Liberty Stadium Business Show

A Business Show will be held in Swansea tomorrow, Thursday 16th September, in the Liberty Stadium, from 10am to 3pm.

This show is sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government and has been designed to assist all business-minded people across the region in boosting their sales.  It will feature over 60 Exhibitors with services designed to increase sales, plus advice and ideas that can be used to positively influence one's business.
 
It will look at five zones centred around the basic principles
of selling :

• Success in technology
• Success in marketing
• Success in training
• Success in government
• Success in Business Services

Also, as main sponsors of this years Liberty Stadium Business Show, The Welsh Assembly Government are inviting all attendees to a free seminar, to find out more about how their business could capitalise on a number of opportunities created by the London 2012 Olympics.
 
Entry into the shows exhibition hall will once again be
completely free to all who pre-register which
can be done online.

Cork Meet 2010

This is a business 2 business event in Cork, costing only £250 (subsidised by Swansea Bay Partnership), which includes accommodation, travel & attending the event.  It runs from 6th - 8th October.
 
Spaces are limited and the organisers aim to have attending those businesses that are likely to benefit the most.  Apparently time is of the essence if you are interested in going - unfortunately we have only just received notification.  In theory the organisers have already shortlisted but may still accept applicants on Monday 13th September.   

For more information and to register please see their website for the show www.corkmeet.com

Women in Business Award Finalists

Anna Bastek at the 2009 Awards

This year two local FSB members have been shortlisted as finalists – Lesley Walton, Lorien Business Services, who is on the local Swansea Bay Committee, and Anna Bastek of Wolfestone Translation who was the overall winner last year.

Lesley Walton

 
Lesley has been chosen in the Go Green Environment category, and Anna in both this one and for On-line Innovation.

The event is being put on by the South Wales Evening Post with Swansea Bay Business Life and in association with Bluestone National Resort Park.  All the winners will be announced at a luncheon awards ceremony on Thursday 30th September.

Planning for the Future - Making Your Will and Putting Your Business Life in Order

Mon 5/7/10

Denise Jones

At the recent FSB Meet the New Members Evening, Tuesday 20th June, Denise Jones of Lovingly Managed, gave a very helpful talk on the sensitive issue of drawing up a will all other legal requirements to safeguard your business when you die.

She began by outlining what needed to be done depending on what kind of business you run:

- Company Directors need Wills, Shareholder Agreements, Lasting Powers of Attorney for Financial Affairs and Welfare
- Partners need Wills, Partnership Agreement, Lasting Powers of Attorney for Financial Affairs and Welfare
- Sole Traders need Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney for Financial Affairs and WelfarePLUS any one of us can also, if we wish, have an Advance Directive AND an End of Life plan

She then went on to give an idea of what each of these entailed and the process of registration, how long it can take and the costs involved, finishing off with a handy summary:

• Make a Will – include your business!
• Ensure you have the correct Shareholder or Partnership Agreement in place
• Use the Power of Attorney documents to full effect, keep a separate one for your business issues, both Lasting and Welfare
• Registration - decide when
• Advance Directives? eg “let me go if I’m going to have no quality of life ..." - your call
• End of Life plans? Why leave things to chance – YOU CHOOSE
• Don’t forget real insurance – key man, critical illness etc
• Payment options FOR EVERYTHING – can be staggered

Internet Marketing Seminar

Nigel T Packer

Wed 19/5/10

Hot on the heels of last months short talk comes another excellent FSB Meet the New Members Evening last evening, with Nigel T Packer – International Internet Marketing Specialist – giving a very useful seminar full of hints & tips about how to really make the best of your website.  This was followed by a question & answer session, with good questions raised and very helpful answers given in return.

He suggested that you should put yourself in the shoes of the customer and anticipate what they want - a site once arrived at will do the following :

• gives clear details of the product or service
• uses straightforward non-jargon language
• has accessible contact details
• has no graphics or animation which are distracting
• explains what to do
• says what it will cost
• gives an idea of how long it will take
• is easy to navigate

He further explained that all the above needs to be got across very quickly as most internet users are very impatient and tend to scan & forage rather than read in full, many not even scrolling beyond the page on their screen.  And when you think of this together with the current & ever growing statistics of how many shop on the internet, it brings home just how important all this is.

Official Launch of Swansea to Cork Ferry

Thu 13/5/10

Swansea Bay Branch FSB Committee

The local FSB Committee were pleased to be invited to attend a lunchtime launch to celebrate the successful comeback of the Swansea-Cork Ferry. We had a brief tour of the ship and enjoyed a good spread after speeches given by Conor B Buckley on behalf of Cork, and Phil Jones on behalf of Swansea, with Lord Mayor of Swansea, Alan Lloyd, in attendance.

MV Julia - The 'People's Ferry'

It's wonderful to see this service make a return - it always was a magnificent sight watching the ferry leave on a summer's evening - and thousands of people have put money into the project.  So whilst its official name is 'MV Julia' hopefully its more appropriate nickname will stick - 'The People's Ferry'.

Rebuilding Your Relationship with Your Bank

Wed 21/4/10

Rob Warlow

A very successful FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Members Evening was held last night, with an excellent talk given by Rob Warlow on how to rebuild relationships with your bank, especially if you want to get a loan off them!

In brief some of the points he raised were:
* take various projections with you to illustrate you know the variables that may affect your business in the coming months & years
* go in plenty of time - the decision on your loan request could take months!
* understand the bank's stance first before putting in your pitch
* keep explanations about your business as straightforward as possible - you know it inside out but they don't!
* know the remit of the person you are speaking in particular are they the decision maker - very unlikely these days
* and most of all LISTEN! to make sure you know what the bank is able to offer, and what strings are attached - no point taking out the loan if you are not going to be able to comply with the repayment criteria