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Purpose Driven Business – how to start and build a business with purpose


    In support of the 15th anniversary of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and their annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) the Business & IP Centre will be hosting Purpose Driven Business, to celebrate the GEW 2022 theme of Grow With Purpose.

    Our panel of speakers, representing a range of purpose-led businesses, will come together to share their expertise and business stories. They’ll question approaches from the past, challenge the status quo of today and discuss how all of these learnings can help build more resilient and focused businesses. We will discuss why having a ‘purpose’ is central to every start-up and how honing in on yours will help to drive growth and ensure your business thrives in the current climate.

    About our panel:

    • Dr Liz Jackson MBE of BCMS is a motivational speaker and partially sighted business owner supporting the business community
    • Jayni Gudka is the CEO of Unseen Tours, a provider of walking tours by formerly homeless guides who know the streets intimately and will show you the real London
    • Tasha Thompson is the founder Black Girls Do Run UK. Her business is changing the perception of running, and creating a safe space for black women in the health and fitness community
    • Valerie Brandes of Jacaranda Books. Jacaranda books is a publishing company giving visibility for black and brown authors
    • Moderated by Eni Timi Biu of Create Your Table

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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

Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Fashion Retail Reimagined


Online retail sales for textiles, clothing and footwear reached an unprecedented peak of 31% in 2020, as reported by UKFT, and in the UK alone the fashion and textile sector boasts a staggering 34,045 businesses. Now in 2023, the industry of fashion retail is witnessing the emergence of several exciting trends that are revolutionizing the shopping experience.

TikTok's live shopping experience, the growth of omni-channel retail, the increasing importance of second-hand fashion, supply chain innovations, and the rise of diversity and inclusivity are reshaping the fashion retail landscape. With these emerging trends, traditional brick-and-mortar shops have been reimagined, giving way to a new era of shopping experiences that seamlessly blend the physical and digital realms.

Our panel of five inspiring fashion experts and entrepreneurs will explore how these changes are influencing the industry and share valuable insights on leveraging these shifts to your advantage – leaving you inspired, informed, and ready to conquer the future of fashion retail.

Quotes: https://www.ukft.org/business-advice/industry-reports-and-stats. and Top Fashion Retail Trends of 2023: Innovations Shaping the Industry — Femestella.

On the day, expect to:

Discover the intersection of high-end fashion and sustainability that is reshaping the market through consumer-to-consumer shared economy modelsExplore the latest business models in fashion retail, from traditional high street to cutting-edge online platformsLearn about the world of pop-up shops, offering not only unique shopping experiences but also sales opportunities for start-upsDive into the thriving market of live shopping, from social media live videos to online shop ecommerce platformsUnderstand how small businesses are establishing successful retail and ecommerce identities to grow their brandLearn how the power of innovative concepts, combined with community support, can revolutionise shopping in key locations.

For those joining us in person, the event will be followed by a networking reception with drinks, canapés, meeting with other attendees, as well as the speakers. For those joining us online, the panel and talk will run from 18.30 – 20.30

This event is tailored to those who are just thinking about starting a business, are already a business owner who wants to learn more, or perhaps simply wish to establish a stronger network. Attendees will leave this event feeling inspired and engaged.

Getting started and seen by your new customers

This session will help you think creatively to generate the visibility and traction to establish your new business in the market.

With thousands of new businesses launching every month and more information consumed around the clock than ever before, to get your start-up noticed, you will need to cut through the noise. We’re here to tell you that although it doesn’t necessarily require a large budget, it will require planning and the ability to seize the moment.

Karen Campbell from The Small Awards will be on hand to outline some tips to help you identify what are the special and differentiating factors about your business, how you can get these messages out, and, most important of all, how to ensure those messages get noticed.

The Small Awards showcase the variety and quality among small start-ups and Karen will be joined by Fran Gubbay, co-founder of Stamptastic, winners of Best Digital Business in 2019.

When you have a clear voice about what your business does and what it stands for, it increases your chance of being heard. 18 months ago Fran decided that they as co-founders, and their personalities, needed to feature more in their business, which led to news interviews, new leads and a couple of awards as well.

Listen in to learn some practical advice on how to make your own luck for exciting marketing opportunities.

If this session is of interest then do also look at the earlier free-to-watch presentation at 09:45 – 10:30 on the latest consumer trends from market research analyst Mintel. This can help underpin any marketing strategy you develop for your business.

How to write your value proposition


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.

Value propositions are incredibly valuable pieces of content, which allow you to communicate what your business is offering succinctly, and which can be used across marketing materials and pitches in the start-up stage of your business. Sarah Eschner, our SME Champion for Waltham Forest from the Start-ups in London Libraries programme will host this session where we will review how to incorporate all the important elements of your value proposition using a simple step-by-step process.

This masterclass will cover:
The purpose of a value propositionTools associated with a value proposition (value proposition canvas, business model canvas, profit model)The principles of a value propositionConcept of the ‘Core motivating value’An example scenario for how to write the statement.

Sources: Founders Institute, and L. Newey University of Queensland

The Remakery - Surplus materials, workspace and ecosystem


We hear from three businesses who have used The Remakery as a platform to grow. By providing a more affordable workspace with surplus materials, The Remakery lays the foundation for a more sustainable way of working, making and living that reduces our impact on the environment. Each of these businesses have used The Remakery to keep their materials in circulation, while also providing opportunities for their local community.

Michael Cashman

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