On 13 March, entrepreneurs and those who support them will be taken on a journey through three sessions of speeches, panel discussions and debates, united by one central theme:

• WHO DARES WINS – a celebration of the best in the business
• WHO CARES WINS – nurturing talent to unleash ideas
• WHO SHARES WINS – inspiration to accelerate your business

As part of our partnership, National Enterprise Network has been confirmed as an official ticketing partner for this event which sees us being able to offer our members and stakeholders a 20% reduction on the £150 VIP ticket price (+VAT) to attend this conference on 13 March.

The agenda outlining the key sessions, debates and speakers anticipated on the 13 March event is available to view from http://gec.unleashingideas.org/programme/mainconference.asp

To book a place at this unique event, visit http://gec2012-esearch.eventbrite.co.uk/?srnk=1&ebtv=C and quote promotional code NEN20 in order to benefit from this generous 20% discount. 

More information on the Global Entrepreneurship Congress more widely is available at http://gec.unleashingideas.org/

Our Chief Executive Dawn Whiteley and Chairman Doug Scott will be at the event and would be very keen to meet with members and stakeholders for some informal networking on the day - so please do let us know if you plan to attend so Dawn and Doug can arrange to meet you!

The Local Government Summit was aimed principally at senior members and officers in local government and was addressed by the Eric Pickles, Dr Vince Cable, senior civil servants from BIS and CLG and council leaders and chief executives. The messages were consistent: sustainable economic growth is the top priority. The two departments emphasised different themes and approaches to its achievement.

Eric Pickles and CLG colleagues highlighted:
• the need to freeze council tax bills;
• the desire to create a relationship between different levels of government based more on trust and less on bureaucracy (but with the threat of more bureaucracy if councils and LEPs are unwilling or unable to work with trust)
• the need for proactivity. Don’t ask for guidance or permission: just do it!
• a need to think and work differently, across traditional boundaries, for example

Vince Cable and BIS staff set out the economic strategy for BIS:
1. Achieve fiscal stability
2. Stimulate demand through monetary policy (while recognising that government has taken out significant demand through cuts in government expenditure and demand has  increased through exchange rate changes)
3. A growth strategy emphasising spending on investment rather than consumption, exporting and a review of the government’s influence on the economy

The results of this review had set out areas where the government should do less (regulation, planning), where it should do more (skills, innovation, exports, access to finance) and where it should do better (procurement).

How does this help us?
1. CLG advises that local authorities and LEPs need to be clear about their priorities and be able to link them to evidence that they meet the strategic challenges and opportunities of their areas. How do we find ways to help them achieve this?
2. BIS advises that we link our proposals to national priorities. If the bid to RGF that NEN is involved in is successful, it will in part be because we have shifted the focus from generic start-up provision to one clearly focused on meeting the needs of those seeking and offering access to finance. How do we devise new programmes that meet the new strategy?

Other than services to meet the needs of unemployed people, these appear to be the only national opportunities available. The government has spoken and acted with consistency in this regard. Their statements on economic growth also set the tone for LEPs and local authorities and so for many of us in our traditional enterprise agency roles.

I would like to encourage members to share examples that meet the new priorities of the government – seeking stories that highlight:
- Support to establish manufacturing businesses
- Support to early stage exporters (especially those ‘Born global’)
- Particularly interesting or needy cases featuring start ups that have accessed finance with help from the members
- Innovative start-up businesses

For members that have case studies and testimonials that support these areas, please share your details on our private members LinkedIn page here and we will look to use these examples in our conversations with government departments moving forward.

Doug Scott
National Enterprise Network Chairman

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The inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group (APPSBG) is considering the role of entrepreneurs in driving economic growth and will make recommendations to Government based on its findings. It is also considering entrepreneurs who already have their own business and budding entrepreneurs looking to set up on their own. It will examine the support available to them and also the barriers they face.

Specific topics under discussion include:
1. The effectiveness of Government policies in place to support entrepreneurs
2. The effectiveness of educators in supporting entrepreneurs
3. The help of mentors
4. Finance
5. The barriers to entrepreneurship

The National Enterprise Network’s written response commented on each topic area, providing the parliamentary group with unique and significant feedback from its perspective as the only national enterprise support organisation, whose members see over 320,000 pre start and start up clients each year.  Dawn will be expanding on all this detail during her party attendence next month and is hoping to also be able to share a number of case studies from the National Enterprise Network membership.

The full report submitted by National Enterprise Network can be accessed from APPSBG Entrepreneurship Inquiry January 2012_NENresponse

The winners of a number of categories were announced during the event, including the winner of the Social Enterprise Award, sponsored by National Enterprise Network – Mark Wakeling, Managing Director at Freeset Bags Ltd.  Hermione Taylor, Founder of The DoNation was also shortlisted for the Social Enterprise Award.

The Social Enterprise Award sponsored by The National Enterprise Network acknowledged the work and achievements of the individuals or teams behind the most inspiring and successful social enterprises, whether this be a start-up, an organisation that holds the social enterprise mark or a business or project led by young people.

The winning organisation, the quality eco bag company Freeset, currently employ 150 women who would otherwise have been trafficked into prostitution in Kolkata, India. The judges felt that changing the fate of these women – and many more in the future – for the better was an amazing feat. The company was, they said, multi dimensional: it is changing people’s lives and using natural and organic products.

The DoNation is a sponsorship site that replaces cash with action. For example someone could pledge to switch to a green energy supplier should their friend complete a marathon. The judges found the site innovative and a great new concept that tapped into and monetised our desire for social impact.

Paul Turner, Director of Community & Sustainable Business at Lloyds Banking Group comments, “We received entries from many organisations with impressive sustainability credentials who are seizing the opportunities associated with the move towards a green economy. Congratulations should go to each and every entry as all of these organisations are actively demonstrating how it is possible to be both a commercially successful business whilst also minimising their impact on the natural world, whether it be through lower carbon emissions or a reduced reliance on natural resources.  Lloyds TSB Commercial chose to sponsor the PEA Business Awards as we recognise that by rewarding examples of environmental best practice in business, we can inspire others to follow suit and together we can make a real difference.”

Jarvis Smith, founder of the PEA Business Awards adds, “We hope that these inspirational people and their companies will set the standard across the board and help to stimulate other businesses to follow suit by assessing the impact that their company has on the environment and cause entrepreneurs to think with a green mindset. Congratulations to all finalists and winners!”

The judging panel for the awards was chaired by Leo Johnson (Head of Sustainability at PricewaterhouseCoopers) and included Deborah Meaden (entrepreneur and star of BBC2’s Dragons’ Den) Jo Wood (TV personality and organic entrepreneur), Josephine Fairley (co-founder of Green & Black’s), Alex Lambie (founder of Green Helpline) and Tony Juniper (environmental campaigner, author and editor-in-chief of GREEN magazine) who after long discussions, drew up the shortlist from nominations and decided upon winners of each category.

The charity partner for the evening was Friends of the Earth, who organised a raffle to raise funds to support their vital green campaigning.

National Enterprise Network member Donbac, the enterprise support organisation based within Doncaster, has won a major award for their outstanding contribution to the local economy – announced at Doncaster’s most prestigious Chamber Business Awards Gala Dinner.

The award recognised an outstanding contribution to the economy of Doncaster through attracting wealth into the Borough which has had a subsequent influence on the lives of Doncaster residents.

The award was presented by judge and sponsor, John Bills of Doncaster Free Press, who said: “We chose this organisation as our winner, due to their organisation-wide commitment to growing the local economy.  The judges were impressed by the level of their contribution to the economy not just directly, but indirectly by improving the skills of local people and local businesses and enabling them to become more competitive, not just in Doncaster but when pitching for business outside of the borough.

The organisation clearly demonstrated not just a track record of contribution to the economy but a coherent vision for their future, which develops and enhances this contribution.  Their presence in the borough is critical to our future competitiveness and they have a key role to play in shaping this future.”

Angela Allison, Executive Director at Donbac said, “We are immensely proud to receive this award acknowledging the continuing commitment of our Board to attract capital into the area and provide alternative funding for our local businesses. The hard work of the team under the leadership of Arthur Foreman our Operations Director has helped Doncaster businesses to compete and grow in this incredibly challenging environment.”

This recognition is in additional to the award which was given to Donbac at the National Enterprise Network Awards in September 2011.  Donbac was awarded Contractor of the Year for the Barclays Let’s Talk programme – business start upstart-up seminars run by National Enterprise Network members across the country.  The organisation was given the award for its exceptional delivery of the programme over the year. Despite being a small team, Donbac had demonstrated the highest levels of administration, had 100% client feedback and unparalleled reach into the 16-25 age range – a target audience for Barclays.

Established in 1985, as one of the first enterprise agencies and loan fund in the region, Donbac has made a substantial impact into the Doncaster economy providing pre and post investment advice and funding for start-up and existing businesses, unable to access funding from mainstream banks.  Since 2010 alone, local businesses have received circa £3million of unsecured loans, providing over 700 jobs which in turn create around £13 million of disposable income into the area. Donbac, this year has secured an additional £2million for loans up to £25k available for local businesses.

The Doncaster Chamber Business Awards ceremony was held at Doncaster Racecourse and presented by BBC Look North’s Harry Gration.

More information about Donbac is available from www.donbac.co.uk

He was the driving force behind NFEA’s vision for its members to be recognised as the leading source of advice and support for new businesses throughout the country and for NFEA to be seen as the premier membership body for all organisations engaged in business support.  A well known figurehead within both the enterprise movement and wider government departments, George was a regular media commentator, columnist and speaker on business start up and small business issues.

George’s awareness and commitment to the enterprise sector started during his career in banking.  He held a number of branch management roles throughout the country and was Director of Corporate Banking for London until he joined NFEA as CEO in 2002.  The National Enterprise Network Board and staff would like to congratulate George on this recognition.

Business support organisations such as National Enterprise Network member Wenta, offer advice on a 1:1 basis to those seeking advice or help with self employment.

A recent study carried out by Wenta found that those who sought advice were more likely to start up in business. In 2010, 58% of clients that Wenta advised went on to start up their own businesses and of those that started 86% are still running successful businesses 1 year on from their start date.

Statistics from the National Enterprise Network state that in 2010 members of National Enterprise Network have helped to start nearly 25,000 businesses with an 80% one year survival rate.

Wenta client Mona Seul, started her business following business advisory sessions from Wenta in 2010. Mona said “Wenta’s business advisor Mick Dobson was very much a foundation to my business success. Without the support and feedback from Mick I wouldn’t have had the confidence to set up my business and keep pushing through the setbacks that all start-up businesses face. From discussing company names back in 2010 my company now operates 11 non gambling poker events a week and is growing rapidly.” Mona Seul, Discover Poker League.

Wenta aims to support businesses at any stage through a range of services including 1:1 business advice from experienced advisors, a range of training courses, 1:1 specialist advice surgeries, business incubation and affordable workspace.

To find out more about Wenta’s services please visit: http://www.wenta.co.uk/business-advice

*http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/fear-of-failure-deters-startups-6261303.html

The Review gathered evidence from visits, stakeholder events, meetings, media activities and from informal consultation.  This included a contribution from National Enterprise Network in which we highlighted how Enterprise can help the High Street - and we have been thanked by the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills for our participation.

A link to the report can be found from  http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/retail/high-street-review. The Government has welcomed the report and will be responding in detail in due course – we will see what conclusions are made and continue to look to promote an associated enterprise message on behalf of our network.

Part of the People and Environment (Pea) Business Awards, the Social Enterprise Award acknowledges the work and achievements of the individuals or teams behind the most inspiring and successful social enterprises, whether a start-up, an organisation that holds the social enterprise mark or a business or project led by young people.

Many National Enterprise Network members operate as social enterprises and have innovative and successful stories worth of national recognition – and it is hoped many of them will apply.

National Enterprise Network is sponsoring the Social Enterprise Award category as part of its official partnership with King Lion Media and it hopes to see a large number of National Enterprise Network members putting themselves forward.

Applications are being accepted until the end of Tuesday 3^rd January 2012, meaning there’s time to complete an application during the traditionally quiet time between Christmas and New Year.  Winners will then be announced at a high profile awards dinner in London later on that month.

More information on the Pea Business Awards can be found at www.peabusinessawards.com.  The nomination form can be downloaded from Lloyds – Pea Business Nomination Entry Form 2012 or applicants can apply online at http://www.peabusinessawards.com/pea-business/nominations-business.html