Real help for businesses

I follow quite a number of news feeds and recently crossed this one about Business Link: Press release, Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform: Businesses are being urged to take advantage of a range of business support packages on offer to help them through the economic downturn as part of a public information campaign being launched today. The campaign, which will feature print, radio and online advertisements, has been launched to promote the new "Real Help for Businesses Now" guide on the Business Link website - bringing together support from across Government in one easy-to-access place. Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said: "Businesses do not face this recession alone. I want to ensure that businesses know how to access the support they need to weather the current global economic storm and emerge from it stronger. "That's why the Government is today launching a campaign to raise awareness of the real help available - including business finance and advice about business planning and cash flow and help managing tax bills." Businesses can find out how to: * Access business loans and long term finance help. * Manage cashflow. * Get a business "health check". * Reduce waste and save money. * Get time to pay tax bills. * Get funding to support training, improve staff skills, recruitment and advice on managing or avoiding redundancy. * Deal with staff restructures and other major business changes. For more information and to find out about the support available go to www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp

Craig,
I'm a bit amazed that nobody has responded to this thread. In the current business climate you need to take EVERY single scrap of help you can get to learn more and get ahead of the competition.
I attended the first of five sessions of the 'route to market' course that's been put together for Business Link and it was excellent. I've also signed up for 12 months of 'mentoring' which is essentially 12 x 2 hr face-to-face sessions with a business advisor over the course of the year. I see these as being 'accountability' sessions where I get to explain just why I haven't implemented some strategy or other but they are also a great opportunity to get a wider input into our business.
Our business has a big turnover and I've been running businesses for 20 years but I have no illusions about 'knowing it all' and I will take help and advice wherever it is offered. I'd recommend other businesses start to do the same because it might make the difference between survival failure. And that's a fine line in these dark days.
Oh, and the Businesslink assistance is all FREE. Why would you not want to check it out?!
Dave
www.the-gardenmakers.co.uk

Replies

Dave Sewell February 9, 2009 at 9:21pm

Craig,
I'm a bit amazed that nobody has responded to this thread. In the current business climate you need to take EVERY single scrap of help you can get to learn more and get ahead of the competition.
I attended the first of five sessions of the 'route to market' course that's been put together for Business Link and it was excellent. I've also signed up for 12 months of 'mentoring' which is essentially 12 x 2 hr face-to-face sessions with a business advisor over the course of the year. I see these as being 'accountability' sessions where I get to explain just why I haven't implemented some strategy or other but they are also a great opportunity to get a wider input into our business.
Our business has a big turnover and I've been running businesses for 20 years but I have no illusions about 'knowing it all' and I will take help and advice wherever it is offered. I'd recommend other businesses start to do the same because it might make the difference between survival failure. And that's a fine line in these dark days.
Oh, and the Businesslink assistance is all FREE. Why would you not want to check it out?!
Dave
www.the-gardenmakers.co.uk
PRO

Craig McGinty February 10, 2009 at 10:07am

Hi Dave,

I wasn't maybe expecting to much comment, more hoping that people click on through to find out more.

But must admit that having read your ringing endorsement I hope people definitely do now and pick up some advice and tips.

All the best,
Craig