The free conference at Growing Your Own Business features a range of successful speakers discussing varying subjects relating to small business development. The high quality informative conference is an ideal way to be inspired and get all the small business advice you need.

Conference programme

Friday 2 October 2009

10:30-11:00 Keynote Address: Is your business ready for an economic upturn?
• Is now the time to gain competitive advantage?
• Focusing on business growth and not just survival
• Discovering business opportunities in an ever-changing market
• Maintaining innovation - never stop!
Paul Lindley, Founder, Ella’s Kitchen

11:15-11:45 Recession? What recession? Key skills for surviving tough economic times
• Overcoming basic challenges: budgets and financing
• Reducing expenditure when crisis hits
• Recognising good personnel: hiring, firing and retention
• Striking a balance between investors, clients and staff
• Avanta case study: lessons learned and tips for the future
Gareth Evans, Managing Director, Bizspace

12:15 - 12:45 Raising funds to buy a franchise in the current climate
• Making a start: devising a business plan 
• Seeking advice: who can help and how should you approach them? 
• Improving your access to finance 
• Understanding the minimum amount of capital you'll need to raise 
• Planning business projections accurately
Ken Braddock, Senior Franchise Manager, HSBC

13:15-13:45 The importance of good leadership
• Understanding why leadership is crucial to a successful SME
• The key elements of leadership - what matters and what doesn't
• Practical steps to boost leadership effectiveness
• Case study examples: how does good leadership impact on profits?
Guy Masters, Director, The Blue Water Partnership

14:15-14:45 BIG billboards for small budgets: how to grow your business with outdoor advertising
• Outdoor media in the UK: a market overview
• Why it's not just the big brands who can afford outdoor media
• Raising your profile amongst your local community
• Strategies to use when choosing the right position
• Top tips to make outdoor media word for your business type
Simon Read, CEO, Signposter

15:15-15:45 Understanding the value of your business through its resale potential
• How and when to start planning to sell your franchise
• Understanding a typical resales process
• How your franchisor might help when you are selling the business
• Assessing how much your business is worth and how much the sale will cost you
Paul Monaghan, Director, The Franchising Centre

16:00-16:30 Social media & online marketing: making the most of the web
• Understanding the power of online
• Identifying and finding your audience
• How to select the most appropriate channels
• The logistics of managing audience engagement
David Hart, Co-Founder, Tepilo.com

Saturday 3 October

10:30-11:00 Keynote: What it takes to be an entrepreneur
•Developing personal qualities to help you build your business
•Becoming the driving force behind your company
•How clear and concise communication will impact on your success
•Overcoming obstacles to reach your ultimate goals
Richard Moross, Founder & Chief Executive, MOO

11:15-11:45 The importance of taking legal advice before buying a franchise
• Understanding the legalities:
   - deposit agreement
   - confidentiality agreement
   - intent to proceed agreement
   - partnership agreements mean
• Getting to grips with franchise agreements: why are they so important?
• Considering the importance of intellectual property and territory exclusivity
• Strategies to put in place if it all goes wrong
John Pratt, Partner, Hamilton Pratt

12:15-12:45 Buying an existing franchised business: the pros and cons
• Understanding the basic principles of resales
• What are the benefits?
• What information should you receive?
• Valuation and obtaining funding
• Understanding the process of a resale transaction
• Exit planning: having bought a business, how do you sell it?
Derrick Simpson, Managing Partner, Franchise Resales

13:15-13:45 The importance of networking for business owners
• How to exploit networking opportunities to make a success of your business
• Making meetings work for you: pitches, body-language and consistency
• Winning ice-breakers
• How to gain networking confidence
• Ensuring your networking gets results
• The importance of following up on every contact
Phil Berg, BNI Director of National Development and Training, Business Network International

14:15-14:45 Getting innovative PR to impact your business
• Should you bother with PR?
• Getting into the right media
• Assessing what is the right type of coverage
• What is PR? Spin vs truth
• Making PR matter: case study examples from AQA 63336
Paul Cockerton, Co-founder and Communication Director, AQA 63336

15:15-15:45 Responding to the recession: opportunity or threat?
• How to grow in a recession
• Why making people feel special is important
• Understanding and overcoming challenges
• Having the right team and attitude to be successful
Peter Nunn, Managing Director, Relax