The FSB is concerned that women-owned businesses only make up 29 per cent of self-employed people in the UK despite nearly half (46 per cent) of the working population being female.

In a new report, Women in business. Female entrepreneurship: creating growth and dispelling the myths, the FSB is calling on the Government to learn from the US and other EU countries to encourage female entrepreneurship by breaking down the barriers to self-employment, promoting alternative sources of financing, encouraging mentoring, and promote female entrepreneurship role models.

Women’s enterprise contributes around £130 billion turnover and £70 billion Gross Value Added every year. But if the UK had the same level of female entrepreneurship as the US, there would be 600,000 extra women-owned businesses, contributing an additional £42 billion to the economy.

Amrita Parker, Peterborough Branch Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said, “The number of female entrepreneurs is strikingly low, and yet increasing the number of women who run their own small business will be good for the economy. The Government is looking towards the private sector to put the economy back on track, so it is common sense to increase the number of women-owned firms across the country.

“The US has nurtured female entrepreneurship and now the UK needs to learn from them and do the same. By doing so it will help tackle high unemployment and cultivate an environment for growth. The Government can take positive steps to ensure that self-employment is a real option for women and men alike in its Budget this month.”
While the Government has said it is looking into female entrepreneurship, the FSB believes it is an economic resource the Government has yet to fully tap into within its plans to grow the economy.

The FSB is calling on the Government to encourage female entrepreneurship by putting in place the following recommendations:

• Better promote alternative sources of finance and provide access to training and support on finance options to increase the growth potential of women-owned small businesses
• Offer female mentors through the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme and promote women-specific business networks, forums and mentors through Jobcentre Plus
• Introduce enterprise clubs for women to facilitate networking with successful female entrepreneurs and provide access to speakers and advisors on how to start up a business
• Tap into existing campaigns to further promote female business role models in the media

However, the FSB is concerned that it is not just women that have to break down the barriers to starting up a businesses, but both men and women, so the FSB is urging the Government to make tackling this a priority and is calling for a moratorium on the introduction of all employment regulations for a year following the chancellor’s budget this month.

EEDA is offering between £20,000 and £250,000 in grant funding to businesses developing ‘greener’ technologies in 2011. The grants are being made available thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and local companies are being urged to apply now to secure their grant before the new financial year.

Paul May, executive director of innovation at EEDA, said, “EEDA’s grant funding can give businesses developing new technologies that early-stage funding boost they need to get their projects off the ground. They also have a track record of giving up-and-coming businesses the stamp of approval they need to go on and attract further investment.

“EEDA has £2 million of grant funding available to support low carbon research and development up to the end of this financial year. But it’s first come, first served and applications need to be in and approved by the 31 March.”

For more information, see: www.eeda.org.uk

Malcolm Williamson, head of information at Business Link in the East of England, told Peterborough Business, “Looking back at the aims and achievements of your business over the past year can help identify areas for improvement and growth. As we all make plans to embark on a new year, Business Link is here to provide local businesses with the support they need to start 2011 as they mean to go on.”

These top tips from Business Link will help entrepreneurs in Cambridgeshire make the right resolutions to shape up their business for 2011:

1. Update and use your business plan

Your business plan should be a road map showing what you’re aiming to achieve, with clear targets for the coming year. Take the time to read through and update your plan, or write one now if you haven’t got one. The Business Link website has advice on writing a business plan and sample templates for you to download. Then, once you have written your plan, give Business Link a call to discuss how best to put it into action.

2. Assess your finances

If you understand exactly what your last year’s finances are telling you, you’ll be better placed to plan for 2011. Reassess your current costs, including charges for utilities and professional services. If you can, renegotiate these costs, or change suppliers if you can get a better deal elsewhere. Don’t forget that the rate of VAT rises to 20 per cent on January 4, so make sure all your price lists reflect the changes, otherwise you could be losing money on every transaction. Business Link’s information team is just a phone call away with advice on cash flow, pricing and other financial issues.

3. Train your staff and update your own skills

Training is essential for the personal development of your staff and yourself, as well as for the productivity of your business. Take time to research the opportunities available: make the most of free Business Link workshops and check what other organisations, such as your local Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and council have on offer. Visit www.bookevents.org for details of events in your area.

4. Keep up to date

Don’t miss out on the latest information on business regulations and opportunities, such as business grants offered by councils or support organisations. Sign up to The Loop, Business Link’s e-newsletter, by visiting www.businesslink.gov.uk/east and clicking on the link on the home page.

5. Explore new markets

You may have been supplying the same customers for years, but it pays to be aware of new opportunities. Research helps you understand your competitors, different sectors, and even the possibility of exploring new markets overseas.

If you’re thinking of trading overseas for the first time, Business Link can help with factsheets, statistics, market synopses and local area profiles.

6. Have policies in place to cover the unexpected

We can all be caught out by unusual or unexpected conditions, such as snow. Prepare your business by writing a policy on whether staff will be paid if they can’t make it to work, whether they can work from home or take holiday and who they should notify if they can’t get in. Also think about how you will let people know if you are forced to close your premises. For guidance on writing a policy, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/east

7. Consider apprenticeships or graduate internships

If you’re looking to expand then explore the options offered by apprenticeships and graduate internships. Apprenticeships combine a job with training – both on the job and at college. Internships can provide short-term support to identify opportunities or to get a new project up and running. So call us to discuss which solution is best for you.

8. Start networking

It’s surprising how much new business comes through word of mouth and personal contact – so start networking to spread the word about your business. Local business clubs, networking events (such as those run by your local Chamber of Commerce or the Federation of Small Businesses), keeping in touch with other local businesses and relevant business exhibitions all provide networking opportunities. You could also take a look at online forums or networks. Business Link can provide a detailed list of networking organisations and business clubs in your county, and discuss your needs to help identify the ones that are most suitable.

9. Provide outstanding customer service

Consumers appreciate businesses that give them more for their money, especially when times are tough. Efficient service, fast delivery, flexible payment terms and so on can persuade people to spend their money with you rather than your competitors. Business Link’s experienced information advisers can help you develop an effective marketing strategy to keep you ahead of the game.

10. Take advantage of free help

Running a small business is demanding and being your own boss can be tough. It’s easy to feel isolated if you have no one to talk to about your business, but that is where Business Link can help. Our expert, impartial advice can clarify your thinking, support you in making difficult decisions, or simply help you talk through new business ideas. We can also point you in the right direction for further specialist support if that’s what you need.

For more information on the support available from Business Link for start up and established businesses, call the information team (see photo above) on 08457 17 16 15 or email questions@businesslinkeast.org.uk.

Business can now book slots for sessions in October and November 2010. The monthly surgeries were launched last month by Peterborough City Council Leader, councillor Marco Cereste, in partnership with Opportunity Peterborough.

Councillor Cereste said: “Despite the very difficult financial climate some businesses continue to thrive and have their own expansion plans. We want to help those existing established businesses prosper and encourage entrepreneurship in the city by removing as much red tape as possible to allow this to happen.”

The sessions will be held on:

•            28 October 2010 from 12noon to 2pm at Stuart House

•            25 November 2010 from 12noon to 2pm at Stuart House

Panellists include councillors Cereste, cabinet member for business engagement Gavin Elsey and cabinet member for housing, neighbourhoods and planning Peter Hiller, city council chief executive Gillian Beasley, executive director of operations Paul Phillipson, head of planning Simon Machen and Opportunity Peterborough’s director of economic development Neil Darwin. There will also be the opportunity to have individual detailed or sensitive conversations with panellists.

To book an appointment call Sally Goulden on (01733) 452481.

Aimed at those just starting out, as well as established businesses, they are designed to develop business skills, ideas and knowledge. There is a wide range of subjects, from business planning, to finding new customers and using social media.

Several new briefings have been added to programme. For more established businesses, these cover employee engagement, high impact presentations, search engine optimisation, website analysis and email marketing. That’s in addition to the existing, well established workshops, which have been further refined based on customer feedback, current market conditions and legislative changes.

For those looking to start a business, there’s a workshop to provide support every step of the way, whether looking for business ideas, buying a franchise or simply finding the answer to the question ‘is it for me?’.

Last year, Business Link workshops attracted 24,035 delegates and received an overall customer satisfaction rating of 91.6%. So far this year, customer satisfaction has risen steadily to 95.7%, with 100% achieved in July.

Elaine Holtum, Events Booking Service Manager at Business Link said, “Our new workshop programme really does provide something for everyone, whatever stage they are at with their business. We’ve listened to feedback from customers and refined the programme to ensure that workshops are exactly what our customers want and need to help them start, run and grow successful businesses.

“More than 800 workshops feature in this latest schedule, at over 60 locations across the East of England region. Most are half-day workshops, making them suitable for those running businesses or juggling work-life commitments.”

For more information visit www.bookevents.org or call the events booking team (pictured above, with one member trying his best not to look smug) on 0845 601 1000.

The report, ‘Making sense of going green – small businesses and low carbon economy’, looks at the many opportunities which will allow small businesses to play their part.

The FSB believes that to get small business owners to proactively embrace energy efficiency, the Government needs to make going green economically viable; currently the upfront cost is a huge disincentive for small businesses, despite the benefits being understood.

With 47 percent of the UK’s carbon emissions from buildings there is an urgent need to engage with the private sector to tackle this problem.

The FSB believes this can be done by:

• Incentivising private sector providers (banks, energy or construction companies) to pay the upfront costs of major building energy efficiency upgrades
• Guaranteeing ‘pay as you save’ repayments through energy bills – by linking the responsibility of repayment to the building would help overcome the landlord/tenant divide
• Supporting new business owners to green their buildings by encouraging firms in the worst G-rated buildings to take steps to move to an F-rating
• Not penalising those who increase their rateable value through greening their premises by waiving the increased business rates

Mike Childs, Friends of the Earth’s Head of Climate, said: “The Government’s immediate priority should be to set all areas Local Carbon Budgets, encouraging councils and businesses to work together to cut emissions, save energy and transform the places in which we live and work.”

Chris Spies, Peterborough Branch Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “If the correct policies are put in place now, then small businesses will have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions while also delivering the substantial economic growth that the UK economy desperately needs.”

Local businesses have until 5pm on Friday 10 September to apply for a grant and this funding can be used to carry-out in-depth market research, helping the business to identify the demand for new products and allowing them to hone their ideas to conquer those markets. Projects must be completed by March 2011.

Since EEDA introduced Proof of Market (formerly Proof of Concept) funding back in 2006, 250 projects have shared a total of nearly £5 million. Everything from waterproof socks, next generation wind turbine technology and superconducting magnets have received funding to take them to the next stage of development.

Paul May, executive director of innovation at EEDA, said: “As the economy continues to recover, businesses are looking to stay that one step ahead of their competitors by bringing new products to market. EEDA’s grants are designed to give local businesses a head-start, by helping them to identify and target lucrative gaps in the market.”

Businesses looking to apply for a Proof of Market grant can visit – http://www.bizmapeast.co.uk/finance/grants/proof_of_concept.aspx for more information and to download the application form.

Councillor Cereste, is organising a series of business surgeries, in partnership with Opportunity Peterborough, to assist established city companies to cut through the red tape and overcome those issues that are hindering their development plans.

Councillor Cereste said, “Our growth plans are not just about attracting new companies to the city, we also want help those existing established businesses thrive and prosper.

“Our message is very much that ‘Peterborough is open for business’. We want to encourage entrepreneurship in the city and help businesses solve any issues they have by removing as much red tape as possible to allow this to happen.”

Panellists including councillors Cereste, cabinet member for business engagement Gavin Elsey and cabinet member for housing, neighbourhoods and planning Peter Hiller, city council chief executive Gillian Beasley, executive director of operations Paul Phillipson, head of planning Simon Machen and Opportunity Peterborough’s director of economic development Neil Darwin are among those who will attend the monthly sessions to offer advice to businesses.

There will also be the opportunity to have individual detailed or sensitive conversations with panellists.

Councillor Elsey, cabinet member for business engagement added: “Whether a planning issue is stunting your expansion plans, you are looking for new premises or need to change or add differing usages to your planning consent, these sessions are there to help you discuss and resolve any issues you have in a timely manner allowing entrepreneurship to be free flowing through the city.

“This is a real opportunity for us to assist our city stakeholders to realise their aspirations and make a positive contribution to the future growth of existing Peterborough business.”

The two-hour sessions will be held once a month, at Stuart House. The first session is on Tuesday 10 August 2010 between 12noon and 2pm. To book an appointment at the first surgery, please call Sally Goulden on (01733) 452481.

The Supply Chain Network programme supports larger organisations to mentor and work with small businesses to improve their resource efficiency, and Peterborough City Council is one of four organisations in the eastern region that have been selected to take part.

The programme will seek to work with businesses in Peterborough that are defined as a small or medium enterprise. This relates to businesses that have less than 250 staff, have a turnover of less than £42 million and are at least 75 per cent independently owned. The city council will also assess its own internal procedures to ensure the businesses it works with are committed to reducing their impact on the environment.

Councillor Samantha Dalton, cabinet member for environment capital, said: “As a council we have committed to reducing carbon emissions by 35 per cent of the 2008/09 levels by 2014 which equates to a reduction of 12,000 tonnes.

Businesses that are not part of Peterborough City Council’s supply chain might still be eligible for support through Resource Efficiency East.

For more information, contact Resource Efficiency East at info@resourceefficiencyeast.org.uk

The coalition government has announced that Local Enterprise Partnerships will replace the recently abolished Regional Development Agencies in England.

The FSB welcomed the new arrangement, but voiced concerns that small and micro businesses would not be heard locally. Now, as the leading representative of the small business sector, it is to be a key business partner with Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Chris Spies, Peterborough branch chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said, “Small businesses must not be ignored and it is crucial that their voice is heard in the newly established Local Enterprise Partnerships, so it is fantastic news that the FSB is going to be the key business partner. We are working closely with the coalition government on putting LEPs in place and we want to ensure that the new entities will deliver results so that small firms have the ability to grow and develop, and ultimately boost local economies.”

For more information, visit: www.fsb.org.uk