MIND YOUR OWN

BUSINESS!
the newsletter of Business Insight
part of Business & Learning, Central Library
www.businesssupporter.co.uk Issue No2

Welcome to our second edition.

It’s a new year, a new decade and the beginning of a new era, not only for us in Business
and Learning, but for the whole library service.
The Library of Birmingham project has broken new ground, literally, with the first stage
of major excavations in Centenary Square.
Meanwhile here in BI HQ we’ve broken new ground of our own with a three-way foray
into Web2 territory. Yes - we’re tweeting!
In this issue we will be taking a look at what’s occurrin’ and how we can start an ongo-
ing conversation that will help to create the library service you want. From now on, the
information game is an open forum, so let’s mingle and get creative!

And on behalf of everybody here it gives me great

pleasure to say

Welcome back
Geraldine!
That’s Geraldine - on the left there - one face closer
to a full set of mugshots. Only a couple of colleagues
holding out now.
The Feature Bit
Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009
We’re pleased to report that GEW 2009 was even more successful than its
predecessor. Another grand job by Debbie Assinder and her team; well done chaps!
You can take a look at some statistics in a moment but first let’s hear from one of
the young entrepreneurs who attended special events aimed at the businessmen
and businesswomen of tomorrow.

“What does an antique sewing machine have to do with a group of sixth

form students starting up their young enterprise business, you may ask? Well, it was
perhaps a turning point in the marketing approach of Arden School's creative and
enthusiastic Young Enterprise group, ‘Closet’, a company making scarves.

However, the successful businessman who gave us this advice wasn't suggesting
that we use some rusty old Singer in the production of our scarves, but that we
would use it to draw attention to our stall and intrigue our target market.

We realised that the way a product is marketed is not just about colourful logos,
cheesy puns and slogans; marketing has to be different, it has to make a
statement about the company.

This epiphany happened at the Birmingham Institute of Directors on a chilly

Autumn morning last year. It was all part of a special Young Enterprise Day for the
Birmingham entrants of this international competition.

There, we were given first hand advice and guidance from some of the top local
businessmen and women, as well as a 2007 X Factor finalist, Nikki Evans,
who spent years working as a dinner lady in Kingshurst, before changing her life on
the X Factor and persevering in a successful career in show business. It
was people like Nikki, who after the X Factor spent a year on stage in the West End,
and the rags-to-riches businesspeople we met that day, who showed us
that even though we had no business experience or expertise, by counting on
our own optimism, organisation and drive for success, we could face up to any
challenges the competition throws at us”.
Article by Tom Rowell, student at Arden School and young
entrepreneur. Thanks Tom.
 GEW 2009 seminar with John Sealey

GEW 2009: some statistics

The Service Bit
WEB 2 (that’ll be social networking then!)
Do you use networking websites such as Facebook or
Twitter? If so, you’ll be pleased to learn that we have
now joined the social networking revolution! You can
log-on to find out what we’ve been up to, join us in our
current adventures, learn more about our services or get
regular updates about future events.
So why not look us up on Facebook and become a
friend? Our profile name is Business and Learning and
we’d love to hear from you.
Alternatively you can follow us on Twitter; you’ll
find us at BhamBusiness.
If YouTube is your thing, you might want to visit our
channel, businessandlearning1 - it contains a number
of useful guides on subjects such as Intellectual
Property, business planning and licensing agreements.
You may even have material you’d like to share with us;
video, audio or text - don’t forget, this isn’t just about
what you can learn from us, it’s equally about what we
can learn from you. So please, join our conversation and
let’s get this thing flying!
The Calendar Bit
Business Advice Sessions with Billy Carslaw,
Chamber of Commerce

Billy Carslaw’s business advice sessions remain as popular as ever so it’s good news
for aspiring local entreprenuers that he’s announced the following extra dates here
in Business Insight

Thursday 1st April

Thursday 8th April
Thursday 15th April
Thursday 22nd April
Thursday 29th April
Thursday 6th May

Appointments are available between 10.00am and 7.00pm and last about an hour.
Best of all they’re FREE.

HMRC Workshops Feb - May

Free seminars by Her Majesty’s Customs & Revenue
Phone 0151 242 8380 for details and to book

13th Apr 2010 Custom Warehousing 10 - 1

14th Apr 2010 Outward Processing Relief 10 - 1
23th Apr 2010 Employers Annual Returns 10 - 2
27th Apr 2010 Becoming Self Employed 10 - 2
19th May 2010 Self Assessment 10 - 1
27th May 2010 Becoming Self Employed 10 - 1
The Staff Bit
Hi!
My name’s Debbie Assinder and I’ve worked
in and around businesses for the past 25 years.
I hold undergraduate and post-graduate
qualifications and I’m a member of the Institute of
Business Consultants and a SFEDI accredited
business advisor.

As Business Development manager for Business

Insight, and one of a team of eight on-site
business advisors, I help to deliver a free advice
service to budding entrepreneurs. We typically
help with business planning, cash-flow forecasting
and profit and loss accounts. We also offer
post-start up support, in particular with
marketing.

I oversee our marketing strategy and lead in
the creation of reciprocal links with other
business-supporting organisations throughout the
West Midlands. Recently I have been working with
iSE (Initiative for Social Entrepreneurs) to bring
seminars and workshops to Business Insight
and map out a future relationship between iSE
and The Library of Birmingham. I am currently
arranging a joint event with Mums’ Business Club
and the International Trade section of the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
Over the past five years it has been my pleasure
to head-up Birmingham Libraries’ participation
in Global Entrepreneurship Week. I devise a
programme of free seminars, workshops and
advice sessions based on customer requests for
specific guidance (such as “search engine
optimisation”). Several months of planning are
required each year to secure the services of expert
speakers, many of whom are now regular
contributors and good friends of BI. A full report is
compiled and sent out to partners after the event.
Business Insight provides services under
contract to many UK libraries and other bodies
(eg Birmingham Science Park, Aston) and I am
responsible for the promotion of these contracts.
The subscription fee is an important source of
income, the money being reinvested in Business
Insight for the benefit of Birmingham council tax
payers.
In addition to all of the above, I also contribute to
our general business enquiry service as part of the
broader BI team. I am currently joint “BEST”
Champion for the department (BEST is a council
initiative fostering core beliefs, excellence, success
and trust within our teams).
And the remarkable thing is I manage to do this in
just two days per week!
I enjoy my job and find it very rewarding when a
business I’ve helped set up takes off. I feel my job
enables me to make a positive difference to
people’s lives, particularly when I can help
someone set up a promising business after a long
period of unemployment.
 BUSINESS INSIGHT CONTACTS
Phone: 0121 303 4531
Fax: 0121 303 4532

business.library@birmingham.gov.uk

www.businesssupporter.co.uk
www.facebook.com/BusinessandLearning
www.Twitter.com/BhamBusiness
www.YouTube.com/businessandlearning1

Central Library, Chamberlain Square,

Birmingham B3 3HQ
Now check out the Learning Centre, our partner in Business & Learning.
Don’t let a gap in your knowledge spoil your dream of being your own boss.
In the Learning Centre you will find all the advice, resources and support
you need for brushing up your existing skills and learning new ones,
whether for business or leisure.

LEARNING CENTRE CONTACTS

0121 303 4306
learning.centre@birmingham.gov.uk
www.birmingham.gov.uk/learningcentre
Central Library, Chamberlain Square,
Birmingham B3 3HQ