller)

During this session small business leader and entrepreneur champion Nikolay will be sharing his expertise in running an online business and funding fast growth.

Description

This webinar provides an overview of the changes to the scheme, how employers will be affected, flexible furloughing, key dates and support available.

Description

BRUNTWOOD WORKS PRESENTS: AN EVENING WITH MIKE BANDAR

Want to grow your business? Join us at this intimate evening event, hosted by Bruntwood Works, as we interview award-winning entrepreneur Mike Bandar, founder of Turn Partners and Hopper HQ, on his successful business journey.

YOUR EVENT AGENDA

18:00: Registration and welcome drinks

18:30: Welcome from Bruntwood Works and Enterprise Nation

18:40: Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, interviews Mike Bandar

19.30: Drinks and networking

20:00: Event close

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation
Emma started her first business in 2006 and sold it after just 15 months. She then founded Enterprise Nation which is now the UK’s most active small business network.

Mike Bandar
Mike Bandar is a founding partner of Turn Partners, a start-up studio focused on the acquisition, turnaround and creation of digital businesses. Mike led the turn around of the niche-dating agency Toyboy Warehouse, achieving over a 2000% revenue growth in 18 months. Turn Partners are also behind Hopper HQ, the Instagram scheduling tool, now working with the world’s biggest brands and agencies across 75 countries.

Mike is a graduate from Aston Business School and has owned and operated businesses since the age of 15. Using his current and practiced understanding of the start up, enterprise and investment world, Mike regularly provides training to budding and developing entrepreneurs through various programmes including corporate and university based incubators and accelerators.

In 2017 Mike was featured on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list to receive a British Empire Medal for ‘Services to Young Entrepreneurs in the West Midlands’. Mike has recently been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Aston University for his contribution to Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, making him one of the youngest ever recipients of a DSc. His main focus is now within Turn Partners as well as providing startup and enterprise training to individuals, institutions and corporates across the world.

THIS EVENT IS POWERED BY:

Bruntwood
Bruntwood own, let and manage outstanding buildings, workspace, and retail space. They are a leading property partner to over 3,000 businesses across Manchester, Liverpool, Cheshire, Leeds and Birmingham. From start-ups and SMEs to multinationals, we work with at least one business in every sector.

Bruntwood is led by one purpose: creating thriving cities. Its deep connection with the places it works in sets it apart; and for more than forty years, everything Bruntwood has achieved has been with this purpose in mind.

Enterprise Nation
Enterprise Nation is the UK’s most active small business network and we have helped thousands of people turn their good idea into a great business. Enterprise Nation membership gives you access to exclusive opportunitiesto grow your business and connects you with like-minded entrepreneurs and business experts who can help. Membership is just £10 a month and you can cancel at any time.

Description

Twenty years in business and twenty years in the military has taught Jonathan to support leaders to cope with crisis and challenges for themselves and their teams. Global leadership advisor Jonathan will be offering his top tips and practical advice using techniques he’s taught to top global leaders.

Description

This session will examine the ten mindset shifts required to generate business performance, business change and business success. When we encounter challenges, how can we ensure we’re are best equipped to not only survive but thrive? We discuss the ten mindset shifts you need to make the most difference and where they show up in your business.

Description

Lord Erroll, Chairman of Hyper5, will host a briefing session to introduce innovative manufacturers in the West Midlands to this new consortium. A panel of speakers will be discussing the new use cases enabled by 5G and include representatives from: The Manufacturing Technology Centre British Standards Institution Black Country LEP West Midlands 5G

Description

We are now in a significantly different working environment from the one we knew before the pandemic took a stranglehold on our daily lives. Business survival going forward will require meticulous planning which should extend far beyond simply shouting “we’re open for business”. In this session Wesleyan Bank will walk you through the process and key considerations to get your business back to what it does best.

Description

'We have previously discussed the importance of intellectual property, project management and R&D collaboration when it comes to developing your product, leading us nicely to the type of expertise on offer. This session will cover the in house expertise Digi-Rail are able to offer and how these have been applied to our projects, themes may include: • Sensors • Electronics • Automation • Robotics • Data We are keen to keep this session as interactive as possible and to have a valuable conversation. Therefore, we want to hear from you whilst also allowing the opportunity to raise questions, concerns and issues, both around the virtual table and with the panel. Once you join the online event we will encourage you to share your experiences and challenges along with, questions and ideas around innovating your current products and services and how we can support you. Your contributions will help ensure the session is useful to you and the other participants; please have your questions ready to share and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday 10th September at 10am. If you have any questions or queries please email: digi-rail@contacts.bham.ac.uk Best regards The Digi-Rail team'

Description

Webinar will feature guest speakers taking a look at how food gets from farm to consumer, giving insights into possible impacts of Covid-19 on supply chains and highlighting where innovation can be a real game changer in urban food distribution.

Pre-COVID, many of us would have given little thought to how food makes its way to supermarket shelves or to our front door.   Behind the scenes, there is a major operational effort supporting the smooth running of this distribution network.  Research is suggesting various operational and innovative approaches to both help create more resilient supply chains post-COVID and reduce the carbon associated with e-commerce and deliveries.

Join this webinar to:

• Explore vulnerabilities of our food supply chains, including the operational challenges exposed by Covid-19
• Examine how specific innovative approaches can increase resilience of supply chains whilst enabling the sector to meet customer demands
• Be inspired by the leading research showcasing international best practice and gaps in the market.
• Learn how innovation can be a real game changer in urban food distribution.

Speakers

• Professor Michael Bourlakis, Director of Research and Director of the Centre for Logistics, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Cranfield University
• Dr Eleonora Morganti, University Academic Fellow, University of Leeds
• Moderator: Tracy Savill, Initiative Lead, Connected Places Catapult

11:00-11:40:

• Welcome by Tracy Savill, Initiative Lead, Connected Places Catapult
• Presentation from Professor Michael Bourlakis, Director of Research and Director of the Centre for Logistics, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Cranfield University
• Presentation from Dr Eleonora Morganti, University Academic Fellow, University of Leeds

11:45 – Q&A from audience to panel

11:55 – Summary and close by Tracy Savill, Initiative Lead, Connected Places Catapult

12:00 – Webinar ends

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In times of crisis, calm and clear communications are key. Getting your message across is challenging at the best of times but when the message relates to a potential health risk, the stakes are even higher. The ability to communicate effectively in these circumstances will have a direct effect on whether your stakeholders take appropriate action and how reassured they feel. This session identifies those elements of clear communications to enable organisations to better eliminate doubt from their communication of key messages related to health or other risks. During this session you will: Learn how to avoid the communication void Discover presentation hints and tips Understand the ingredients of clear and effective communications Gain insight into what makes a good spokesperson Don’t let chaos into your Covid-19 communications, join us to learn how clear and effective messages can help your business in a time of chaos. Speaker: Sarah Williams Following a career in public relations and marketing communications spanning 11 years, Sarah has been teaching and researching in the area of public relations, marketing and digital marketing communications for over 16 years. Sarah is currently Associate Director of the Business School at the University of Wolverhampton, and has previously worked for international marketing agencies, including McCann Erickson and IMG Connect; this practical experience underpins her approach to the teaching and research of public relations, advertising and marketing.  Her research interests include the impact of social media on PR practice, as well as investigating professional practice in public relations.  She has recently contributed chapters to ‘Experiencing Public Relations’ by Bridgen and Verčič (2017) and ‘Promotional Strategies and New Service Opportunities in Emerging Economies’ by Nadda, Dadwal and Rahimi (2017). She also co-authored a paper with Jonathan Hemus, MD of Insignia Communications, exploring Risk Communication during the Swine Flu epidemic of 2009.

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In support of Minerva Birmingham PitchUp and to encourage greater engagement between our local successful business people with our local entrepreneurs we a running familiarisation program for those interested in finding out more about investing in our high growth start-ups and scale ups . This is the sixth webinar in a series of 8 covering the important aspect of investing in startups and scale ups Through the series we give you the chance to chat to experts , experienced investors and academics on being an angel investor. We aim to break the myth on type, age profile, investment levels and what is actually an angel investor. Introduction to Business Angel Investing For the Potential Angel Investor Agenda In this section we hope to share with you the personal experiences of a selection of angels to help give you some insight to their perceptions of angel investing through a panel forum and we will cover 1. An introduction from the panel members who are all active investors 2. how do they define hat is described what is right and what is classed as wrong investment 3. Personal stories will be shard on the investments falling in these categories 4. Minerva will then describe with examples companies that have worked well and why companies have failed All events are recorded and are available on request

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In March 2020 Microsoft announced the rebrand of Office 365 to Microsoft 365 to reflect the all-encompassing nature of their “subscription service for your life”. Designed to help you achieve more with innovative apps, intelligent services, and world-class security, Microsoft 365 is your productivity cloud across work and life. But what are the latest features of Microsoft 365? How does it differ from just using Office? Is it supported on Mac and other devices? Join Microsoft Master Trainer Dale Brocklehurst to discover how to unlock the true potential of their productivity suite. Dale will be covering how to avoid the cost of additional cloud-based services by harnessing Microsoft 365’s integrated solutions such as OneDrive, SharePoint & Skype, as well as answering everything you wanted to know, but might have been too embarrassed to ask…

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Crisis Averted, take ACTION today - Join this webinar to prepare and plan for your business with our 11 step guide. We need to apply logic, keep calm and plan like we have never planned before. Think differently. As a business owner it’s important that you are proactively mitigating risks, adapting your operations and pivoting your strategies to suit the changing economic climate. Importantly have plans in place ready for whatever the economy throws at us over the coming weeks and months. This webinar will help you think through your options and importantly, take action. Options help give us confidence and lead to positive steps forward. We are all having to think and act differently, but with the right positive actions we can all survive this economic crisis and thrive as we emerge out the other side. This is free webinar with content pulled from experience we are seeing from businesses across the country, please feel free to share with any other business owners you know.

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Social Media Strategy – Learn how to create a social media strategy based on your business goals. Join us for a free Google Digital Garage live webinar at 10am on Friday 21st August 2020.

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The construction sector around the globe is experiencing an unprecedented time and this has the potential to lead the industry into a transformational era in the short and medium term. The industry is continually evolving with respect to its exploitation of emerging technologies and use of increasing amounts of digital data. Aligned with this is the need for a more sustainable built environment for the future, which is leading researchers, practitioners and policy makers to develop a wide range of innovative future looking solutions. The broad spectrum of the conference will allow researchers and practitioners to ‘future gaze’ into the construction industry. Drawing on guest presentations from key experts from around the world, including the UK, USA and Australia, the specific themes of the conference will focus on discussions around process improvement, emerging technologies such as AI, directions for educating our future professionals and emerging developments in offsite. All this will be set against the backdrop of the current global crisis and how we are able to learn lessons for future resilience. Keynote Speakers: Professor Chimay Anumba (University of Florida, USA) Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga (Huddersfield University, UK) Professor Richard Burt (Auburn University, USA) Professor Mark Hastak (Purdue University, USA) Professor Farzad Khosrowshahi (Victoria University, Australia) Professor Lukumon Oyedele (University of West of England, UK) Professor Anil Sawhney (RICS, UK) Prof Javier Irizarry (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA) Professor Lucio Soibelman (University of Southern California, USA) Don Ward (CIB) Alan Muse (RICS)

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Join a briefing webinar for details of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund Phase 1 funding programme for England, Wales and NI worth up to £30m. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), in collaboration with Innovate UK and Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), will be hosting competition briefing webinars on the 14th July and 20th July to share details of the new funding programme, Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF). The UK Government announced £315m of funding in the 2018 Autumn Budget. The funding is available over the period to 2024. It will support businesses with high energy use to transition to a low carbon future, and to cut their bills and emissions through increased energy efficiency. BEIS will manage the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, with £289m to invest in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government will administer £26m for investment in Scotland and will publish its plans for the funding in due course. For more details contact IETF@gov.scot. The IETF is a crucial part of the Government’s strategy for tackling climate change and reaching Net Zero by 2050. It will complement other Government programmes that offer innovation and early demonstration support, such as the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) and the Energy Innovation Programme (EIP), and will help to transform an important part of the UK economy.

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VARIOUS AUGUST DATES AVAILABLE This webinar tells you how to claim the second grant in the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, who is eligible, the amount you can claim and other support available.

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WEBINAR

This webinar will cover:

• The Furlough and other workforce challenges created by the current lockdown
• How businesses can consider redundancy and restructuring for the future
• Answer your questions on The Furlough

Description

SMMT is hosting a webinar for companies in the automotive sector who are looking to start exporting or explore new markets. We will not be giving you sales pitches, but a series of case studies based on real world examples – with opportunities for questions too.

Our expert panel includes Santander Corporate and Commercial Bank, UK Export Finance and leading fuel cell developer Intelligent Energy, who will share their experience of markets in Europe, the USA and Asia. There will also be an overview of SMMT’s 2020 international programme.

At the end of the webinar, you will have an overview of opportunities to grow your international business in 2020, with key steps to take to improve your chance of success. Welcome and Introduction – Matthew Smith, Senior International Manager, SMMT

Licencing to Suzuki, selling to the USA, delivering value in India: Our success through different approaches in different markets - Joanna Richart, Business Development Director, Intelligent Energy

Helping UK businesses to Internationalise – Paul Brooks, UK Head of Manufacturing & Automotive and Sean Edwards, Director - Strategic Partnerships, Santander

Win better business with forward financial thinking – Phill Potter, Senior Export Finance Manager, UK Export Finance

Description

The Building Success webinar series is designed to provide inspiration, practical advice and tools.

Financial Planning – delivered by Charlotte Thompson & Emma Fadlon, KTN’s Knowledge Transfer Managers for Access to Funding and Finance, and hosted by the Knowledge Transfer Network.

When starting a company, it’s important to establish a financial reporting structure. This is not as complicated as you might think.

In this webinar we talk about the basics required and the resources that can help you without needing to spend a lot of money.

The Building Success webinar series is designed to provide inspiration, practical advice and tools, and highlight opportunities for innovation support to accelerate your innovation journey and is part of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme.

The Women in Innovation campaign was established in 2016 with a simple aim: to get more women innovating in business. You can find out more about the programme here.

Description

Would you like your company to become the go-to authority in its field? Would you like your brand to drive the current conversation in news or social media? Would you like to accomplish all of this during the current COVID-19 crisis — a special moment when a whole new batch of rapid thought leaders will be quickly defined? In this dynamic webinar with TOP Global CEO Ben Kaplan [topagency.com], we will explore the thought leadership insights derived from Kaplan’s study of the companies who thrived during the 2008 Great Recession, the 2000 dot-com bubble, the 1990 slowdown, and the 1980 decline. You will learn how to establish key pillars of your company’s expertise and then create macro, micro, and nano versions of it that are designed to be simple, surprising, and significant. Other key topics include: The changing dynamics of what creates thought leadership in a crisis versus normal times How to be timely and relevant to ongoing pandemic media coverage The important role of data in establishing your thought leadership platform The power of overlooked niche topics to create supersized impact How to get regular TV appearances by thinking like a producer Optimizing the use of different marketing channels—including mass media, social media, and conferences Harnessing the power of story (and case studies) to demonstrate expertise without a “hard sell” How to make your ideas more sticky and shareable by your target audience The key habits that will transform you from a thought follower to a thought leader

Description

From recruitment to the end of employment, this informative and interactive workshop will provide an overview of HR Management together with the relevant Employment Law. This will help you manage your people and deal with the issues that arise effectively and with confidence.

Through a mix of practical exercises, small group discussions and recent case law, you will leave this workshop with practical tips on managing people that you will be able to put into practice as soon as you step back into the workplace.

Who is it for?

This workshop is aimed at line managers or those who have supervisory or team leader responsibilities and day-to-day management of others, in addition to those new to managing others.

Where is it being held?

Hosted by the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills (ECMS) at their dedicated centre at the University of Wolverhampton Springfield Campus

Places are limited so booking early is recommended.

Description

A new Servitization event for business, the World Servitization Convention brings together the global community of leading servitization researchers and business executives to advance their servitization strategies, experience demonstrations of the technologies enabling advanced services and transform the future of manufacturing. ​ The World Servitization Convention will be a fully virtual event with a programme spanning three days from 14-16 September 2020. All existing registrations remain. Over three days you will have access to the latest, leading knowledge, research and insights on servitization from academic, business and industry experts, as well as practitioners and vendors from a range of industry sectors. Quite simply: all you need to know about servitization in one place.

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In this together – Dell Technologies are here to help support small businesses. Managing a business can seem especially challenging when the future of the economy, your ability to access resources, and the health and wellbeing of you and your family are uncertain. In this episode of The Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) Podcast, DWEN Director Ingrid Devin chats with Marie Moynihan, SVP of Global Talent Acquisition at Dell Technologies, and DWEN member Tamara Littleton, CEO/Founder of The Social Element. Together, they discuss the unique challenges presented by managing a business remotely during this time – from keeping teams engaged, to pitching new business, hiring new talent, and battling isolation. We’re all in uncharted territory, looking for ways to support our communities. At Dell Technologies, we’re making sure that small businesses have the right solutions and are supported every step of the way. Our advisors are here to give you FREE advice on a one-on-one basis, whilst working with you to understand your bespoke business needs and to provide you with the right solutions. If you would like to discuss your small business IT needs or if you are looking for professional support and advice call our Dell Technologies Advisors today on 0800 085 4878 or visit www.dell.co.uk/small-business-solutions To find out more about DWEN membership, please contact the team at DWENteam@dell.com or visit DWEN.com.

Description

In these different and possibly difficult times, managing staff comes with added complications and pressures. Managing these situations effectively and compassionately can be challenging and leave us feeling unsure if we have the skills to do this and still get the best outcome. This webinar will look at how you can ensure that you have a productive and supportive conversation with colleagues. We will develop an understanding of why we are reluctant to engage in the emotional part of a conversation and understand why it is an important and necessary part of supporting colleagues. The session will cover strategies and tools for overcoming this reluctance, approaches to help us listen more effectively, acknowledge any emotions and understand when to offer solutions and when to just listen. Speaker: Nicky Adams is a Senior Lecturer in HR and Leadership at the University of Wolverhampton Business School. Prior to joining the University, Nicky worked in customer services management and has run her own Learning & Development consultancy providing learning, development, coaching and mentoring for individuals in organisations large and small in the public, private and third sectors. She has also designed and delivered training and mentoring within Samaritans and externally for them. She has been a listening volunteer for over 25 years and held a range of local, regional and organisation-wide roles.

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This webinar provides guidance on the Job Retention Scheme which will help support businesses and employers dealing with the economic impact of COVID-19 – including furloughed workers, scheme eligibility, how to calculate a claim and more.

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Umesh is a serial entrepreneur who has raised funding for 3 out of 4 of his own companies and advised over 40 startups on everything from sales strategy, marketing direction, and growth opportunities. He will show you the tips, tricks, and industry secrets to becoming a sales guru so that you can supercharge the speed of selling to your customers and ultimately grow your revenues.

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Part of a series of Onboardlocal Webinars brought to you by High Speed (HS2) Ltd that aim to help local businesses navigate the HS2 supply chain and better understand some of the things that we are looking for from suppliers. We want local businesses along the line of the new high speed railway to be able to make the most of the opportunities HS2 will bring, and get involved in the supply chain wherever they can. We are aiming to build the most sustainable high speed railway in the world. We are looking to the supply chain for innovative approaches to help us to achieve this and minimise our impact on the environment. During this free webinar an expert from HS2 Ltd will: - Explain what we mean by a sustainable railway from our green corridor and carbon footprint to looking at the quantity and source of the materials that we use - Guide you through some of the mitigation measures that our supply chain will need to demonstrate and implement to ensure we work towards our Environmental Minimum Requirements. - Talk through some of the ways through innovation and best practice your business can stand out to us and our supply chain. - Spend some time answering your questions

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The business landscape has changed dramatically over the last few weeks, and brands, retailers and businesses are having to change and adapt the way that they are are conducting themselves, finding new customers and meeting demands. In this talk, we’ll highlight some key areas for improvement for marketing yourself during this time, to attract new customers and keep existing customers on-board. Aimed at business owners and departmental heads that have had to take on additional responsibilities or have been thrown in at the deep end.

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The future of supply chains is full of possibility, thanks to innovative developments in technology. By harnessing technology to develop and monitor supply chains, we can both improve strategy and reduce future risk. in this one hour virtual event, the Department for International Trade welcomes Steve Gregory, Director of LCR LEP Supply Chain Programme at the University of Huddersfield, who will look at how technology can benefit manufacturing SMEs and their supply chains. We’ll also explore the Technology Adoption Pilot and look at the practical implications of technology implementation, including a real-life case study of a manufacturing SME who embraced technology in its

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In this webinar, we’ll take a look at what Microsoft Azure is, and why it matters to businesses of all shapes and sizes – even if IT isn’t your strong suit! We have all been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Technology has a huge part to play in helping businesses keep the lights on; most especially as they look to the cloud to help with scenarios like remote working, commerce, and collaboration.

We’ll answer questions including:

• Why might I want to consider using Microsoft Azure? How can it help me and my business?
• Who can help me get started, or can I do this myself? Where do I learn how?
• What are some of the tips and tricks that I can take advantage of quickly?
• And, of course, any of your questions about building resiliency and flexibility into your business with cloud technology.

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