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One hundred and forty five economic development managers from councils as far apart as Arun, West Lindsey and Sunderland came to Croydon to hear how the council and its partners had collected a beacon award for creating economic prosperity through partnership.
The open day included workshops on a variety of subjects including ‘Urban Regeneration Vehicles', the Croydon Enterprise programme and Croydon's new Economic Development Company, led by its Chief Executive Tony Kildare.
Now all the presentations and case studies are available on the internet here:
The Beacon scheme is run by the IDeA on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government the scheme and identifies high performing Councils and their partners in order for them to disseminate their good practice
Contact: 020 8090 1692, Fax: 020 8686 3300, beacon@croydonedc.co.uk
ITC Concepts services cover refurbishment, fitting out, new build and maintenance projects, predominantly serving clients in London and the South East. The business was established in June 1992 and employs 40 plus staff with a turnover of £20m+ and as a company who seeks to provide a quality service were justifiably proud to be awarded the South London Business ‘Best Large Business’ in 2009.
ITC Concepts endeavours to achieve best practice in their day to day activities, whilst striving to minimise the impact on the local community in order to sustain the environment as a whole. Following an audit into their operations in 2005 they began working closely with ENVIBE in January 2006. ITC Concepts took part in the ENVIBE challenge, committing to environmental improvement, and the business has received both the Bronze and Silver ENVIBE awards. Their environmental achievements were also recognised when they won the Green Guardian Business Award for Croydon in 2008, with commended status in the regional finals, and they were shortlisted in the South London Business Awards ‘Best Business for Sustainability’ 2009 category.
ITC Concepts commitment to the environment is embedded through their environmental policy which delegates environmental responsibilities, ensures compliance with legislative requirements, and sets targets for environmental improvements. ITC Concepts has assembled a ‘Green Team’ from the various disciplines within the organisation including Managing Director, Ian Conway. Through Ian’s leadership and the regular Green Team meetings ITC Concepts ensures that they remain focused on their corporate social responsibilities throughout their working practices with continual environmental performance improvement a priority. Staff have embraced this commitment as a result of the on-going direction they receive from the Green Team who raise staff awareness through regular campaigns and forums. Supporting the environmental message, all new employees are presented with a young tree, sowing the environmental seed in their mind from the very first day. Their commitment does not stop within the workplace. Staff have taken part in internal competitions encouraging them to implement green initiatives at home. Further to this, ITC Concepts have always and continue to strive to contribute to the local community through charity support.
In addition to staff motivation benefits, ITC Concepts have actively sought and achieved resource efficiency which has brought financial benefits. Through the simple, no or low cost methods identified below, ITC Concepts reduced paper consumption from 25 reams of paper per employee per year in 2006, to just under 3 reams per employee by 2008, saving the business over £24,000:
- Printing double sided
- Recycling paper, card and ink cartridges
- Increased use of electronic communication
- Tenders sent in electronic format
- Using scrap paper as note pads
- Bespoke email address for specifications to be sent
- Screen in training room as alternative to using paper for minutes and agendas
- Electronic archiving system, Zylab
Their recycling initially started with paper and card within their office but this now includes plastic and glass and their waste management programme has been extended to all their project sites, which taking into account these are building sites, has required in-depth logistical planning and management. They have reduced their waste to landfill by 30% and reduced the total amount of waste produced.
By reducing their use of electricity and water ITC Concepts have achieved a tremendous savings total of £76,000 since 2005. Some of these energy and water saving initiatives include:
- Locating and monitoring of utilities meters
- Turning off PC’s, photocopiers, printers, and lights at night
- Turning off boilers over the weekend
- Internal and external timed lighting
- All high level, low voltage lighting in the office corridor replaced with low energy LED lighting
- Office heating reduce by 1 degree
- Water saving devices in washrooms
- A procedure is in place for reporting leaks
- Time adjusted flushes in urinals
ITC Concepts has worked with ENVIBE partner, Seltrans, to produce a Workplace Travel Plan. They have policies in place to ensure staff use public transport when travelling to London and a car sharing scheme is in place for staff commuting and travelling to meetings off site where it is not practical to use public transport. They have also installed video conferencing to assist communication with project sites and to reduce the need for some site travel. From 2007 to 2008, ITC Concepts made a 36.55% saving in the use of petrol and 28.39% saving in the use of diesel.
ITC concepts are currently investigating the purchase of materials from recycled, recyclable, renewable and/or sustainable resources and have implemented a policy to ensure, unless otherwise instructed, all wood will be purchased from sustainable sources. Furthermore, ITC are striving to ensure all purchases are made through local companies to reduce transport costs and the effects on the environment.
In seeking to attain ISO 14001 certification, ITC Concepts has implemented an environmental management system which is continually reviewed and developed to improve their environmental performance. In addition they are pursuing the prestigious Gold ENVIBE award, with a particular focus on sustainable transport and procurement. They are looking to continue to save money and improve their corporate image, giving them a competitive edge, while contributing towards their corporate social responsibility. Through their external projects, ITC Concepts are pioneering to change the face of the construction industry which is often perceived as inconsiderate of the impacts it has on the environment.
“In 2005 ITC Concepts made a conscious decision to be pro-active with regard to its environmental responsibilities by seeking ways to reduce any negative impact on the environment and introduce measures to protect and enhance it. However, with little experience in this area, as a company we needed some assistance. All of our initiatives have been borne out of or come directly from our relationship with Envibe, and the fantastic support and guidance they continually and unstintingly gave.
In monetary terms our environmental drive has cost us very little but has saved us a great deal in financial terms. It has also provided a valuable marketing opportunity for the company; as along with the environmental awards and achievements, ITC can truly claim to have undergone a change in attitude in its policies and in its staff. Envibe has played a key part in these environmental achievements; thank you”.
Ian Conway, Managing Director, ITC Concepts
When Woolworths went into administration in December 2008, Karen Bedziejewski was among dozens of Croydon residents who suddenly found themselves unemployed. Now, with the help of Croydon College, she has beaten the economic gloom and found a new full-time job.
Karen joined Woolworths when she left school over 15 years ago and had worked there ever since. She had never had to look for another job and had never written a CV. However, she was determined to be as proactive as possible and so she joined a Job Skills course at Croydon College. Here she studied to gain specific skills in her chosen area (Customer Service) alongside general skills such as CV writing and interview techniques.
Karen found her new job through the College’s vacancy-matching service, where it receives vacancy information directly from employers and sends them the details of suitable candidates from the Job Skills courses. Speaking after being told that her job application had been successful, Karen said: “It was a real shock when Woolworths closed after I had worked there for so many years. With the help of the Job Skills team at Croydon College, I was able to find full-time employment. I would highly recommend this course to others in my situation.”
Croydon College has been helping a lot of people affected by the economic downturn. Ben Geeson, Marketing Manager at the College said: “We are finding that a lot of people are being made redundant who have been with one employer for many years and have no recent experience of looking for a job. We can help to advise them on how to go about this as well as helping them with the basic skills that employers are looking for – literacy, numeracy and IT.”
If you are currently unemployed, then the College may be able to help you. You can find out more about the Job Skills provision and sign up at www.jobskillssouthlondon.com. You can also call 0208 686 5700 ext 1433 or email jobskills@croydon.ac.uk.
Croydon fork lift truck driver Omar Jallo Jamboria is back at work after being made redundant, thanks to support from a programme to help the recently unemployed.
Omar is in his early thirties and originally from Sierra Leone and had been working as a warehouse operative and fork lift truck driver for a Croydon manufacturer.
Omar attended a training workshop funded through South London Business’s Response to Redundancy programme, organised by SOLOMAN (Society of London Manufacturers), where he was supported to produce a CV and consider his options. Omar’s partner is due to give birth to twins in September and given this Omar was understandably anxious to secure employment as quickly as possible.
SOLOMAN circulated Omar’s CV among local companies, one of which, Price Kitchens, expressed an interest. An interview was arranged with Price Kitchens and Omar was coached through the interview process. Omar was successful in securing employment at Price Kitchens as a warehouse/delivery person and he has expressed his gratitude for helping to get back into the labour market so swiftly and at such an important time for his family.
South London Business has been allocated £2.3m out of a £17m government and European Social Fund to help 4,300 South Londoners through training in the Response to Redundancy programme. The money will be used to help people who are currently under notice of redundancy or are unemployed, offering them free, flexible training to boost their skills so they can move quickly back into work.
Companies that may be about to issue notices of redundancy or individuals who are out of work or have received a notice of redundancy are eligible for funding. For further information, text REDUNDANT to 60777 or telephone 020 8666 0221.
The Response to Redundancy programme forms part of Croydon’s Economic Recovery Plan which aims to help local people and businesses survive the recession. The plan was drawn up earlier this year by Croydon Council and Croydon Business in partnership with a range of key agencies, including South London Business, Croydon College, JobCentre Plus, Croydon Enterprise, Envibe, Safer Croydon, Croydon Business Venture, Business Link, and Croydon Voluntary Action. The plan is currently being led by the new Croydon Economic Development Company. Full details of the plan can be found at croydoncrunch.org.
In Croydon, former bankers are helping businesses survive the credit crunch via a loan fund set up under the town’s Economic Development Company.
When the banks won’t lend, the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund team has been stepping in to support viable businesses.
Since the beginning of the year, the former bank managers who make up the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund team believe they have saved more than 20 jobs and created several new enterprises, as well as had the beneficial side-effect of pumping thousands of pounds into the local economy.
Senior Loan Fund manager Keith Miller, who previously worked as a corporate manager with Barclays, said his team, many of whom are also ex-bank managers, were using expertise gained in the previous recession to help local businesses survive this one.
“I was working with Barclays during the previous recession in the early ‘90s and I’m seeing companies with similar problems now,” he said. “We can make the difference between success and failure by providing business advice, mentoring and help with temporary cashflow or investment at a critical time.”
Recently, a single £10,000 Croydon Enterprise Loan saved one company from administration and 10 staff from redundancy after a major client defaulted on payment for work already carried out.
“This was a prime example of the problems the recession is causing,” said Keith. “It was an established, viable business, but the recession had hit one of its clients hard and they weren’t going to get paid for their contract. All they needed was some temporary cashflow help to survive and now they are flying again. The banks couldn’t support them, but we did.”
The Loan Fund is one of Croydon’s main weapons in its fight against recession which is being led by Croydon’s Economic Development Company. The total fund value is £1m, of which to date, around £0.5m has been agreed in loans. It’s a not-for-profit organisation, so when businesses pay back their loans, the money can be used again to help support more businesses.
A key part of the service is business mentoring, where many of the companies who come to the Loan Fund for help are also provided with up to six months’ worth of individual business advice.
“This is where we are in it for the long-term,” said Keith. “I’ve seen a lot of businesses start well and get up to a £1/4m turnover, but then fail to move on from there because they haven’t built their business on solid foundations. There’s nothing wrong with their business concept in principle but if they don’t get the correct systems in place any problems become magnified as they grow.
“We can provide mentoring at that critical time and ensure viable businesses get a chance to survive the recession to help build our economy for the future.
“And it’s not just about the companies themselves; by saving jobs we are helping the local economy in general as those people who stay in work can afford to spend locally.”
The Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund is aimed at businesses who are finding it hard to get loans from mainstream sources. The Loan Fund has supported nearly 50 businesses since it launched in early 2008. For more information, call the Croydon Enterprise Business Hotline on 020 8680 6161.
The Loan Fund forms part of Croydon’s Economic Recovery Plan which aims to help local people and businesses survive the recession. The plan was drawn up earlier this year by Croydon Council and Croydon Economic Development Company (then Croydon Business) in partnership with a range of key agencies, including South London Business, Croydon College, JobCentre Plus, Croydon Enterprise, Envibe, Safer Croydon, Croydon Business Venture, Business Link, and Croydon Voluntary Action. The plan is currently being led by the new Croydon Economic Development Company. Full details of the plan can be found at www.croydoncrunch.org
Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund case studies below:
The Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund came to the rescue when entrepreneur Mark Carruthers saw his dreams of expanding his business falter as his bank withdrew lending at the height of the credit crunch.
Mark, who has successfully run a hardware store in New Addington for more than 12 years, had been inspired to set up a new businesses tendering for building services, repair and maintenance contracts after hearing more and more of his tradesmen customers complain that the recession was affecting work. Mark believed he could support them by securing new contracts and doing the project management, while employing trusted local tradesmen to carry out the specialist work.
But just as he was about to get his new business idea off the ground, he received the shock news that his bank was withdrawing lending facilities on his account for his existing business, The Warehouse shop in New Addington.
“I just didn’t understand why. Our credit rating was good, the business was strong with good turnover and footfall, but I went overnight from a successful business with a safety net to one where I may be facing making people redundant,” said Mark.
“The bank just wasn’t willing to provide support, so the new business idea would have had to go on hold, while I focused on my existing business to keep it afloat.
Following a presentation to the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund panel, Mark was successful in gaining the requested £10,000 fund towards supporting the refurbishment of his shop, The Warehouse in New Addington.
And with The Warehouse’s finances secured, Mark was able to turn his attention to his new enterprise, H&T Services, which has now secured contracts in Crystal Palace and New Addington.
“There wouldn’t be an H&T Services without Croydon Enterprise,” said Mark. “The business support and advice I’ve received over the long term helped me have the initial idea and draw up a good business plan, and then the loan ensured that the credit crunch didn’t put paid to the idea before it got off the ground.”
When successful Sardinian chef Efisio Fronteddu’s restaurant fell empty during the peak of the economic downturn, the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund secured the finance to keep his business afloat.
“It was like a tsunami,” said Efisio. “I had opened the restaurant in 2007 and although it was tough at first, 2008 was a good year up to around October.
“But then the economic downturn hit, and the trade just stopped. The December period was a disaster and then January and February were even worse. I burned through all the profits I had made in 2008 and was starting to make a loss.
“The banks wouldn’t help, but luckily Croydon Enterprise realised I still had a viable business and helped me apply to their Loan Fund for temporary help.
“It saved me – that loan was the only thing that kept me going. And I am already paying it back. They also gave me a business mentor who provided really good advice, which means my business is now growing even better than before.”
Six months on, Efisio’s Mediterranea restaurant in Crystal Palace is back in profit once again with regular bookings and sell-out nights.
One of the UK’s few specialists in Sardinian food, Efisio is slowing expanding his business with support from Croydon Enterprise. He now also supplies the delicacies he serves, including specially imported Sardinian ham, cheese, olive oil and bread. He is currently seeking a licence to be able to trade wholesale in the Sardinian wine which is so popular at his restaurant.
Efisio, his wife Matilde, and head chef Edward, founded The Mediterranea, in Westow Street, Crystal Palace, in 2007 when family commitments meant the Fronteddus needed to find a place to settle down.
“We had done a lot of travelling, and I had worked in restaurants in Belgravia and the West End,” said Efisio. “But the best time for me was when I took over a restaurant in Sardinia with a friend. We were fantastically successful and it gave me a taste for running my own business.
“When we wanted to settle back in the UK for our children, I knew I wanted to work for myself and chose Crystal Palace as we had lived here before and we liked it. I miss Sardinia but I don’t have to live there – I visit regularly and bring back a piece of it here to my restaurant.”
Efisio took over a former local café and traded successfully until the economic downturn, getting national coverage when he featured on the TV Show The F-Word with Gordon Ramsey about the Sardinian maggot infested cheese Casu Marzu. He specialises in Mediterranean food, specifically Sardinian, which is noted for its blend of fresh ingredients and local herbs and spices to deliver a simple, yet refined taste. The aim is to deliver a flavour of the island itself, with fish, local herbs and fruit and vegetables ripened in warm Mediterranean sunshine. Seafood and wild game give strength and distinction to meals with different breads and local wines being the essential basics.
“We were so lucky Croydon Enterprise saw us as a viable business and it was just bad luck we were caught in the recession, rather than we didn’t have a future,” said Efisio. “Older, stronger businesses could weather the storm, but my restaurant was only a year old, trade was volatile and the business fragile. By giving us that helping hand when we really needed it, they kept us in business.”
The Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund is aimed at businesses which are finding it hard to get loans from mainstream sources and has supported nearly 50 businesses since it launched in early 2008. For more information, call the Croydon Enterprise Business Hotline on 020 8680 6161.
The Loan Fund forms part of Croydon’s Economic Recovery Plan which aims to help local people and businesses survive the recession. The plan was drawn up earlier this year by Croydon Council and Croydon Business in partnership with a range of key agencies, including South London Business, Croydon College, JobCentre Plus, Croydon Enterprise, Envibe, Safer Croydon, Croydon Business Venture, Business Link, and Croydon Voluntary Action. The plan is currently being led by the new Croydon Economic Development Company. Full details of the plan can be found at www.croydoncrunch.org
When the recession shut the Norbury shop where Martin Gardner had set up a base for his video business, he sank into depression.
“I couldn’t do anything for a couple of weeks, I just couldn’t get motivated,” said Martin. “But then I remembered someone from the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund had been around a while ago and left his card, so I got in touch.
“They were fantastic. They found me a warehouse as new premises, gave me a loan to get some new equipment, and lots of business advice. I’m now sub-letting some of my accommodation and have so much work I’ve needed to employ a part-timer to help with the admin.”
Martin, a former youth worker, had worked as a successful video producer for more than 13 years, after starting the business as a hobby and an extra source of income while he was at home bringing up his daughter.
Initially working as a sub-contractor for other video production companies, Martin gradually built his own business, Culchi Magic Movies, mostly using Facebook as a marketing tool. His portfolio covers everything from weddings to advertising campaigns for the US.
“The help I got from the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund both financially and through the mentoring gave me the focus I needed to take my business to the next stage.
“I now have my own premises with a studio, a new camera so I can expand my business into still photography, and a real focus on the future.”
Alan Michael Peake decided to call his new business ‘the Web Guy’ after he’d heard the term uses to describe his specialism, web site design … as if anyone could be in any doubt!
“It was people saying things like, ‘let’s get the web guy to do that’, or people asking outright, ‘are you the web guy?’ “So, with that kind of recognition, The Web Guy had to be the name of my new business.”
Alan has been in the business for six years, working from home. But his plans for expansion have prompted his move to the Croydon town centre Enterprise Opportunity Centre. “I have the space here to expand,” he says, “and I also like having the other businesses around me, it provides great support … otherwise I’d be on my own staring at my three monitors. Plus, this place really bustles!”
Alan is pretty confident of success in Park House. “If I can’t succeed here, where can I?” he quips.
He found the Park House EOC after a Google web-search. “That’s how I found Croydon Business Venture and its CEO Norman Pierce and he told me about this place,” he said.
At the moment Alan has seven freelancers he works with, but he’s looking for bigger contracts to reach the ‘tipping point’ where it makes financial sense to put some staff on the payroll.
The Web Guy is a partnership between Alan and a city businessman Darren Vickers. Darren’s city base has been useful in bringing in some big contracts, like Voltrex, a company providing foreign exchange alternative investment and brokerage services to corporate and private clients.
Darren gets most of his business through referrals as his reputation spreads. And he’s looking at how he can use his Croydon EOC base to branch out into supporting other businesses in Park House.
“It makes sense,” he says, “with me here it’s easy to sort things out at short notice and face to face.”
As Alan’s business expanded, he turned to print design and production, as another string to his bow.
Another of his clients is ‘BroadcastRF’, a high-tech supplier of outside broadcast technical gear. “You know at sporting events you see a guy following the action with a camera with an aerial on top? That guy is probably using a digital link from BroadcastRF,” says Alan.
Croydon-born and bred Alan lives in Crystal Palace – an apt choice for someone with a broadcast client!
“Croydon Enterprise came to our aid at a critical time – the bottom had literally dropped out of the market and we’d lost nearly £100,000 worth of planned work in just three months,” recalls Davina Sellick, Client Service Director of QubeLondon.
Set up in 1999, QubeLondon is a multimedia and full service marketing agency formed originally as a partnership of 10 highly successful advertising executives, who dreamed of setting up their own agency.
From its base in Crystal Palace, the company specialises in developing TV ads, animations, direct mailing campaigns and websites.
But back in October 2007, Davina remembers how they first spotted the signs of an impending economic downturn.
“Business had become really tough, we’d had some major clients put projects on hold and the signs for the future were of worse to come.”
Around that time, QubeLondon received an email invitation from Croydon Enterprise partner Business to Business Ltd offering one-to-one business support.
“It seemed like a great opportunity – the advice was free and being one-to-one would be tailored to suit our needs,” explains Davina.
For the following nine months, one of Croydon Enterprise’s business consultants, Steve Mullins, regularly visited Davina, and Creative Director Simon Bosworth; developing a thorough knowledge of the business, its current position and its future potential.
“The whole experience was very useful,” says Davina, “because it gave us the time and space to reflect on the business, develop our aspirations and, with Steve’s help, come up with ways of achieving them.
“He would keep detailed notes of each session which he’d then send onto us. These helped us identify issues and formulate action plans.”
Davina says that Steve encouraged them to look at methods of increasing their business that they had never otherwise considered.
“Historically we had never advertised our services, our business was based on recommendation and word of mouth. But Steve encouraged us to think outside of our comfort zone. Just having that additional perspective was really useful, particularly for a small company.”
Davina says they embarked on a proactive campaign of drumming up new business, including ‘retouching’ – getting in touch with past clients and offering their services. At the same time they also revamped their website.
Simon says: “Deciding to make structural changes to an organisation is always difficult, and in the short term can lead to a decline in new business coming through the door. But once the initial pain is over, the long-term benefits are clear to see, and we have already seen a turnaround in our fortunes. So even though change can often be difficult to manage in a business, with the right support in place, it really can make the difference that is needed.”
Davina adds: “Now we’re busier than we’ve been in a long time. The jobs we’ve got on are not necessarily big earners and we find that we’re having to pitch for work a lot more than we used to – rather than clients coming to us saying ‘this is our budget, do the work for us’. But we’re still here and very grateful for every contract we have.
She adds: “Essentially, Croydon Enterprise, through Business 2 Business Ltd, gave us the support we needed at a critical time and helped us emerge stronger and more focused on our goals and how to reach them.”
Call the Croydon Enterprise business hotline 020 8680 6161 to book one to lone business support.
"Setting up our office here has made a huge difference. I even had a visitor call in on the first day which rarely happened when we ran the organisation from home," says Marcelle Bunbury-Stephen, managing director of Centrepoint - a community interest company (CIC) which caters for the educational and training needs of disabled people.
In January, Marcelle and her colleague Dr Beatrice Hansen-Sudsbury, director of education and community integration, arrived at the Healthy Croydon Resource Centre in West Croydon, which houses an Enterprise Opportunity Centre for social enterprises. Here, desks and office space are provided at very affordable rents, as well as access to the Commensse team – Croydon Enterprise’s project to provide expert help to voluntary and community organisations that are looking to take a more businesslike approach to the way they do things.
“Not only does it help to be in a more professional environment,” explains Marcelle, “but the networks we are forming with other social enterprises based here are proving really useful. We’ve all got a similar outlook as we’re all here to benefit the community in some way.”
Marcelle and Beatrice launched Centrepoint in May 2008 after becoming disillusioned with existing provision for children and young people with disabilities.
The organisation offers a range of activities designed to develop new skills and increase employability. Projects include an allotment initiative bringing together local people who have been out of work or on long-term sick leave, to create a thriving community garden; and a catering scheme whereby youngsters with disabilities are given hands on experience in professional kitchens, serving up their food to the public, and gaining a food hygiene certificate which is crucial in any catering career.
“I had taken a sabbatical from my job as a curriculum manager in a North London college to try and make a go of this venture,” says Marcelle. “I felt there was a real lack of flexible and creative programmes for people with disabilities. I wanted to combine fun with developing real practical skills which ultimately will help these young people, whether they’ve got Aspergers or Down’s syndrome, to enter employment.”
Passionate about special needs education, Marcelle has worked as a trainer and teacher both here and in her native America; as well as caring for a relative with Down’s syndrome. Still practising what she preaches Marcelle has recently become a foster carer to a child with profound, complex, and multiple learning difficulties.
Setting up an enterprise however required a completely different set of skills.
“The support I’ve had from Commensse has been invaluable,” she says. “Developing a CIC can be a very laborious and challenging process, but Commensse was able to provide me with training that equipped me with the skills and information necessary for a successful application.
“It also arranged for the regulator of CIC to take part in one of the training sessions which was so useful, as we could learn, straight from the horse’s mouth, what would be required of us.”
Centrepoint is currently feeling the impact of major public interest in its latest initiative – football clubs for people with disabilities.
Launched in April, the project will see the creation of four football teams, including a girls-only team, an adult squad and a team for youngsters under 12.
Specially-trained coaches, some with disabilities, some not, will teach players footballing skills, fitness training and the importance of working as a team. There will also be opportunities to attend local matches at Crystal Palace, as well as compete in matches. A specifically-designed ‘Player Pathway’ provides opportunity for progression.
The sessions are being held in the grounds of independent boys’ school Trinity School, in Shirley Park. Marcelle says:
“It is awesome that our youngsters with additional needs can access Trinity School’s state-of-the art sports facilities – this only proves to validate our motto of ‘raising expectations and achieving results’”.
She adds: “The interest we’ve had both from people wanting to join a team and from potential coaches has been overwhelming. It proves how popular a medium football is and hopefully we can harness that popularity to help break down barriers, promote inclusion and further develop skills.”
For further information on Centrepoint, go to: www.centredon.org
For details of how Croydon Enterprise can help your social enterprise call our business hotline on: 020 8680 6161 or visit: www.croydonenterprise.com
Inspirational Croydon businesswoman Michelle Pierre-Carr is well on her way to ensuring her new business will produce the same excellent results as that of her acclaimed athletics career. Speedy footwork took her to the final of the 1997 World Championships and also the 1998 Commonwealth Games where she won a silver medal in the 4x400 metre relay.
A decade later, and Michelle Pierre-Carr’s new venture, Pierre Carr, Exclusive Tropical Weddings has launched, offering a personal wedding design and co-ordination service for the modern, stylish bride and groom looking to take their vows in the Caribbean. As with all businesses, Michelle Pierre-Carr was faced with the challenge of marketing her new business on a shoestring. In planning on how to overcome this, Michelle came up with a plan not only to suit her budget, but help the very brides and grooms she’s reaching out to for her business.
The result was a nationwide wedding competition for one lucky couple to win an all inclusive wedding of their dreams on the beautiful island of Jamaica. Devised by Michelle Pierre-Carr the competition featured in the May edition of national bridal publication Perfect Wedding Magazine. The prize featured partnerships secured by Michelle with the Hilton Group hotel, Rose Hall Resort & Spa in Jamaica and Jamaica Tours Ltd - and with the wedding designed and taken care of by Pierre Carr, Exclusive Tropical Weddings it won’t cost the lucky couple a penny. Says Michelle;
“Getting married is one of the most costly things a couple will do, aside from buying a house or starting a family. My business is all about getting as much out of every pound as possible in the most beautiful of surroundings. The competition helps everyone. Small business owners like me need to make the most of every media opportunity, and it’s great that through this competition, I can help others along the way.”
Michelle worked for a number of months to secure the deal, and encourages other business owners to look at media partnerships that benefit all involved.
Although labour intensive, researching possible outlets, securing suppliers and other logistics around the competition, Michelle knows it will all be worth it – and she attributes her creative marketing skills to the help she received from the Croydon Enterprise Business Support programme. Knowing she had the necessary contacts and expertise for her specialised business, Michelle sought advice from the programme’s business advisors to ensure she was thoroughly prepared. She says…. “It can be very lonely setting up a business and so I found their business advice and coaching sessions invaluable. The workshops were really insightful and opened my eyes to the fact that what I had in mind for a business was far more than just an ‘idea’.
Testament to her accomplishments, Michelle Pierre-Carr is a lady of immense discipline and skill, all of which she is now integrating in to her business venture encompassing a significant partnership with Jamaica’s Rose Hall Resort & Spa – part of the Hilton Hotel chain. Rose Hall’s Sales and Catering Manager, Peter Meyers refers to Michelle’s business as ‘a company based on morals, respect, professionalism and genuine passion.’ All of which the lucky competition winner will benefit from as Michelle Pierre-Carr designs them a wedding of a lifetime. For more details about Pierre Carr, Exclusive Tropical Weddings please visit http://www.pierrecarr.com
Croydon based SRG Media Productions were delighted to be hired by Portuguese TV Station SIC to film an interview with the great Ronaldo the day after he won the acclaimed FIFA ‘Player of the Year’ Award.
This family run filming and editing company, specialises in music and concert videos and is run by two dedicated brothers, Sunny Patel 23, and Gaurav aged 20, with their mother Rashmi also an active partner in the business who doubles up as the additional cameraman when required. Both brothers are certified and qualified Cameramen, Editors and Filmmakers and offer a near endless range of services for events, concerts, music videos, weddings, seminars, interviews, showreels, TV adverts, film and TV shows.
Success is never far from Sunny and Gaurav who, despite their young age, have already produced, directed, edited and acted in an eight episode satirical comedy that was picked up for a series on SKY TV. Set around the issues faced by Asians living in London, their TV show ‘Hum London Wale’, (which translates as ‘Us Londoners’), the boys saw it as a reflection of their own personal experience and journey from India to Britain and will credit its success to parental influence, saying that filming is most definitely in the blood. Hoping to follow in their parents’ footsteps, who received acclaim for their own feature film on the tragic Gujarat earthquake of 2001 that Warner Bros distributed in India, the USA and UK, Sunny says… “ If a small budget film like Slumdog Millionaire can be so successful, there is hope for us too…..and that is the direction we will be heading.”
SRG Media Productions goes from strength to strength and their most recent triumph is with the national Portuguese TV station SIC.
Reporting back for SIC News in Portugal, Sunny & Gaurav were hired to film the interview with Ronaldo earlier this year at Manchester United’s training ground. For Sunny (an avid Man U supporter) this was a particularly treasured moment. In addition they captured the poignant exit from Chelsea FC of football coach Filipe Scolari.
Without doubt, the inspiration for these two young men has emanated from their close-knit family, as well as their own dogged determination to make a mark for themselves in the film industry. However, both Sunny and Gaurav will affirm that it is also their intervention with the Croydon Enterprise programme that has given them the additional business support to ensure they remain on track. Linking in with the programme’s music cluster (known formerly as ‘Croydon Music’ and delivered by So U wannabe’s Trevor Fisher) they benefit directly from sector specific support that will enable them to improve their operational efficiencies, test their product, gain contracts and acquire numerous opportunities to increase their revenue. In addition, they received a Test Trading Grant to assist them with new marketing materials.
“Since we’ve met with the music cluster’s Trevor Fisher, our business has grown considerably. We have made so many solid contacts through its’ programme. It has also given us a far better understanding of how to accurately market our business….and how to run a business.”
Thrilled that their hobby is now a flourishing business, the boys already have a vision for the future in the form of a full length British feature film of any genre and are determined to follow in the footsteps of many a distinguished British filmmaker. Watch this space – SRG Media Productions are heading your way.
Redundancy provided Carly Evans with just the kick-start she needed to follow her dream of running her own beauty therapy business.
Carly, aged 25, from Croydon, was told in January that her role in the banking sector was being made redundant. Exactly six months later, she finds herself established at the helm of her own popular beauty therapy business based inside Debenhams in Croydon High Street.
“Redundancy was a positive thing for me, because it gave me a chance to follow my dream,” said Carly.
Carly, a Coloma Convent graduate, originally studied graphic design at Surrey Institute of Art and Design before deciding it wasn’t the right career for her, and in her own words ‘fell into’ a job in the banking sector. Two years ago she attended a free ‘taster workshop’ in beauty therapy offered by CALAT and decided she would start studying beauty therapy as part of her long term goal.
“I was amazed by the amount of skills training and free help available,” said Carly, who spent her evenings and weekends for the next year and half gaining beauty therapy qualifications with CALAT as part of a Croydon Enterprise funded training scheme.
And Croydon Enterprise was there for her again when she decided to set up her own business. It provided her with her own dedicated business adviser and a free accountancy advice session which helped her sort out everything from the paperwork she needed to set up her business to areas such as PAYE and tax returns.
Carly continued to work on her business plan while serving out her notice at her employer.
By April she had set up her company, Bow Visage, negotiated a deal with Debenhams to take over an empty consultation room for her business. She developed marketing material, a website, and secured a deal with exclusive Italian beauty company Dibi Skin Car.
On leaving her job in July, she went full-time at her salon. Saturday mornings are already so busy, she is considering taking on a member of staff to help.
“I’d always wanted to run my own beauty therapy business and redundancy gave me just the push I needed,” said Carly. “I’ve always believed that if you want something enough and are prepared to work for it, you will succeed.
“And I have been so impressed by the all the help I’ve received. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Carly’s support from Croydon Enterprise forms part of Croydon’s Economic Recovery Plan, which aims to help individuals and businesses survive the recession, with the new Croydon Economic Development Company (CEDC) leading on the activity. More information on the plan can be found at www.croydoncrunch.org.
For information on the Croydon Enterprise programme, contact the Business Support Hotline on 0208 680 6161 or visit www.croydonenterprise.com.
Bow Visage trades from the Beauty Room at Debenhams. Bookings can be made by calling
07950 673235 or via the website www.bowvisage.com.
For more information contact:
Croydon Business
Annie McLean
0208 680 6122
amclean@croydonbusiness.com
The Croydon Enterprise programme offers support to people who want to set up a ‘home office’ and be spared the daily commute.
One business supported by Croydon Enterprise is Kamaka – an independent coaching service for women set up by Marcie Buxton.
It was an acknowledgment of the advantages that come with working from home that drove Marcie Buxton to set up her business, Kamaka, from home following a sudden redundancy. Having a wealth of experience in management, she decided to tap in to her skills thereby creating a positive outcome to her situation. Says Marcie …. “I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, so the redundancy was certainly the trigger for this challenge and the perfect opportunity to turn the situation around to my advantage. Running my business from home means I save huge costs on not having to rent an office, not to mention the many tax breaks. Most importantly, I can take charge of my time far more effectively.”
Kamaka is an independent coaching practice that supports aspiring women leaders, developing their leadership style and improving performance, with particular interest in supporting the ‘corporate woman’ who seeks to develop her talent.
Says Marcie…. “We haven’t quite cracked the nut of gender equality, even though we like to think we have. There are still low levels of women in politics for example, especially among our BAME community - and there is still the acknowledged ‘glass ceiling’ that prevents women from rising too high. As women create and develop their businesses, as they climb the corporate ladder and break the glass ceiling - coaching can be key. In particular, understanding gender differences in communication patterns and in thinking and leadership styles, transformation occurs and everyone gains.”
Offering workshops for women who are in management or have set up in business, ensuring they are on track with their values and goals, Marcie says that Kamaka does not offer a ‘pot pourri’ approach to coaching, rather a more focused and purpose driven environment that will empower individuals to achieve their goals.
The Croydon Enterprise programme is supporting home businesses like Kamaka, by offering a tailored package of services to meet the specific requirements of these types of enterprise. Marcie’s business has benefited from this support, attending workshops, receiving specialised business advice and utilizing the many networking events to her advantage. She said…. “ Croydon Enterprise is a superb resource and an excellent opportunity to explore the many avenues in business. It confirmed for me that setting up my business was indeed the right way forward.”
Marcie Buxton’s support from this programme forms part of Croydon’s Economic Recovery Plan, which aims to help individuals and businesses survive the recession, with the new Croydon Economic Development Company (CEDC) leading on the activity. More information on the plan can be found on www.croydoncrunch.com.
If you run your business from home and would like to know more about the Croydon Enterprise programme, call the Business Support Hotline on 0208 680 6161 or visit www.croydonenterprise.com.
Notes.
Statistics from www.bytestart.co.uk/statistics
Proving that there is life after redundancy, Janet Edwards is now well into her first year of trading as the owner of a fashionable florist boutique in South Norwood.
With a busy Valentines period which saw Janet stay open until 8.30pm on the evening of February 13th, and several positive exhibits at local wedding fairs, Janet’s enterprising gamble seems to have paid off.
Ebony Petalz opened for business in October 2008, shortly after Janet had been made redundant from her PA job at Lambeth Council after 18 years of service.
“Even though it was a nerve-wracking time I knew that redundancy was on the cards,” says Janet. “My attitude was ‘it’s not the end of the world and that life has to go on’.”
Instead of simply looking for another job, Janet decided to have a go at turning a long-term hobby into something more profitable.
She says: “I’d always been interested in floristry and had a flower stall at Elephant & Castle once a week even while I was working. I also did arrangements for friends and colleagues, so I knew there was a market for my designs.”
Janet adds: “I’d always dreamed of opening my own florists but it was after attending one of Croydon Enterprise’s business start-up events in 2007 that I decided Croydon was the place to do it.”
After carrying out a period of test-trading in South Norwood, where she was able to get feedback from customers and other businesses, Janet had the information she needed to start making decisive plans.
Janet says: “I needed a shop, in a location close to public transport and also in an area that was experiencing regeneration. South Norwood definitely fitted that bill.”
Throughout her journey, Janet has been guided and supported by Croydon Enterprise. Our property brokerage service helped her find her premises at 24 High Street and she has also received one-to-one help from a business adviser.
To ensure the suitability of her premises, Janet was helped by our business-friendly planner and also received a crime prevention audit on her shop. More recently, she has taken part in the Business Premises Improvement Scheme which aims to spruce up the look of local shopping parades.
To ensure her floral displays and designs are on trend; Janet regularly attends courses and workshops on the latest fashions in floristry.
“Floristry is a real art,” explains Janet, “and people’s tastes are always changing. I regularly take courses to gain qualifications in the new techniques which I think shows in the strength of my designs.”
Her life now couldn’t be more different from the years she spent behind a desk working nine-to-five.
“I’m always on the road travelling to and from suppliers, when most people are still under their duvets! But it’s rewarding and something I’m passionate about.”
In March, Janet’s venture was recognised at the Greater London Enterprise One London’s ‘Rising Stars’ awards. Out of hundreds of shortlisted candidates, Janet reached the last 50, winning a plaque and certificate which is now proudly displayed in her shop.
More importantly for Janet, she was also invited to provide the floral arrangements for the awards ceremony which received many compliments and several commercial enquiries.
Highly commended!
Just three months after opening the doors to her florist’s shop, Janet was short-listed for a prestigious award. Sadly she didn’t win the Greater London Enterprise (GLE) One London’s ‘Rising Stars’ award. But was highly-commended.
GLE OneLondon judge Juergen Bauer said: “For a special occasion like the Rising Star Awards, I was looking for exceptional floral arrangements. Janet’s flowers gave the venue exactly the festive atmosphere I was hoping for.”
The current economic climate is proving to be an advantage for Croydon businesswoman Natasha Strachan, with a business that is clearly well placed to take on the vagaries of the recession.
With many years of commercial credit control and collection experience, Debtor Solutions helps small to medium sized businesses avoid the problems of poor cash flow, poor credit management, bad debts and slow payers, so ensuring that this will not be a drain on business resources or threaten profitability.
Showing its significance in helping businesses survive the economic downturn, Debtor Solutions understands how critical the timely collection of monies is to any business and how expensive and resource intensive it can be, particularly for SME’s, to employ and manage complete credit control functions in-house. By outsourcing this function to Natasha and her professional team, clients can be assured of receiving a top quality, cost effective service that vitally, will improve their cash position almost immediately.
Says Natasha …. “Right now everyone’s business is just trying to survive and there is no doubt that cash flow is the lifeblood of a business. For those businesses that give credit on their goods and/or services, it is a necessity and I believe vital, to have a credit controller in place to get money that is owed to you - especially in these current conditions. Don’t wait until your business is chasing bad debt when my company can ensure you don’t get to that stage in the first place by using our services at the point of billing. And we offer a ‘no obligation’ consultation to see how we can best support your business”
Born and bred in Croydon, Natasha soon discovered the plethora of business support that was available in her borough and no sooner had she started her business than she was on the phone to Croydon Enterprise. This enabled her to access a six week programme that is designed to help those who have recently started a business, to benefit from specialised workshops in a group environment and covers all elements of running a business. In addition, Natasha receives ongoing, individual support from her business mentor, assisting her with every aspect of her operation.
“I always wanted to run my own business,” says Natasha “and I knew there were terrific free resources within Croydon so I phoned the Hotline seeking sound knowledge on how to sell my product. I have not looked back since.”
Like all astute business people, Natasha has a long term goal in mind. Whilst the majority of her client base is in the Croydon area, she acknowledges that credit control is a necessity for businesses everywhere and is therefore keen to expand and go national in the near future.
Natasha’s support from Croydon Enterprise forms part of Croydon’s Economic Recovery Plan, which aims to help individuals and businesses survive the recession, with the new Croydon Economic Development Company (CEDC) leading on the activity. More information on the plan can be found at www.croydoncrunch.org.
For information on the Croydon Enterprise programme, contact the Business Support Hotline on 0208 680 6161 or visit www.croydonenterprise.com.
Fourth Passenger Limited, a Croydon Enterprise supported digital production company from Crystal Palace, has succeeded in showing its production of ‘Sofia’s Diary’ on national TV channel ‘Fiver’. This makes it the first made-for-internet teen series to cross over to television in the UK.
The entire production of Sofia’s Diary’s first season: 65, three minute episodes was initially web-cast daily on the largest social networking site Bebo. It was line-produced by Fourth Passenger’s thirty-seven year old Managing Director Enrico Tessarin and his team. A considerable proportion of this four-week shoot took place in Crystal Palace with an extensive use of locations, crew and cast based in South London.
Enrico says….. “ We always try to keep the production local. We have such a fantastic choice of locations in and around Crystal Palace and increasingly, local talent both in front and behind the camera. We hope to become a focal point for all talented people in the area who perhaps don’t know how to get into the industry and I would welcome even more interest from Croydon residents who want to become involved in this field.”
Born in Italy, Enrico has achieved considerable success in his chosen profession perhaps instigated when, at the tender age of thirteen he discovered he had a flair for writing short stories. Later, whilst studying for his Economics degree, he and a cartoonist friend made a short film for their university competition and won. The coveted prize for the young students was the film’s admission to the Turin International Film Festival as well as the prestige of being able to view their creation in Turin’s cinemas. Enrico will say that, at this point ‘there was no going back’.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Enrico went on to attend an intense training course at The London Film School. With experience soon under his belt and with the assistance of the Croydon Film Fund, he went on to make a documentary, winning a Best Documentary and Best Director award for Enrico. Again, another prize worth its’ weight in gold - a one year membership to the Director’s Guild which he says kick-started his career when local businesses then began to approach him.
Following a chance meeting with the creator of Sofia’s Diary, Enrico was asked if he would be interested in turning the teenage drama into a production. This he did, producing the pilot last year for Sony TV Europe which was swiftly bought by Bebo with huge success. Now Channel Five’s digital channel ‘Fiver’ has bought the TV broadcast rights to Sofia’s Diary, picked up for a second season, with rights owner Sony being nominated for ‘Best use of Interactive’ at the Broadcast Digital Awards.
Sofia’s Diary is an appealing story about the life of a normal teenager and enjoys wide audience appeal. Blurring the line between reality and fiction, young people find it easy to identify with her character ensuring this series will have the continued high level of interest it currently enjoys.
Not only is Enrico an acclaimed producer, he has also worked for many years with the multi award winning young people’s charity Exposure, and hopes to expand in this direction by helping to train a new generation of actors and scriptwriters.
In less than two years Fourth Passenger has established itself as one of the companies in London to watch out for in the Film, Music Video and, most recently, the Feature and Interactive arena. Recently they have both created and produced a new series, Block X with a view to make a pilot and go into production next year.
With the assistance of Croydon Enterprise, this altruistic producer has seen his business grow at a rapid rate. His business advisor Barclay Thompson, provided for by the programme, has helped Fourth Passenger formulate its growth strategy aimed at gaining an edge in the new but rapidly increasing online market. . He says…. “Before meeting with my business advisor, we were a company with a lot of potential. We have since increased turnover ‘five-fold’. Barclay’s input was essential in dealing with the future of Fourth Passenger Limited as he assisted us in negotiating our next deal with a well known English studio for our first entirely original, internally developed series, Block X. We met him at just the right time and look forward to continuing the collaboration in the long term.”
STOP PRESS – August 2009
The case study below was written Steve started his business. Now, one year on, we are happy to report that his new business is “doing very well’. He is so busy he has taken on another employee and is booked solid with work until Christmas.
The Croydon Enterprise programme helped Steve Davis trade in a comfortable desk job with the police to return to his first love – building. Now he has his own company, two employees and is doing something he loves. He also has the more physical, hands-on role he was looking for.
Steve came to the Croydon Enterprise programme after reading an advertisement in the local paper and on contact, was quickly set up with a business start-up course – training that filled in the gaps in his knowledge: managing cash flow and marketing.
For Steve, one of the most important outcomes from the course was getting a boost in his confidence to take the leap and set his own business. He was also pleased that his tutors were happy to answer his emailed questions in between sessions.
The Croydon Enterprise programme was also able to help him hire suitable qualified staff – he was referred to the Building Enterprise Centre in New Addington, where found two suitable employees. For Steve it was a real leap forward.
Now his company, Rutland Building Services, works with a team of three undertaking mostly domestic work in and around Croydon.
Steve feels that getting out from behind his desk was definitely the right decision and he describes the help he received from Croydon Enterprise as ‘excellent’. “All the support is free and if you want to start your own business you’d be foolish not to take the help on offer,” he says.
In these days of credit crunch, winning business from the public sector can be an effective way of circumventing the risks currently associated with the private marketplace.
“Public bodies like councils and the NHS still have significant amounts of money they need to spend to deliver their services, even in an economic downturn, so local businesses can still really benefit,” explains Sebastian Down, regional manager of Business to Business Ltd.
His company is running our Built to Compete project for the Croydon Enterprise programme since September 2007, specifically to help local entrepreneurs win business from the public sector.
Ensuring small to medium enterprises are sufficiently prepared and clued up about a sector which may be completely unknown to them is the objective behind Built to Compete.
With its own way of working, bureaucracy and strict procedures to follow, the public sector can often seem mystifying to the uninitiated.
“By offering a combination of one-to-ones, diagnostics, training, and a range of specific seminars, we can give Croydon businesses a headstart when it comes to bidding for work,” explains Sebastian.
“For example, a lot of our first time clients don’t realise that the only way to compete for larger contracts in the public sector is through submitting a tender. We offer seminars in bid-writing as well as mentoring to help clients put together a really compelling tender giving them their best chance ever of securing lucrative contracts.”
Built to Compete works with a diverse range of Croydon entrepreneurs, from construction companies, to training firms and healthcare clinics.
Sebastian says: “What they often have in common is the fact that the one or two people heading up these companies are responsible for everything, and don’t have much spare time to find out about new business opportunities or research different markets.
“By coming to us, all that hassle is taken out of the equation. They can get personalised advice about how their business could improve and practical guidance on making those changes happen.”
For example, businesses will often start off with a one-to-one from one of Built to Compete’s trained advisors. This will be followed by a full audit of that company’s training needs to establish a clear picture of its strengths and weaknesses in areas such as their vision, business plan, marketing materials and policies and procedures. Follow-up sessions are then held and clients can also take part in free workshops and seminars specific to their needs, as well as the ever popular ‘meet the buyer’ events. These all-day sessions are held regularly and focus on different sectors each time. ‘Meet the buyer’ days offer small companies unprecedented access to major private and public sector buyers, enabling them to network and pitch for work in an informal and personal setting.
“The project is not a short-term fix,” says Sebastian. “Getting small, local firms up to speed in the intricacies of the public sector takes time, and building their capacity to win large contracts takes time. From the point of signing up a new client to them seeing a tangible outcome can take up to two years. But what’s great is that all the skills and insight they gain will set them up for years to come.”
He adds: “From the popularity of our seminars, there are clearly a lot of enterprising people in Croydon who are hungry to learn more and find new avenues of support.
“Whatever your business, if you are a small local firm employing fewer than 250 people, you can benefit from our free advice and training.”
For further information on Built to Compete click here > : or call the business hotline on 020 8680 6161.
Case studies
Healthy profits
For Eva Cadalso, manager of the South Norwood Clinic (formerly Freed Clinic), the benefits of signing up to the Built to Compete project are indisputable.
Following a comprehensive programme of support, the complementary health clinic has seen an increase in patients from around 50 a week to an average of 65.
Eva says: “I had four sessions with a professional business advisor and it was a really positive experience. He was able to take an objective view of my business, assess its strengths and weaknesses and gave me a very specific to-do list. I was really motivated to implement the action plan and as a result, I have improved my website and marketing material.”
Eva adds: “One of the best pieces of advice I received was to find a way of staying open longer to accommodate clients’ working hours. This spurred me on to hire extra staff including a homeopath and to extend our reception cover. As a result of the increased capacity, the clinic is now making around £500 more a week which makes a real difference to our long term prospects.”
New horizons for marketing firm
Croydon-based digital marketing firm Dot Mailer is in line for around £10,000 in new work by the end of 2008, after attending a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event in Gatwick in June.
Donna McNicholas, director of regional business development for the firm based in Addiscombe Road, East Croydon, says: “I heard about the event by chance when I was opening some post addressed to a colleague who had left the company. I thought it sounded ideal because we are always keen to broaden our range of contacts and clients.”
She adds: “It turned out to be really well organised with pre-set appointments arranged between suppliers and clients throughout the day. I also had lots of time to network in between those slots and was even able to pitch for work during the networking lunch.”
As a result of the event, Dot Mailer has just confirmed an account with a new client, worth £1,000 and is in discussions with several other companies.
Donna says: “It gave us the opportunity to meet potential clients from completely diverse industries, some of which we’d find it difficult to target otherwise. For example we are currently negotiating with a car dealership and a HR software firm to see how we can provide them with an online marketing service.
“We’ve been looking to get a foothold in the blue chip sector for some time but it can be tough because many of these companies don’t understand how digital marketing could be relevant to them. This event was an unmissable opportunity because it means we’ve now got a foot in the door with a much wider range of buyers.”
“I am definitely going to attend the next ‘Meet the Buyer’ event in November,” says Donna. “These kinds of organised opportunities to pitch for new work are relatively rare and in today’s market they are to be welcomed with open arms.”
Over the last two years Croydon Council and its partners in the private, voluntary and public sectors have developed a multi-million pound programme that has helped 276 new business start ups, supported almost 5,000 businesses to plan for growth and provided enterprise training workshops for more than 3,000 local people. This is the Croydon Enterprise programme.
However, these statistics are just a snapshot of some of the achievements of this ambitious programme.
The Croydon Enterprise initiative is the biggest regeneration project ever undertaken in the borough, with a budget of £40.3 million over five years. It is a new kind of regeneration programme – a Local Enterprise Growth Initiative – that invests in enterprise to regenerate communities. The aim is to create a new climate of entrepreneurship and enterprise and give Croydon’s economy a sustainable boost.
It is about empowering creative and talented people to become self-employed, start businesses as well as helping businesses to grow. It is also working in schools and colleges to give young people the skills and business awareness they need to pursue a career in business, if they wish. This latter initiative is designed to ensure a sustainable and enterprising future for Croydon.
The programme has invested heavily in partnerships with business, voluntary organisations and the public sector to develop a range of effective initiatives to kick off the programme.
The programme was launched with the intention of offering most of its services free of charge – an important move designed to help reach the target communities and areas in Croydon. This feature, and the expense involved in building or adapting premises for training and employing staff to deliver services, was a major investment.
The programme set out to develop a unified programme that would offer the right kind of support at every stage of a business’s creation and growth. This ‘holistic’ approach remains one of the programme’s key features.
But the greatest part of the early effort and investment went into designing and commissioning a structured programme that covered every possible aspect of enterprise development.
This included skills training and workshops, one to one business advice, a £1m loans fund, an anti-crime initiative, fitting out a new ‘Building Enterprise’ construction skills centre, a beauty skills base and much, much more.
Here is an abbreviated list of the range of services the programme delivered in its first two years:
- Beauty and complementary therapy training
- A unique business friendly planning service to help business through the planning process
- Free help to find suitable business premises
- Courses and workshops on a range of enterprise subjects.
- A range of crime-prevention services for businesses
- A District Centre Management initiative to deliver events and many other activities to help attract shoppers into Croydon’s districts.
- An enterprise learning initiative in schools to create Croydon’s entrepreneurs of the future
- A £1m loans fund and support package
- Training and support to make people aware of opportunities in business franchises
- 'Meet the buyers' events to help SMEs meet potential suppliers and ultimately secure new contracts.
- An Ideas into Business programme to help SMEs to innovate
- Export advice and support
- Free online business information
- An outreach programme to engage with the programme’s target communities
- A wide range of enterprise advice and support
- Training and support for voluntary and community groups to set up social enterprises.
In the Croydon Enterprise programme’s first year (2006/07) £4,455,037 was invested in new services, rising to £7,269,509 in 2007/08. That is a total of £11.7m invested in Croydon over the last two years. We have already seen some examples of how this has helped thousands of businesses and individuals; but what else has been achieved?
Plucking statistics from the mass of data available can only give an incomplete picture, but what follows are some of the programme’s key achievements together with the corresponding cash investment.
The biggest single investment has been in setting up an extensive, professional package of business support initiatives. This involved working with a range of business support organisations to put together one of the best and most comprehensive packages of business support in the UK. Over the last two years, £5.1m has been invested in this support, including one to one advice, training workshops and other free support initiatives. As a result of this activity more than 10,000 people told us that they were considering starting a new business.
In addition, 47 new businesses have been encouraged to move to Croydon with our help. Attracting inward investment is a key part of the Croydon Enterprise programme that started to come on stream in 2008/9 to start tackling the job losses caused by businesses closing or moving out of the borough.
Almost 7,000 people in our target communities have been contacted and given information and support to get involved in the programme.
275 businesses have had crime-prevention equipment installed. Theft and anti-social behaviour costs firms money and this initiative will help reduce losses from business and provide much needed peace of mind.
The programme's early work in primary and secondary schools aimed to give young people as real an understanding of enterprise as possible. The ultimate aim of this work is to turn out a new generation of school-leavers equipped with the skills and attitude to start a career in business or self-employment if that’s the career they choose. Last year almost 4,000 8-19 year olds took part in enterprise activities that help develop business skills and, in many cases, started and ran virtual businesses in as real a simulation as possible. Much of this work involved close links with local businesses.
Over the last two years investment in work in 52 schools totalled £553,000.
The programme recognises that the business environment – the look and feel of a district shopping centre - can have a big effect on trade. Helping to create thriving district centres is one of the tasks of the programme’s District Centre Managers (DCMs). They have helped organise dozens of events and activities including Christmas street lights, fairs and street markets, and generally helping to create a real ‘buzz in ‘their’ districts.
The DCMs have helped set up business partnerships in Norbury, Thornton Heath, Crystal Palace, Purley, Coulsdon, New Addington and Fieldway that have given local businesses a real say in plans for their districts. Last year, the first year of these partnerships, 774 businesses took up this opportunity to take an active part in partnership activities.
Setting up and delivering an initiative like this, which includes events, premises, staffing and management, represented a total investment of £2m over the last two years. This included £250,000 towards a new business improvements grant scheme and £150,000 towards a number of environmental improvements in district shopping centres.
Looking again at the total investment over the last two years, as might be expected, a significant investment - £2.3m - went on ‘capital projects,’ including fitting out a new fully equipped Beauty Skills Training Centre in Thornton Heath and a new Construction Skills Centre in New Addington.
Other work included preparation for the upcoming network of Enterprise Opportunity Centres (EOCs) across the borough. These will give fledgling businesses the support they need to thrive and they are a crucial part of the Croydon Enterprise programme’s legacy to the borough. Projected spending in this year on all ‘capital projects’, including the EOCs is £2.67m. This will rise to a total of £8.6m by 2011.
EOCs will offer support, training, office services and much more. The plan is to support the EOCs until they are able to stand on their own feet.
First to open, in September, is on the 4th floor of Park House in central Croydon – making use of space left vacant by a redevelopment project that has been delayed.
Offering desks, chairs, broadband, telephones and meeting areas, the office is already providing fledgling businesses and social enterprises with professional office space all at an affordable price.
Outcomes
10,100 people considering going into business
- 276 new start ups as a result of the programme (195 in neighbourhood renewal areas)
- 4,788 businesses assisted to improve their performance – in 2008/9 business growth will be measured as a result of this support
- 47 businesses attracted to Croydon
- 101 clients gaining employment
Key outputs
- 52 schools have been delivering enterprise activities
- 6,685 clients contacted via outreach (includes hotline and prestart workshops)
- 2,821 calls to hotline
- 256 workshops delivered to 3073 attendees
- CE finance ladder
- 120 clients receiving TT Grants
- 45 clients receiving loans
- 20 existing businesses receiving loans
- 661 clients accessing courses
- 69 gaining course accreditation
- 225 businesses receiving support from the Business Crime Project – advice/target hardening measures
- 236 clients accessing property brokerage service
- Fast track assistance offered to 113 business planning applications and 34 applications granted for vacant units
Banks crash, pensions shrink and gloom abounds. But go no further than Little Stars Childcare in New Addington for proof that a new business can grow and prosper in spite of the current economic downturn.
Proprietors Samantha Coelho, 32 and Collette Singers, 29 set up their first pre-school in New Addington for children aged over two years old in May last year and were soon full to bursting. Demand was such that many disappointed parents had to be turned away until a space became available.
In the photo above: Samantha Coelho (left) and Collette Singers.
A lot has happened to their business in the past year. Following their intervention with the Croydon Enterprise programme, Little Stars acquired a new sign for the business as well as receiving a visit from the Crime Prevention Officer after a break-in at the nursery, offering the security advice to combat future attempts. It was also as a result of their involvement with Croydon Enterprise that Samantha and Collette found out about the new Croydon Adult Learning and Training (CALAT) Centre was planned for New Addington and that the centre would be providing childcare facilities.
Showing excellent business acumen the girls met with Rose-Marie Best, Head of Service and Support at CALAT to discuss the possibility of running the childcare centre and in September this year Little Stars ‘mach two’ was created. The key function of CALAT is to support local people who are studying at the training centre, allowing them to gain qualifications whilst ensuring their children are professionally cared for nearby and Little Stars fulfils this need.
Samantha and Collette are delighted with the immediate success of their new business which accepts children aged from six weeks to eight years and, like their first, is already full most days, with a waiting list in place for 2009. Samantha and Collette are proud to say that all this was achieved with no advertising, instead relying on ‘word of mouth’ from an already well-established excellent reputation in the area.
In a little over a year, these hard-working young women have not only realised a dream in setting up their new business, they have also managed to increase their turnover substantially, added seven employees to their staff and thrown in a six-fold improvement in business growth for good measure. Samantha and Collette said,“Since opening in May last year, our business has expanded very quickly and we currently have a waiting list at the pre-school. The support of the local community has been fantastic. It’s been hard work and extremely stressful, but definitely worth it.”
District Centre Manager for New Addington, Ken Sherwood OBE has worked closely with Little Stars Pre-School since its inception and said… “It was clear when Samantha and Collette joined the Croydon Enterprise programme that their business would be a success. However, they seized the CALAT opportunity with both hands and it has been very pleasing to see how much their business has grown and in such a short time. They are clearly excellent at what they do and this is very apparent when visiting either of their childcare facilities.”
Croydon Council’s successful partnership work with business – the key to the Croydon Enterprise programme – has been featured in a case study by the influential Improvement and Development Agency (IDEA).
The in-depth report shows how those links gave Croydon Council a head start in winning the biggest of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative budget from central government. It goes on to show those partnerships went on to prove crucial in developing and delivering the Croydon Enterprise programme itself.
Read the full report here.
As she prepares to launch her flagship store Sonia Poleon is proof that Croydon Enterprise with its full gamut of business support is genuinely changing lives.
“I’m 46 years old and a mother of four so starting my own enterprise is quite nerve-wracking, but the good thing about Croydon Enterprise is that it’s like having someone hold your hand throughout the process,” explains Sonia.
Why the right business support is good for the sole
Norbury resident, Sonia, also runs a local day nursery but has always harboured a burning ambition to go into the shoe business.
“I am passionate about shoes and must own about 50 pairs myself. I’ve never worked in retail before but it’s been my dream to share my love of fashionable, great quality shoes.”
Minimising the risks involved in a first time venture has been a key feature of Croydon Enterprise’s support for Sonia.
“I was one of the people on the very first course Croydon Enterprise ran. It was a ‘before you begin’ workshop which outlined the basics of business. In just over a year I’ve gone from being a complete novice to opening my own shop.”
Sonia has attended several other seminars and workshops in the last 12 months including one on marketing and the fundamentals of start-ups. With the knowledge gained, Sonia then set about sourcing suppliers for her covetable shoe range.
“I had already travelled to China about four or five times off my own bat but the journeys there were very costly and time consuming and suppliers often wanted minimum orders of 100 pairs of shoes in one style. That is completely impractical for a small shop like mine.”
New possibilities soon emerged however when Sonia heard about Croydon Enterprise’s programme of international trade missions.
“I was advised to go on a trip to Bulgaria. I’d never really considered Europe as an option but I had nothing to lose, as the trips were subsidised and a lot less expensive than going to China!”
While there, the British Embassy arranged for seven shoe suppliers to meet her at the Ambassador’s home and she was even interviewed on Bulgarian TV.
“I was overwhelmed by the attitude of the suppliers,” recalls Sonia. “They were eager to forge business links with Europe, so they were really accommodating and flexible; and understood my needs as a small first time business. I now have a really good supplier who has been able to turn my vision into a reality.”
On her return from Bulgaria, Sonia then contacted Croydon Enterprise’s property brokerage service which matches up entrepreneurs with vacant commercial premises in Croydon.
“Originally I’d been considering Purley but I soon discovered parking might be a problem so Croydon Enterprise got me thinking about Coulsdon instead,” says Sonia.
“Then district centre manager Christine Samson told me about a vacant property there. I was a bit reluctant at first because I assumed it was mainly a residential area but she persuaded me to have a look.”
The leap of faith paid off and the former stationers at 23 Chipstead Valley Road will be reborn as Sole Lounge when it opens to the public on 27th September.
In the run-up to the launch, Sonia has already become something of an inspiration for fellow entrepreneurs in Croydon, and was recently a guest speaker at an international trade day event where she spoke about her experience on the trade mission to Bulgaria.
“Even though I’m about to open for business, I fully intend to continue making use of Croydon Enterprise for all its advice and contacts,” says Sonia. “The support they’ve given me so far has been invaluable.
“While I may have eventually opened a shop anyway, it would have taken a lot longer and I would have probably made a lot more mistakes along the way!”
With its diverse range of projects, courses and support, Croydon Enterprise is helping to turn lives around.
For Mike Prior, Croydon Enterprise came into his life at a critical juncture. The licensed merchandising company where he had worked for 20 years had reached a point where they could no longer carry on and had to shut down leaving many long-standing employees redundant. Overnight Mike had become unemployed.
“I suddenly found myself without a job for the first time in 30 years and it was extremely depressing,” says Mike. “I followed the steps, signed up to the relevant employment services, went along to the jobcentre each week but it was clear that there was virtually no hope of me getting a suitable job which could pay me the kind of salary I’d been used to.”
The key turning point throughout this difficult period came when, frustrated at the lack of jobs in his sector, Mike asked the local job centre about advice on courses for people looking to become self-employed.
Mike was told about Croydon Enterprise’s free ‘business start up skills’ training course and over five weekly sessions, he underwent a crash course in the fundamentals of enterprise.
“I went along with no real expectations other than a ‘show me what you’ve got’ attitude. By this point I knew starting my own business was the only option so I looked to the course to give me the roadmap,” says Mike
“It was a massive wake-up call,” he admits. “I realise now how naive I was because I didn’t have a clue about what was involved. Whereas I used to be a cog in a wheel, now I would have to be responsible for everything – the VAT, the accounting, sales and marketing, getting the jobs in the first place – it was quite an eye opener.”
From becoming officially redundant in the middle of May 2007, Mike’s own business, One Olive Ltd, which trades as Prior Sourcing, was registered and trading a month later.
“Through my contacts, I had work almost straight away which was great because it meant there was virtually no gap between the course and actually having to put everything I’d learnt into practice.”
Working full time from home, Mike is still working with the calibre of names he used to, including the Rolling Stones and Peroni beer.
“I’ve also recently supplied hats and costumes for a Star Trek tour in the US, I’m working with a new sportswear company and I’ve also got a contract with the Royal College of Nursing. So it’s a real mix of clients which keeps it interesting.”
And far from being left on his own in these tough economic times, Mike still receives regular help and support from Croydon Enterprise.
“Recently a business advisor contacted me and carried out a kind of diagnostic on my business. It was really useful because he was able to give me advice on which areas I could work on like marketing and financial awareness. I’ve also applied to the project’s mentoring scheme so hopefully I should be assigned someone fairly soon who will be able to give me one-on-one guidance over a longer period of time.”
Mike adds: “There is so much knowledge that Croydon Enterprise can offer and free sources of information which will really help me to consolidate the business and help it to grow.”
Since our launch, Croydon Enterprise has been providing the support needed to encourage more people to start their own business; and create the right environment for them to survive and thrive.
Our wide range of business services continues to offer practical and proactive support to local entrepreneurs who have chosen to take the next step on the road to enterprise.
A mechanical engineer and building energy specialist, Thomas Akomeah would be the first to admit that his business experience was limited.
Having set up his small home-run business supplying ‘green energy’ systems to private and commercial premises, Thomas looked to Croydon Enterprise for help to grow.
Following a call to our business hotline, Thomas was offered a tailor-made package of support including a one-to-one meeting with a business advisor and business diagnostic help.
Our advisors also encouraged Thomas to enter a competition sponsored by the Croydon Enterprise programme to win free desk space and valuable on site support at the London Innovation Centre in Croydon. This prize was worth nearly £5,000 and gave his company, Akome Energy Build, a platform for success. To win, Thomas made a convincing pitch to a panel of experts in the ‘Dragon’s Desk’ competition.
Thomas says: “Since linking up with Croydon Enterprise, lots of positive things have been happening for the business. As well as now having a fully equipped office to work from, I’ve also been on overseas trade missions organised by Croydon Enterprise. Out of this have come some really positive leads – I’m currently in talks with a manufacturing company in Barbados which wants us to carry out an energy audit. That follows a trip I made there in November.
“We’re also developing a solar energy system for an affordable housing developer and we’re working with a group of nursing homes based in West London on improving their energy efficiency.”
Thomas is developing his company’s website and continues to attend several of our workshops and seminars, including those on protecting intellectual property rights.
“We’re a relatively new company so I still regularly turn to Croydon Enterprise for advice and support. They are currently helping me to find out about possible sources of funding that would help me take on a graduate trainee.”
He adds: “The package of support I have received through Croydon Enterprise has given me the skills and confidence I need to develop my business. I’m providing work experience placements to a couple of students over the summer who are not only helping us with our accounting and web design, but it’s also my way of giving something back to the community.”
Croydon Enterprise employs six District Centre Managers (DCMs) to work closely with traders and businesses in their ‘patch’, helping them to address the things that are hampering trade; start-up new businesses, improve and grow; and, crucially, bring in the customers.
As a direct result of the support the DCMs are providing, 38 new retail outlets have been established in the district centres in 2007/08, including upmarket cafes, eateries, a fashion and lifestyle boutique, and a health food shop.
And it’s not just new businesses that are feeling the benefit. Stalwart of South Norwood High Street, style boutique Body and Soul has been going for nearly 20 years despite the squeeze of town centre chains and the lure of west end shopping.
Owner Max Farid has seen many changes in the area since opening in 1990, including the closure of a major car park which he claims has seriously impacted trade ever since.
But with Nadia’s arrival Max says things are looking up.
“When she started she popped into the shop wanting to know if there was anything I’d like to see happen that would improve business. She’s continued to be very approachable and has helped advice me on revamping my shop frontage.”
“Nadia put me in touch with Croydon Enterprise’s business friendly planner,” adds Max. “He came round and discussed my ideas with me. I now know what I have to do to compile a strong planning application, including getting an architect to draw up the plans.”
Max is also planning to apply for a business premises grant which will go towards the costs of the commercial facelift. He says:
“Nadia is doing a very good job for the traders here. Business is hard everywhere at the moment but she always tries to give us hope and practical support. She seems to understand that business isn’t about wishful thinking but about getting all the elements right.”
As well as being first port of call for businesses old and new, Nadia also regularly organises traders’ days and other promotional events to raise awareness of South Norwood’s diverse shopping opportunities.
Nadia says: “If you are considering starting up a new business in Croydon or even if you are already established and just want some advice then give me or your own district centre manager a call. We can put you in touch with the full range of support that Croydon Enterprise offers and help you make a success of your business.
“Our main aim is to encourage specialist enterprises such as Max’s, so residents get a more varied, appealing shopping experience which in the long term will mean more people shopping locally rather than automatically heading for the town centre.”
More about the DCMs here >
Sometimes a little help is all you need to get you heading in the right direction. Croydon Enterprise offers one-off grants of £250 to help local entrepreneurs kick-start a new business, buy a vital piece of equipment or simply launch their product in the marketplace.
For Farheen Mirza, the test-trading grant has made it possible for her to develop a fully interactive website for the nursery she manages, Selsdon Park Pre-School in South Croydon.
As a busy working mum, Farheen found the one to one support organised through Croydon Enterprise’s comprehensive programme suited her perfectly. This helped her understand the potential benefits of having an online commercial presence.
“I learned that everyone does everything over the internet these days and that to develop a website would really help make my business more sustainable over the long term,” says Farheen.
“It makes sense because people lead very busy lives and they don’t necessarily have the time to visit lots of nurseries before making their mind up.”
With the £250 grant, Farheen has been able to employ a web designer to develop a website which is aimed at being as user-friendly and informative as possible.
“It is a really practical tool to help inform prospective clients about the business,” explains Farheen. “It includes our inspection reports, information about our healthy eating policy, admission criteria, session times; as well as online booking forms and an automated email facility.”
Farheen’s website has been up and running for three months and resulted in a major increase in potential clients.
“Having this website has been invaluable,” she says. “Whereas we used to only get about one viewing from interested parents every three weeks, we are now receiving parents up to three times a week.
“In October, we will be moving to bigger premises in Addiscombe as a result of this increased interest so we can accommodate all the extra children we will be taking on.”
Farheen adds: “The website has also proved really popular with existing parents who love the fact that it’s interactive and full of information that they can download. In fact it is so popular with parents that we are considering setting up a chat room-style forum for them.”
She adds: “The grant combined with the knowledge I gained from the business course and subsequent one-to-ones from Croydon Enterprise, have really given me the boost I needed to take things to the next level. I consider myself Croydon Enterprise’s number one fan!”
Croydon Business runs the test-trading grant scheme on behalf of Croydon Enterprise. For more information, call them on 020 8680 6161 or visit: www.croydonbusiness.com
More information here >
At Croydon Enterprise, we know that business is hard enough without having to contend with criminals. That’s why we will be investing £240,000 this year in a full package of crime prevention measures. We want to help businesses in our target areas, be they newsagents, card shops, florists or off licences, to feel protected and be able to get on with making a success of their enterprise.
“My family worry about me running this shop on my own, but it is my life and my livelihood,” says Mrs. Malti Patel. “If I close down then I’d be giving in. So I will continue, but having this extra safety equipment is giving me the reassurance and security I need to carry on.”
It was two years ago that Mrs Patel was robbed at gunpoint in the newsagents she has run for 22 years in Westow Hill, but it was a day she will never forget.
“Every time it gets quiet in the shop and someone comes in, I start to worry. The mental scars from the robbery are always there.”
When he heard about the case, police officer Rob Johnston - and Croydon Enterprise’s very own crime prevention coordinator - immediately called Mrs Patel to tell her she could be eligible for some practical help to deter other would-be criminals.
“I visited the shop, had a look round, chatted to Mrs Patel and from there we decided that RAID Control technology would be the most appropriate.”
Approved by the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad, RAID Control is specifically designed to tackle retail crime. It includes staff training in how to deal with a raid, minimising the amount of cash on the premises, time delay systems, cameras in operation and a special cash staining dye which means that if money is stolen it is easily traceable.
Along with these measures, shop-owners must also display a window poster informing any potential robber that RAID Control is in operation. It acts as a powerful deterrent and reassurance to staff.
Mrs Patel says: “It’s been 15 months since I had the RAID technology installed and so far there have been no further incidents. It has given me peace of mind and although I don’t know for sure that this won’t happen again, at least I know that if someone does try to rob the shop there is a much better chance they will get caught.”
Rob Johnston says: “Businesses in Croydon don’t have to put up with insecurity or fear. The funding is there to be able to make real, practical adjustments and improvements. Sometimes a lot of shop-owners think it’s not going to happen to them so they don’t invest in preventative measures or find it too costly to do so. Thanks to this funding, that shouldn’t be an issue. We can sort it all out for you whether it’s something as simple as getting new locks and bolts put on doors, through to RAID Control. Within days of us visiting your premises, you can have the peace of mind you need to be able to focus on your business, not the criminals.”
Since October 2006, Croydon Enterprise has:
- Funded the installation of RAID Control equipment in 28 small retailers at risk of commercial robbery
- Helped make shops ‘harder targets’ by providing over 180 local shops since them project began with special security equipment such as locks, grills and bolts
- Funded crime prevention officers to visit businesses and provide practical tips on helping to improve security.
More information here >
For all queries about doing business in Croydon and how Croydon Enterprise can help you, call the Business Hotline on 020 8680 6161, or email: info@croydonenterprise.com |
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