Business News entrepreneurs@chamber Introducing the Chamber’s newest start-up members


Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has launched a new start-up membership, designed to help new businesses get off the ground. The new package, aimed at companies that have been trading for less than a year, features all


the benefits of a standard membership as well as access to 11 half-day workshops. The start-up workshops offer expert advice on areas such as market research, marketing and


promotion, financial forecasting, raising finance, legal requirements and employing people, legal structures, pricing structures and trends, selling skills, networking and social media. A start-up membership is priced at £240 per year (including VAT) and organisations can pay


by quarterly direct debit. To find out more, call 0800 603 6650.


Start-ups get the tools for the job


Last summer Birmingham Chamber launched a scheme to help the many new businesses being started in the city to make a go of it. The scheme is needed, because while Birmingham is the city with


the highest number of business start-ups outside London, it’s a sad fact that many of these hit the rocks before they are five years old. Anabela Ferreira, head of new enterprise at Birmingham Chamber,


said figures from the Office for National Statistics show that of all of the businesses launched in the UK in 2010, only 41 per cent were still active five years later. She said: “I suspect a lot of that is due to a lack of business and


leadership skills – so we need to give them as many tools as possible to ensure the venture is a success. Getting the right support at the right time is crucial to business success.” So, as part of this, the Chamber’s business start-up initiative has engaged the help of a number of experienced professionals, who are willing to give their time on a voluntary basis, to help the start-ups. These start-up ‘champions’ include Nick Banyard from SBR


Consulting, who conducted a session for the start-ups to explain about selling techniques. Nick is an experienced salesman, and has an in- depth knowledge and understanding of sales, training and leadership and management. Anabela said: “Selling is important – it


is one of the main stumbling blocks for a new business. Nick came along and talked about selling and how to prioritise, and all the work that that goes on in the background. “The feedback was superb –


we have already been asked about Nick coming back again.” Nick said: “I am passionate


about helping individuals, teams and businesses to develop and succeed. Having been in a start-up situation previously myself I am very mindful of the fact that success in sales at this stage is critical, not only from a commercial aspect but in order to build confidence and business development habits.”


Nick Banyard: Passionate about helping individuals


These are among the latest businesses to sign up for the start-up support programme:


Rohini Videography Rohini Makwana, 07783966748, hello@rohinivideography.com The firm offers bespoke video services for small businesses and events in the Midlands. It creates memorable and effective videos that help raise a business’ profile, or event.


Silver Mountain Sunny Gill, 0121 517 0171, sg@silvermountain.cc Silver Mountain is a multi-disciplinary digital Marketing and video production agency in Birmingham city centre. Key services include web development, design, social media, video production and events.


The Plume Darryl Edgar, 0121 456 1722, Darryl@the-plume.co.uk A family run company that provides feathered plumes for vehicles. The plumes are inspired by those used on horses in funeral processions, and are designed for use on cars, to show others that a vehicle is part of a cortege and people should not attempt to overtake.


Centric HR Limited Sandra Berns, 07983 076554, sandra@centrichr.co.uk Centric’s Sandra Berns is a human resources and organisational development practitioner with more


than 20 years’ experience. Her expertise is spread across the public and private sectors.


OneNAV Ltd Bryn Jones, 01905 571010, Enquiries@Onenav.co.uk A company that helps businesses get the best out of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which is business software for small to medium businesses. OneNAV is a Midlands based Microsoft Dynamics NAV partner, with more 25 years’ experience in SMB business software. The company has helped many businesses to take control of their accounts.


Boldstep Resources Oladimeji Ogunjimi, 07534911542, dimejistepup@gmail.com Boldstep is an environmental services company, which collects and sells reusable, recyclable, repairable and recoverable waste items, in order to reduce the amount of waste that ends up at the landfill. This includes paper, aluminium cans, cardboard and plastic waste.


The Apprenticeship Levy Manager Louise Ward, 07572 79 52 52, louise@theapprenticeshiplevyman ager.co.uk The Apprenticeship Levy Manager specialises in helping companies to find the right colleges and training providers for their staff.


*The contact information supplied for one of the companies in last month’s profiles, NourishSocial, was incorrect. The firm’s email address is: Theothompson@nourishsocial.co.uk


June 2017 CHAMBERLINK 17 In partnership with


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