British Library Logo

The Road to Renewal:
Preparing entrepreneurs and SMEs for the next normal


This October, the British Library, supported by DCMS and the Treasury, launched the Business & IP Centre (BIPC) national Reset. Restart service to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to rebound from the Covid-19 crisis, adapt and build flexible business models and be prepared for the next normal. Alongside this, we are continuing to support people to start up and run robust businesses in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. People who start their business with us are four times more likely to succeed in building a viable business; 90% are still trading after three years, compared with an average of 50%.

Reset. Restart and the Business & IP Centre expansion form a key part of Living Knowledge: For Everyone, the British Library’s refreshed strategy to support economic, social and cultural renewal in the face of the pandemic’s extraordinary impact.

On 10 November from 11:00 – 12:00 we will be hosting a special virtual event to mark the launch of Reset. Restart.

We will be joined by the Minister for Digital & Culture, Caroline Dinenage MP, who will make the opening remarks followed by a live panel and Q&A session moderated by Alison Cork, recently announced BIPC Ambassador.


Speakers

Dame Carol Black

Chair of the British Library Board

Roly Keating

Chief Executive of the British Library

Caroline Dinenage MP

Minister for Digital and Culture

Alison Cork

Chair - Founder of Make It Your Business, entrepreneur

Sonali Parekh

Director of Policy for the Federation of Small Businesses

Nick Partridge

Head of Libraries, Archives and Information Services, Sheffield City Council

Philip Salter

Founder of The Entrepreneurs Network

Siobhan Thomas

Founder of What’s Your Skirt

Map

More Events

Lunch and learn – swap skills for starting-up


Do you ever find it hard to ask for help? What if you could swap something you were good at in exchange for support in the subject you need it in most.

Just like swapping pre-loved clothes and goods, come along to swap and share your experiences and expertise. Set up in the early weeks of the initial lockdown last year, local entrepreneurs and friends, Rachel Hayward and Lee Marples, formed a not-for-profit to revive the fun and informality from the seventies show, The Multi-Coloured Swap Shop. The idea is simple – register online and get to meet other people looking to progress and learn in a peer-to-peer community.

From its beginnings in Derby, then to Nottingham and Leicester, the digital marketplace is now UK-wide and sees hundreds of new swaps posted monthly.

You might be looking for someone to help set up a new Instagram account for you and can offer up a monthly cake selection box from your baking business in return? Or even swap copy-writing for accounting?

Join us for this special, interactive session over lunchtime where we invite you to listen in and consider how to work with, and help, one another.

We’re looking to seal some deals and build up your support network.

Start-up Day 2021

The Business & IP Centre’s Start-up Day is back for 2021, during Global Entrepreneurship Week, with involvement from over 30 libraries around the UK and over 50+ speakers.

10.00 – 10.04 Lord Parkinson
10.05 – 10.15 Introduction from Dr Joanna Abeyie MBE
10.15 – 10.55 How to understand sustainability trends in the UK right now
11.00 – 11.02 2 minute silence
11.05 – 11.50 The Remakery - Surplus materials, workspace and ecosystem
11.10 – 11.55 BIPC Glasgow – Making a difference – starting and running a business with environmental impact
11.15 – 12.05 Introduction to intellectual property
11.55 – 12.40 Sustainable in the City
12.00 – 12.25 BIPC Norfolk – The Regenerative Business Revolution – Entrepreneurs wanted!
12.10 – 12.45 Getting started with sustainable photography
12.30 – 13.05 Lunch and learn – swap skills for starting-up
12.45 – 13.30 Santander - The Business of Sustainability
13.00 – 13.30 How to put sustainability at the heart of your business
13.10 – 13.55 BIPC Liverpool City Region – The power of sustainable business
13.35 – 14.20 The Sustainable Start-up: building climate conscious principles into your business from day one
13.45 – 13.55 Santander key notes
14.00 – 14.45 BIPC Cambridgeshire & Peterborough - Getting real with sustainability
14.25 – 15.15 Circular Economy Panel: prosperity in a world of finite resources
14.40 – 15.15 BIPC Northamptonshire – Doing good and making money
15.00 – 15.45 Community as a service
15.20 – 16.05 A guide to sustainable business with the British Library
15.25 – 15.55 BIPC Greater Manchester – Is a co-operative business model right for your business
16.00 – 16.50 Sustainability oh so white
16.00 – 16.45 BIPC North East – Developing a sustainable/green brand

You only need to register once to get access to the full day of events. You can then choose which sessions you attend.

Business headshot editing service
What you need to do:

Select your head shot photograph.
Compose an email with the image attached.
Put your name in the subject field (so we can keep track of the images).
In the email let us know what you might want changing, e.g. cropping to square or resizing to reduce the file size, making black and white, adjusting the exposure/brightness etc. Or just let us decide.
Send to BIPC@samlanephotography.co.uk
We will then adjust your image as requested – or ‘touch it up’ as we would recommend.
And then we will email it back to you as soon as we possibly can, and certainly within 24 hours.



Don’t forget to follow #BIPCStartUpDay across social media to keep updated on what all of our speakers have to say throughout the day.

Wellness Warriors: the women reshaping the health and fitness industry


Celebrate International Women’s Month with us at the British Library as we bring together an inspiring panel discussion with five boundary-breaking women entrepreneurs who are transforming the health and fitness industry. As part of our Inspiring Entrepreneurs series, this event provides a unique chance to hear from influential women business founders and put your questions to them.

Our ’wellness warriors’ will share their extensive experience of setting up and scaling personal training businesses, fitness apps, pioneering athletic wear brands and more. With the fitness industry valued at just under $100 billion globally last year* and with the Olympics fast approaching, these women have harnessed the booming interest in health and wellbeing to establish innovative brands, programmes and communities focused on empowerment and inclusivity.

Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur curious about the landscape or an established founder looking to stay ahead of the curve, this session will leave you feeling inspired, informed and ready to take the next step.

*Statista, August 2023

On the day, you can expect to:

Gain valuable insights into the evolution of fitness entrepreneurship and innovations reshaping the health and wellbeing industryExplore emerging business models in health and fitness - from apps to in-person clubs to community-focused chainsDiscuss how businesses and individuals are supporting marginalised communities within the fitness industryAnalyse how fitness brands leverage social media, influencer marketing, and ecommerce to grow their audiencesUnderstand how fitness influencers build successful brands and e-commerce identitiesGet answers to your specific questions to propel you forward in your business journey.

How to build resilience as a start-up entrepreneur

London libraries are transforming the way ideas grow into successful businesses. By partnering with ten London boroughs, we are developing a community of new and existing business owners, which is free to join and open to everyone. Whether you are just setting out, need advice on protecting your intellectual property, or simply have a brilliant idea you want to discuss, we're here to guide you. Since April 2020, we have offered all of our Start-ups in London Libraries' services online, including our core workshops and virtual one-to-ones with our borough Business Champions, many of whom will be hosting sessions during Start-up Day. To find out more about Start-ups in London Libraries and how to join our thriving business community, visit bl.uk/SiLL.

Juliana is a fashion expert with over 20 years’ professional experience within the industry. Five years ago, she resigned from a Senior Director position within a Mayfair fashion company to set up her own personal styling consultancy. Today she has clients all over the world including Italy, Israel, France the UK and America and is passionate about working with her clients to reach their true style potential. She also provides a creative consultancy service that helps start-ups and established business owners to build supportive relationships to help their businesses thrive.

During this talk Juliana will discuss:
Her personal experience of moving from a comfortable position as an employee to developing a new business for the first timeThe importance of building and maintaining self confidence in yourself and your vision, and how she has done thisHow professional and personal relationships can either help or hinder your business journeyManaging feelings of self debtSelf care and networksHow she has personally built resilience

Community as a service: a model for enhancing sustainability in business


This talk looks at the need to connect with community and other business owners during difficult times. When things became challenging, the panel had to quickly learn to lean on their communities. This helped them build a network to sustain their businesses, but also share knowledge, skills and experience with their peers.

Each of the three speakers on this panel has a compelling story about how their community helped them pivot and build resilience through a network. Find out how communities generate value and how to build your own community-as-a-service network, whether you’re just starting or looking to grow your business's activity.

Michael Cashman

Speaker Position

Feedback