It was another exciting ‘Dragons Den’ style competition for the final of the Entrepreneur Academy 2017 run by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council in partnership with East Surrey College. The six-month course supports local entrepreneurs, providing an opportunity to gain the essential skills needed to set up a business. Topics include business planning, finance, marketing, legal aspects and online business promotion.

The six members of the Academy pitched their ideas to a panel of Dragons to compete for a £5,000 investment grant provided by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council.

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There are only a few spaces remaining at December's Learning Lunch.  Come and hear John Berry from TimelessTime talk about driving productivity in yourself and those you employ. Technology enables staff ​capability, which in turn supports productivity. Productivity helps reduce costs and increases profit. Yet, we hear that the same technology that will drive productivity will threaten the very jobs we do.

How do managers and business owners resolve this conflict, simultaneously embracing technology, and growing staff competencies to secure a sustainable high-productivity business?

 In discussing this topic, John will build a simple model to help make sense of this complexity.

East Surrey College: In overall college league tables published by FE week in November, East Surrey College ranks joint 6th nationally out of 202 colleges. View full table.

Beaufort Group: Emma Clarke from Redhill investment company Beaufort group won the Fund Analyst Investment Week at the Women in Investment awards.

Sweethaven Computers: Melissa Rambridge from Reigate Sweethaven Computers won the Rising Star of the Year award at the PCR Women of the Year Awards. These Awards celebrate the contribution women in the UK have made in the PC and Technology Industry.

Fit with Frank: Fitness Guru Frank came to our Entrepreneurs Academy in 2015, he spoke at our November Learning Lunch, and on 13 November he won Theo Paphitis' Small Business Sunday #SBS.

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council: The Council won the platinum award for public sector communications excellence for their Ringo cashless parking campaign. Read about the campaign.

Charities

George and the Giant Pledge: Vicki and Woody Woodall decided to start George and the Giant Pledge to fundraise for The Royal Marsden after their son George was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. They want to raise a million pounds and they're already over halfway there!  All their hard work and dedication was recognised by an Outstanding Commitment Award at the 2017 Just Giving Awards.

The Children's Trust: This Tadworth charity did very well in the recent SocialCEOs Awards. Chief Executive Dalton Leong was in the top 30 list for the 4th year, and Fundraising Manager Angie Carter was Highly Commended in the Best Leader on Social Media category.

If you have some local business news you would like us to share, let us know.

Entries are now open for the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2018! The Awards showcase the best small businesses from the length and breadth of the country, offering national recognition. Expert small business judges will select category winners in 12 areas across the UK.

The FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards promote and recognise innovation, enterprise and accomplishment amongst the UK’s 5.5 million-strong small business and self-employed sectors.
 

Deadline 12 January 

Find out more.

The Plan Group Insurance broker has agreed a 15 year lease for office space at Prospero in Redhill. Scott Georgiades, Founder and Corporate Development Director of The Plan Group, said: “The opening of our new office building in Redhill is an exciting new step in our company’s development. We see an increasing demand and interest for our services and we strongly believe that our brand really fits here. The convenience of the Prospero office location coupled with the impressive sustainability levels of the development were major pull factors in moving our business here.”