Business North West 2007
On each day there will be a full series of seminar sessions. All will be free to attend and are spread over three theatres: The Innovation Lounge; the BEX Enterprise Theatre and the How To Lounge.
This 400 capacity theatre will host the keynote sessions provided by nationally renowned business leaders and successful entrepreneurs. They will share their experiences and lessons learnt in today’s high paced business market, providing both education and inspiration to help motivate you into making the next bold step in your business development.
Download 2007 Speaker Profiles
This 150 capacity theatre will hold an array of seminars including panel sessions with leading experts in specialist fields on topics such as raising funds. This theatre will also host the popular Ideas Factory sessions where each day a short list of business start-ups will present their business ideas to a panel of experts and a winner each day will walk away with £30,000 worth of business advice and services to help their business grow.
In addition BEX is delighted to introduce Giant Leap to this year’s programme, where a number of businesses looking for 1st and 2nd round investment are provided with a 15 minute investor pitch to an audience of investors and advisors. Entry for Ideas Factory and Giant Leap has now closed but if you would like further information please follow the links below.
This 80 capacity theatre in the middle of the exhibition provides visitors with workshops that allow you to learn from the experts and offer you sound advice that you can implement back at your place of work. Business owner-managers are often required to become HR managers, IT managers and Sales and Marketing managers at any time. These ‘How to’ sessions will offer no-nonsense advice on the key topics pertinent to those building a business in any sector.
Please note all session times may vary slightly in the lead up to the event. All pre-registered visitors will be notified of any changes that may occur.
| Day 1 (21st Nov) | Day 2 (22nd Nov) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Seminar | Time | Seminar |
| 08:15 - 08:30 | Doors open for entry to breakfast session | 08:00 - 08:30 | Doors open for entry to breakfast session |
| 08:30 - 09:00 | An Innocent Breakfast The Manchester Evening News sponsored breakfast with Dan Germain, Innocent Drinks. |
08:30 - 09:00 | A 118 118 Breakfast The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce sponsored Breakfast with Chris Moss CEO of 118 118 interviewed by Angie Robinson GMCC |
| 09:00 - 09:30 | 09:00 - 09:30 | ||
| 09:30 - 10:00 | 09:30 - 10:00 | ||
| 10:00 - 10:30 | 10:00 - 10:30 | Chris Moss - 118 118 speaking session | |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Nigel Newman of the Edward De Bono Foundation | 10:30 - 11:00 | |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | 11:00 - 11:30 | ||
| 11:30 - 12:00 | 11:30 - 12:00 | Doug Richard an original Dragon from the BBC’s Dragon’s Den | |
| 12:00 - 12:30 | Nick Leeson - The Barings Bank Trader | 12:00 - 12:30 | |
| 12:30 - 13:00 | 12:30 - 13:00 | ||
| 13:00 - 13:30 | 13:00 - 13:30 | Phil Redmond – Professor and Founder of Mersey TV | |
| 13:30 - 14:00 | Michelle Dewberry of The Apprentice and Dalton’s business columnist | 13:30 - 14:00 | |
| 14:00 - 14:30 | 14:00 - 14:30 | ||
| 14:30 - 15:00 | 14:30 - 15:00 | ||
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Clive Grinyer – Director of Product Design at Orange France Telecom | 15:00 - 15:30 | |
| 15:30 - 16:00 | 15:30 - 16:00 | ||
| 16:00 - 16:30 | |||
| 16:30 - 17:00 | |||
| Time | Seminar |
|---|---|
| 10:00 - 10:45 | Marketing Seminar - Making some noise – how small companies can make a big impact through well planned marketing Have you ever looked at the mega-brands and thought ‘if only we had that kind of budget and resource …’ Ever wondered how you are going to get your story told in a world where brands do literally fight for attention? A panel of entrepreneurs and marketing experts come together to provide tips and advice on how with even a shoestring budget, you can make some noise in your marketplace. Chair: Nick Jaspan – Publisher of How-Do Panel: Dan Germain – Head of Creative, Innocent Drinks; Robert Harwood-Matthews – Chief Executive, TBWA\ Manchester; Philip Dyer – President (Lancashire), Chartered Institute of Marketing; Kieron Barton – Marketing Director, Chilli Marketing |
| 11:00 - 11:45 | Recruiting, retaining and rewarding your people Companies of all sizes realise that focusing on their people brings real benefits. This session will investigate best practice and look at how a company can balance the needs of the organisation and the individual. Welcome: Jan Wilson, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Employability |
| 12:00 - 13:30 | Ideas Factory
Come and witness a number of companies compete to win £30,000 worth of products and services to help take their business idea to the next stage. Ideas Factory returns with the usual colourful array of companies pitching to an experienced panel of business experts. Judging Panel: Tony Minshall – Management Team, Manchester Business School Incubator; Martino Picardo – General Manager, University of Manchester Incubator Company; Ben Turney – Director, Venturepoint; Graham Bond – Partner, Baker Tilly; Chris Brown – Information Officer Intellectual Property, Manchester Patent Clinic |
| 13:30 - 14:15 | How To Secure Funding Cash – all businesses need it especially in the early days. Listen to how successful entrepreneurs raised the capital they needed to start-up their business venture. Listen to a panel of entrepreneurs and business experts on the best routes to fund start-ups. Chair: Mark Edwardson – BBC Broadcaster Panel: Anna Heyes – Managing Director, Active Profile; Steve Sealey – Director, Aquarius Equity Partners Ltd; Gill Shaw – Business Consultant; Gareth Whittle – Commercial Director, Chilli Marketing |
| 16:00 - 17:00 | The Loop: Creativity and the Bottom Line – Sponsored By CIDS
This session will explore how creative thinking can bring a competitive advantage to any business. In association with CIDS - Manchester's support and development agency for creative businesses, this session will include a panel of talented creatives and their clients talking about how the application of great design, intelligent branding and a bit of flair has upped profits and increased profile. The seminar will give you insight into how creative services can help improve your own enterprise's performance using real-life case-studies. You'll also have the chance to quiz the creatives and their clients on working together as they share their experiences. Welcome: Warren Bramley Panel: Jonathan Sands - Chairman, Elmwood; David Walter - CEO, Photolink Creative Group; David Birkett – Managing Director, Serious |
| 18:00 - 19:00 | Media Training
This session is designed to equip you with the skills and confidence needed to make positive use of modern media opportunities and ensure you reach your many different audiences: customers, staff, the media, the public, investors and even legislators. Will include "do's and dont's" from a broadcaster perspective, tips for the perfect interview, a mock press conference session and tips on how to handle a PR crisis! |
| Time | Seminar |
|---|---|
| 10:30 - 12:00 | Ideas Factory Competition
Come and witness a number of companies compete to win £30,000 worth of products and services to help take their business idea to the next stage. Ideas Factory returns with the usual colourful array of companies pitching to an experienced panel of business experts. Judging Panel: Tony Minshall – Management Team, Manchester Business School Incubator |
| 13:00 - 13:45 | How to Make Yourself Attractive to Funders
Thinking of floating your company, or looking for an injection of cash to take your business to the next stage of growth - then this session is for you. A panel of business owners and funding experts will share their experiences on deciding on the most appropriate source of finance for your business, the highs and lows of surrendering equity and what investors look for when considering an investment opportunity. Chair: Jim Hancock – Broadcaster & journalist Panel: Roger Butterworth – Founder, Expansys; Cathy Brode – Founder, 3B View; Jonathan Diggines – CEO, Enterprise Ventures; Peter Watson – CEO, North West Business Link; Scott Fletcher – Founder, ANS Group; Jennie Johnson – Founder, Kids Allowed |
| 14:00 - 16:00 | Giant Leap – Investor Presentations
This session will showcase a selection of businesses looking for investment to take their business forward and is aimed at young, fast-growing companies. This session is a must attend for investors and funding providers. Panel: Graham Alcock – Director Business Development, Baker Tilly; Jonathan Diggines – CEO, Enterprise Ventures; Norman Molyneux- Managing Director, Acceleris Plc; Doug Stellman – Investment Manager, YFM Group |
| Time | Seminar |
|---|---|
| 10:00 - 10:45 | Making Excellence Work for Your Business This session will show how North of England Excellence uses the principles of excellence to improve business performance and enhance the bottom line.
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| 11:00 - 11:45 | The Sales Pipeline Everyone would like to build a healthy sales pipeline. Mike Southon will |
| 12:00 - 12:45 | How to Tackle Sickness Absence and Improve Bottom-Line Performance
Turn your company’s attendance around and improve performance with our top tips on tackling sickness absence at work. Delegates attending this session are also eligible to enter our prize draw where we’re giving away 10 copies of our Managing Sickness Absence Toolkit worth £95 each, published in association with AXA. It’s currently winning plaudits for its combination of HR, legal and occupational health expertise. |
| 13:00 - 13:45 | Advance Performance This session will give you an understanding of why people behave the way they do and then demonstrate the ONLY way to make permanent, lasting change in individual and team performance; an understanding of which is key to the success of any growing business. |
| 14:00 - 14:45 | ‘Mind your Business’ Radio Show by Junction YK Mind your Business is a weekly online radio panel show tackling questions from business people in the Northwest - think Question Time but for a business audience. It is chaired by Jim Hancock, Broadcaster, and invites leading business people onto the panel to bring their experience and expertise to bear. We are delighted to welcome Clive Grinyer, Director or Product Design at Orange onto today’s panel. If you want to find the latest techniques, innovations and tools being used in business today and discover the steps, barriers and benefits from people who have tried them out, then this show could be for you. |
| 15:00 - 15:45 | Practical Employment Law Workshop This is a highly informative, practical and stimulating update on key aspects of staying within the law of employment. This session will help participants to plan ahead by giving up-to-date knowledge and advice on the latest employment law changes and prepare their businesses for the organisational issues that can come about because of those changes. |
| 16:00 - 16:45 | Open your mind; Change your shoes; Sell more!! The seminar will challenge you to look at sales from a different perspective, focusing on 3 key stages in the sales cycle: Establishing Interest, Building Value and Influencing Commitment. You will be able to reflect on how you sell now; it will provide some hints & tips that you can apply to your own business; and it will also allow you to assess the value selling capability of your own selling or that of your sales team. |
| 17:00 - 17:45 | Grow Your Business Through Franchising This seminar explains how to use franchising as a tool to grow your business. It will help you assess whether franchising is right for your business and all the necessary steps needed to create a successful franchise organisation. |
| 18:00 - 18:45 | Mastermind Your Business Success Improving performance is difficult in a time of increasing pressures and change. Successful businesses are pro-active and take on these challenges as opportunities. Some of the key factors for success are:
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| Time | Seminar |
|---|---|
| 10:00 - 10:45 | The Can Can Man Are you concerned about the future of your business but don’t feel you have the resources to make it big? Think you can’t fight the competition without matching them in size? Not so. Less is more. It’s not about what you don’t have; it’s more about how you use what you have got. This presentation will show you exactly how you can win by being small, and how to maximise your strengths! |
| 11:00 - 11:45 | Waste Minimisation - Finding Hidden Profit! Discover how you can achieve significant savings, environmental improvements and other business benefits through resource efficiency and waste minimisation. Hear about the FREE assistance available from Envirowise, tips for saving money and apply for a free site support visit by completing an Action Plan. |
| 12:00 - 12:45 | Doing Big and Scary 300 miles of a continuous solo triathlon linking London and Paris where swimming the English Channel is only the middle part of the challenge? Are you serious? Andy Mouncey was and did just that – setting new record times for each stage. In Doing Big & Scary Andy picks his audience up and transports them onto a rollercoaster ride: stories, humour and interaction are abundant! And while there is something about running, swimming and cycling – Andy’s journey was much more than that. He will take you to places you won’t expect, and will leave you in a very special place indeed. |
| 13:00 - 13:45 | Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing Ian Creek - Marketing Manager, NewZapp This session will be a faced paced, informative seminar, covering a wide range of email marketing topics from campaign planning to top tips that are proven to maximise success. You’ll learn how your business can harness the power of email marketing and how you can build campaigns that will help retain customers and find new prospects. If you have a specific question about email marketing the speaker will be available to answer these during the seminar. |
| 14:00 - 14:45 | Internet Security Having spent more than 18 years in the IT industry, Paul is a respected and well-known individual through his involvement with UK’s International Anti-Spam Group and The London Action Group (International Network of Anti-Spam Authorities). |
| 15:00 - 15:45 | Vista and Office Tips and Tricks A whistle stop tour of Microsoft product suites designed for the small businesses. Microsoft shows you how the latest technologies enable you to accomplish more in the workplace – from mail merges to looking at financial data |