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BIPC Newcastle's Social media for business

    Join BIPC Newcastle’s social media and PR expert, Jodie Balmer, for this engaging presentation on social media for business.

    Navigating the world of social media can be a minefield. In this session, you will learn the basic foundations to help build a social media strategy and understand the importance of social media within the marketing mix.

    Who is this session for?

    • Business owners wanting a basic grasp of social media, organic growth, community management, and engaging content
    • Those working in the marketing realm that wish to develop new social media knowledge and skills
    • Creatives who have skills in content creation but lack a strategic mindset and approach.

    Simply put, if you would like to raise brand awareness, connect with more potential customers, and standout from your competitors then this talk is for you.

Speakers

BIPC Newcastle

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Jodie Balmer

Social media and PR expert

More Events

Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Building the Black Economy


Join our panel of experts to learn how Black entrepreneurs are building empires online by using their influence and creativity.

You will hear from six inspiring entrepreneurs at various stages in their careers and across a range of industries, as our panel come together to discuss the considerations they took into account when building their businesses and the insights they have learnt along the way.

Whether you are just thinking about starting a business, a business owner who wants to learn more, or perhaps you wish to establish a stronger network, you’ll leave this event feeling inspired and engaged.

On the day, you can expect to:

Learn how the Black Lives Matter movement prompted the rise in Black enterprises and powered increased support for themUnderstand the financial reality of starting a business in today’s changing marketExplore Black-owned businesses in theatre and the arts and the importance of representation on the stageRecognise the power of the Black pound and how to convert this knowledge into assets for the Black economyLearn about the importance of social media for building Black businesses.
Following this will be an engaging and thought-provoking Fireside Chat – a discussion on community building with Black Pound Day founder and So Solid Crew member, Swiss.

About our panel

Rachael Twumasi-Corson, CEO and founder of Afrocenchix Ltd. At 19 Rachael co-founded Afrocenchix, an award-winning ethical start-up that creates safe, effective, vegan certified products for Afro & curly hair.Emmanuel Asuquo, founder of The Eman Effect UK, is a renowned, financial adviser, media personality, wealth building entrepreneur and international speaker.TJ Atkinson is a Property Investor, who specialises in transforming homes into beautiful, creative masterpieces. Alongside growing his portfolio, TJ supports people in his community with getting started in property.Indie Gordon is Head of Program at Foundervine and founder of Halo safety app. She aims to empower today's and tomorrow's companies, ensuring they’re tech-enabled and can weather the storm of any social, economic or environmental change.The panel will be moderated by Khai Shaw, co-founder of the theatre company Nuu Theatre. Khai has collaborated with the English Touring Theatre Company and the Bush Theatre.

Fireside Chat

Swiss is the founder of Black Pound Day, the UK's biggest economic movement that supports Black-owned businesses. He is a cultural influencer, business leader, author, and highly acclaimed musician and member of So Solid Crew. Alongside his passion for music, Swiss founded the Black Pound Day movement to support awareness and growth of the Black businesses and economy in the UK and global diasporic communities. Recently, Swiss opened the first permanent retail store at Westfield London, Europe's biggest shopping centre, and continues to actively support hundreds of businesses across the country.The chat will be moderated by Jacqueline Brown, BIPC Business Support Programming Manager, serial entrepreneur and founder of businesses Africa Fashion Guide, Wax and Wraps and M.O.R.Empire. Since 2011, Jacqueline has helped start-ups to build and launch sustainable fashion businesses from scratch with coaching, digital tools, community and connections.

Inspiring Entrepreneurs: The Business of Food – From Farm to Fork

The last few years have certainly been eventful for the food industry. From inflationary pressures to the enduring effects of the pandemic, many consumers have altered their food purchasing and dining out habits. However, despite these challenges ethical sourcing remains important: nearly four in five food and drink shoppers intentionally choose products with a sustainability claim (Mintel – Sustainability in Food report 2023).

Join us for an inspirational evening with Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, warmly known as The Black Farmer and Thomasina Miers, co-founder of Wahaca as they share their insights on the emerging trends in the food industry and the changing image of food on the high street.

Has the growth of new eateries in the UK serving recipes from all corners of the globe brought forth an evolution of British taste buds? Are food businesses raising the awareness of sustainability and how we can connect more with nature in our food choices? Hear about and discuss these hot topics, and more with the two well-known innovators as they also consider the part their own business journeys have played in revolutionising the face of the food industry in the UK.

This event is part of the British Library Food Season 2023

In conversation with Irene Agbontaen, founder of TTYA London

In this, the second of our two Inspiring Entrepreneurs interviews on Start-up Day, we meet and hear from Irene Agbontaen, founder of fashion brand TTYA London, in conversation with Anis Qizilbash.

Irene’s company TTYA - or Taller Than Your Average - is a fashion apparel brand for taller women, supplying a market that Irene - standing at 5’11’’ - knew was underserviced. TTYA launched in Selfridge’s in 2013, becoming their first tall-specific brand. TTYA has gone on to have a home in Barneys New York and was the first pioneering tall brand to debut on ASOS.com. Irene’s designs have been worn by major celebrities.

In this discussion Irene will be speaking about how she has navigated the industry and gone on to secure contracts with major stockists whilst keeping a very strong commitment to herself, her beliefs about inclusivity and to the essence of the business. There will also be lots of practical advice about how to truly be the face and voice of your brand, and how social media, e-commerce, endorsements and collaborations are all just as much a part of modern businesses as much as planning, accounting and sales.

Whether you are starting up in fashion, or another sector, you may find yourself being expected to change and conform to fit in with the establishment. Irene talks powerfully about her inner voice to resist this and how that, ultimately, has strengthened the business. For TTYA’s first catwalk show at Lagos Fashion Week in 2018 it was a team comprised solely of women of colour that went with her.

We all face a very challenging retail landscape in the light of the pandemic and changes in consumer spending. We’ll talk to Irene about how TTYA has faced this past year and what the future holds. Having played just a small role in TTYA’s story at the beginning, as Irene accessed stats on consumers from our market research databases to help progress her business, the BIPC is so happy to work with Irene again to inspire you as you begin your business now.

How to maintain a work/life balance as an 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.

Running your own business can give you greater control over when you work and how you do things, but it’s not easy finding the right balance between work and personal commitments.

Join award-winning social entrepreneur, Dr. Yuliana Topazly, to hear about her story and learn some tips about how best to manage your work/life balance.

This session is particularly beneficial for parents with start-up businesses who are currently balancing responsibilities in multiple arenas during these challenging times.

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.

Michael Cashman

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