Enterprise Week for the Borough
From Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration on 27 November 2009
People looking to make their own way in business were given a helping hand recently as part of a week long campaign in Solihull.
Last week was Enterprise Week in Solihull, with a series of events around the borough taking place to promote entrepreneurship.
Coordinated by Solihull Council working in partnership with local education providers and businesses, the Enterprise Week programme included drop-in sessions, lectures and interactive activities.
The aim of the week was to give advice to local people who want to make their own way in business. Local businesses were also drafted in to offer support to schools so that students were able to learn directly from those who have achieved success.
One of the highlights was an inter-school competition held on Wednesday 18 November, in partnership with Ramada Hotel. The two teams, Arden School and Heart of England School, were given the scenario of marketing a new coffee shop to be opened in the hotel.
Other successful events included the Female Entrepreneur Sessions which included local female entrepreneurs passing on knowledge and advice to students at Solihull College.
Susie Ankrett from Plum Personnel said: “It’s important to get involved with events such as these and encourage women to aim high and think big when setting up in business, growing existing ventures or as employees. From ideas yet to be launched, to kitchen table businesses, we’d like them all to consider their growth potential and, who knows, some may even end up as global empires!”
Student Faye Ganderton attended one of the sessions, she said: “I really enjoyed meeting such successful business women; they are really inspiring and have given me some useful tips for the future. I’ve had ideas about running my own beauty business and the advice I got during the session has encouraged me to do something with those ideas when I leave College.”
Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Ian Courts said: “This was a great week of events providing help and support to people who want to make their own way in business. Events such as the inter-school competition and the Female Entrepreneur Sessions were very well received and hopefully encouraged attendees to think of a career in entrepreneurship.”
Enterprise Week was part of Solihull Council’s ‘Enterprise for Success’ scheme which provides free business assistance and mentoring for business start-ups. For more information on all events through Enterprise Week or ‘Enterprise for Success’ call: 0121 704 6920 email: jlander@solihull.gov.uk; or visit: www.solihull.gov.uk/enterprise
For media enquiries please contact Olivia White 0121 7048373
Email: owhite@solihull.gov.uk