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Start Smart: Growing Your Small Business - June Workshop Series

Date: 13th - 21st June 2023
Location: Zoom
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Theme: Start a business, Business Strategy, Operational efficiency

Sorry this event has already taken place - please see our forthcoming events list

If you are about to start a business or have started up already but are in your first 3 years of trading, our Start Smart course is for you.

To establish and grow a business successfully, it’s important to understand how to trade legally, how to manage finance, forecast sales and realise that marketing is much more than promotion.

This course is delivered online, consisting of 4 sessions over 2 weeks, details are below.

You must be willing to attend all four sessions, so please only book if you can commit fully to the programme.

 

13th June - Exploring Your Business Idea - Business Planning:

  • Developing skills to running a business
  • How to trade legally
  • The pros and cons of self-employmeny
  • Legal structures, which one is best for you?
  • Managing your business

 

14th June - Cash Flow, Costs, Breakeven and Pricing:

  • Sources of finances
  • Business Planning
  • Using financial forecasting to reduce your risks
  • Insights into what the cashflow can tell you about your business
  • Setting your sales objectives and pricing strategy

 

20th June - Marketing Strategy:

  • Understanding your customers
  • What is your unique selling point?
  • Segmentation and why your marketing won’t work without it
  • Getting your messaging right
  • The role the different channels play in your communications

 

21st June - Online Presence:

  • Search Engine Optimisation
  • Using Google to help you plan your content and understand your customers
  • How to manage your website so it gets found
  • The role of social media and how to use it effectively
  • Lead generation

 

 

This workshop is delivered by Start Smart Advisors, of whom have a wealth of experience supporting individuals to start and grow businesses:

 

Malcolm Gresty

Malcolm delivers the first two sessions of this programme, capitalising on and transferring his practical knowledge and hands-on experience of over 35 years of success and failure in business.

Over 13 years ago Malcolm set-up and manages his own business development consultancy and in 2013 helped start and scale a Design, Manufacturing & Export business in Construction and Bulk Materials Handling Equipment. He sold products and services all over the World, with responsibility for Marketing, Sales and Business Development, nationally and internationally. He supports businesses looking to start, run and grow, either directly or on behalf of organisations such as the Business Growth Hub, the Department for Work and Pensions, Invest Knowsley, Liverpool Vision and Cheshire and Warrington LEP.

The Exploring Your Business Idea, Developing a Business Plan and Cashflow Forecasting sessions are interactive and informative and empower you with the skills to manage the finance in your business. You will be able to make accurate forecasts, set objectives in advance and get information that helps you make informed business decisions.

Thirty Three Percent

James Adam and Garry Lee from Thirty Three Percent deliver the marketing sessions on this programme.

James Adam has been a marketing and brand strategist for 20+ years and currently runs the full-service marketing agency, Cunning Plan Marketing. He has worked with brands like JCB, The North Face and Hasbro as well as retail, hospitality and leisure destinations across the UK. James set up Thirty Three Percent with Garry to offer marketing and business support for smaller organisations.

Garry Lee has been working in marketing for over 20 years including 8 years as CEO for Red Eye International, where he worked with brands like Amazon, Sainsburys and Skype. Since leaving in 2019, aside from creating Thirty Three Percent with James to support small businesses and startups, he has also sat on the board of three startups, became a mentor to business owners for the Growth Hub and acted as a coach and mentor for owners for Oxford Brookes Business School.

Thirty Three Percent was created because the founders wanted to start working with smaller businesses and directly with owners. We have taken our 40+ years of experience working with big brands and translated that to small business.

The marketing sessions are interactive and packed with information to ensure that you understand how to communicate effectively with your customers and grow quickly.

 

Eligibility

Our Workshops are part-funded by European Regional Development Fund.
Our workshops are delivered free of charge to participants; however, as they are fully-funded, they are classed as state aid to participating businesses and are subject to state aid rules and the associated eligibility criteria:
Greater Manchester Clients Only
SME: Small or medium enterprise i.e. less than 250 (Full Time Equivalent) employees
Annual Turnover less than 50 Million Euro OR Balance Sheet less than 43 million Euro

Where is it?

This event will take place on Zoom.

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