With 2015 proving to be another successful year for British SMEs, Jackie Jenks, senior manager, enterprise mentoring at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, gives her views on how small businesses in Exeter can get the most out of enterprise mentoring.
This follows the successful Meet a Mentor event held in Exeter Castle aimed at helping local SMEs earlier this month.
Expert guidance and mentoring is crucial to the ongoing success and growth of SMEs. We know that start-ups have a one in four better chance of surviving and thriving over three years if they have a mentor. Studies...
Research by BSI (British Standards Institution) has revealed that almost half of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) don’t feel that their business is operating efficiently.
The survey which targeted 250 SMEs throughout the UK with between 1-250 employees, also highlighted that the highest number of businesses that showed concern about operating efficiently were based in East Anglia, Scotland and Yorkshire and the Humber. Around 60% of businesses in these regions highlighted this as a challenge for their company.
Furthermore, a quarter of respondents also claimed that there...
Local businesswoman, Ellen Jenkins has launched her new venture, MarketingPA, a support service for start ups and business owners who need a helping hand.
MarketingPA is a team of marketing administrators overseen by Ellen, an experienced Marketing Director who has worked with both large corporations and small businesses. The concept is to offer business owners, start ups or established marketing departments assistance when the workload just gets too much for them to handle.
Says Ellen: "Like a PA, we are there to be on hand as and when the client wants us. Often they...
We all know (or have been told) that business is the lifeblood of the British economy, but that does not mean that “big business” is necessarily the most important factor. In fact, an article in The Guardian shows us that it is sole traders that are at the forefront of business growth in the UK, and it is hoped that these sole traders will become successful and become employers in their own right. However, the road to a successful business entails more than a hard working owner; and knowing how to manage a business to keep it running is as important for a one man band as it is for the...
Using Facebook and Twitter to promote the newly branded Arts Quarter of Teignmouth centred around Northumberland Street is the focus for the September social media cafe.
The event is being held on Tuesday 29 September at The Oystercatchers Cafe from 5.30-7.30pm.
Cafe founder, Mandy Pearse, will be showing how local traders and organisations can harness the potential of facebook to promote not only their shop or venue but also market the thriving arts quarter.
She says:“We have an amazing set of creative businesses and arts organisations in this part of Teignmouth....
Leading chartered accountants, Francis Clark, has announced the launch of a comprehensive client cloud accounting package becoming the first accountancy practice in the South West to offer a choice of three top quality software systems.
Cloud accounting enables businesses to access financial data instantly via desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile phone device anywhere with Wi-Fi connectivity.
Cloud accounting specialists at Francis Clark researched and assessed a variety of software packages eventually recommending three - Sage One, QuickBooks and Xero.
A local digital marketing specialist is celebrating his 100th client win less than two years after leaving his job to launch his own business.
Mark Worden, previously responsible for online marketing at two well established Westcountry brands, law firm Stephens Scown LLP and insurance company Cornish Mutual, created MiHi Digital 20 months ago to support the burgeoning online potential of the region’s businesses.
The company, which offers assistance on all aspects of online marketing, has now worked with more than 100 organisations from across England and three other...
Exeter Business Improvement District Company (BID) is holding a ‘Meet the Board’ event on the 22nd September at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Businesses within the BID area are invited to attend to meet the BID Board and the recently appointed CEO Craig Bulley and to hear about forthcoming plans and ask questions.
Taking place from 6pm - 7.30pm Exeter BID Board members will be on hand to meet with levy payers and to discuss future plans for the areas represented within the BID.
Craig, who will address the audience during the event, said: “I am very much looking...
Berry Recruitment in Exeter has expanded into bigger offices as the economy in the West Country continues to improve with more jobs being created.
The recruitment experts are now based on the Pynes Hill Business Park with potential to add to the team of specialists.
Included within the more attractive premises are areas for candidate training and additional interviewing facilities.
Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the West Country has the highest employment rate of any region in the country – at 77 per cent – as well as the lowest...
Harbour commissioners in Plymouth have agreed a major new contract for a multi-purpose workboat at Cattewater.
Cattewater Harbour Commissioners have ordered the bespoke 14m craft to replace an ageing vessel for a variety of tasks, including mooring work, salvage work, oil pollution incidents, dive and dredging support, buoy maintenance and towage.
They chose Meercat Workboats, of Portchester, Hampshire, to build the vessel after opening up the tender process Europe wide.
Meercat is on target to complete the 14m by 5m workboat for the harbour authority’s fleet in mid...
