Enterprise Hub: Your Guide to BCoT

Transcription

1 Enterprise Hub: Your Guide to BCoT We can help you to make the most of your time at BCoT and get the best possible start to your future. Enterprise is the ability to turn an idea into a successful business. It is about having the skills to succeed in a competitive and challenging environment. Contact us Main Entrance, BCoT South Site, Basingstoke College of Technology, Worting Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 8TN Tel: enterprisehub@bcot.ac.uk BCoT1018

2 Enterprise HUB Business Mentoring, Coaching & Advice Enterprise Passport Tax Advice Business Incubator Café Entrepreneurial Finance Advice Enterprise Events Vision Ability to turn an idea into a successful business Enterprise Hub: Your complete guide to getting started Mission Developing skills: Enterprise capability, financial awareness and business understanding Contents 4 Enterprise at BCoT 6 Café Entrepreneurial 7 Young Enterprise Programme 8 Adult Enterprise Activities & Courses 9 The BCoT Enterprise Passport: Your Passport to Success Start-Up Challenge: Turn 10 into something special 11 Business Startup Show, 6 7 June 2013 ExCeL London 12 StartUp Britain Bus Tour 13 PantrepreneurSHIP 14 Business Mentoring, Coaching & Advice 14 Financing Your Business 15 Think Big Could you change the world for the better? 16 Get regonised! Enterprise in Action 18 BCoT: A Partner for Local Businesses 2 3

3 What is Enterprise? Enterprise at BCoT In its simplest form, enterprise is the ability to turn an idea into a successful business. However, enterprise is not just about setting up a business. It is about having the skills to succeed in a competitive and challenging environment. Enterprise focuses on developing skills to do with: enterprise capability (such as being proactive, thinking creatively and managing risks); financial awareness and business understanding. BCoT has a strong tradition of providing opportunities for students that enable them to gain skills across these areas. Enterprise is embedded within the curriculum. Throughout your course, you will be encouraged to be innovative and think originally. Opportunities to enhance your business understanding are provided through your course content and work experience within college (at our in-house businesses, such as The Restaurant at BCoT and Evolve Salon) or through a placement with a local employer. The Enterprise Hub also offers a wide range of support and advice for budding entrepreneurs, making BCoT a great place to embark on your own enterprise journey. The Enterprise Hub Today, more and more people are becoming self-employed or setting up their own small business. If the idea of making a job, not taking a job appeals to you, come to the Enterprise Hub at the main entrance to South Site for some useful help and advice. At the Enterprise Hub you can look through our books and magazines for useful tips. We can point you towards websites where you will find essential information. We can arrange for you to have an informal chat with one of the business specialists at the college. Perhaps you might like to make an appointment to discuss your plans with one of our many visitors? We have many experts dropping in to help would-be entrepreneurs including: Local business people who know all the potential problems first hand Small business advisers from local banks Local accountants and marketing specialists Local government experts who can advise on regulations So remember, if you are struggling to find a job in the current economic climate, why not consider the possibility of creating your own job - with help from the Enterprise Hub. 4 5

4 Café Entrepreneurial Young Enterprise Programme Share your thoughts and get input and support from fellow aspiring entrepreneurs. The Young Enterprise Programme, which is part of our Business department, the Young Enterprise Programme gives learners the opportunity to set up and run their own company over the course of an academic year. Learners get the chance to elect a board of directors from amongst their peers, raise share capital, and market and finance a product or service of their choice. At the end of the year, they present a report and accounts to shareholders. Join BCoT s Enterprise Society, Café Entrepreneurial a community of students with a common interest in enterprise and personal development. The society meets every week in a relaxed and informal setting to discuss and debate business and new ideas. For more info geoff.kontzle@bcot.ac.uk or come along: Café Entrepreneurial meets every Tuesday during term time, 12pm 2pm, the Enterprise Hub, Main Entrance, South Site. 6 By taking part, you will gain experience of the real world, taking responsibility and being accountable to shareholders for the running of the business Young Enterprise companies have the opportunity to participate in local, national, and in some cases international trade fairs; selling products, marketing services and boosting sales experience. 7

5 Adult Enterprise Adult Enterprise Activities & Courses Enterprise Passport: Your Passport to Success Over 40% of UK adults say they would like to start a business or become selfemployed. Only 5% ever actually do so. Adult Enterprise courses are being introduced at BCoT to give you the skills and confidence needed to take the exciting step to start and grow your business. You can choose from a range of short, flexible course to develop the skills you need: Generating and assessing a business idea Understanding how to sell a product or service Launching an online business Using social media for business Showcasing a product or service Giving a business presentation Working with suppliers Enterprise Passport 40% of UK adults would like to start a business or become self-employed The Enterprise Passport is designed to harness all the enterprise activities and achievements that you undertake at college outside of your course. These are brought together to form a documented record of achievement, which can be highlighted easily to employers, enhance your UCAS application or start you on your journey to setting up your own business. There are a number of interesting activities that form part of the programme. At its heart are the following core attributes and achievements: Attending enterprise activities and events Making the most of business mentoring and coaching opportunities Taking part in a business challenge Getting involved in an enterprise society or programme, such as Café Entrepreneurial or Young Enterprise Developing the ability to think innovatively and creatively Volunteering If you succeed in fulfilling these requirements, we will provide you with an Enterprise Passport at Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum level. BRONZE AWARD 8 SILVER AWARD GOLD AWARD PLATINUM AWARD 9

6 Get involved! The Enterprise Hub runs regular events throughout the academic year. Read on for a taste of what we have in store for you this year 10 Start-Up Challenge: Turn 10 into something special The 10 Start-Up Challenge gives you the opportunity to get a taste of what it s like to be an entrepreneur. You will get to think of a new business idea and make it happen, using real money to take risks in the business field and turn a profit. Participants are given 10 from the Tenner Bank. You can use this start-up capital to get your business off the ground, working alone or in a group. You have six weeks to make as much profit as you can from your tenner. At the end of the month, finances are tallied up and the 10 loan repaid. It s up to you what you do with the extra profit spend it on a day out, buy the latest trainers, save it for a rainy day or donate it to charity to help others. After developing your business, you will also have the opportunity to showcase your idea in a Dragons Den style event to a panel of judges, including local business people. For more information about the 10 Start-Up Challenge, and for the next start date, keep an eye out around campus, or enterprisehub@bcot.ac.uk Business Startup Show, 6 7 June 2013 ExCeL London Last year s trip to the Business Startup Show, London The Business Startup Show is the UK s biggest exhibition for anyone thinking of starting or expanding a business. With over 250 seminars, over 350 exhibitors, advice, opportunities, and much more, can you afford to miss out? Keynote speakers include: former Dragons Den star, James Caan: Californian business woman and Supermodel Caprice, founder and CEO of By Caprice products; and Felicity McCarthy, Head of SMB Marketing Communications at Facebook. Tickets and coach travel are free and will be allocated on a firstcome-first-served basis; enterprisehub@bcot.ac.uk to sign up

7 StartUp Britain Bus Tour PantrepreneurSHIP StartUp Britain Bus Tour: Yes, it s back and it s coming to BCoT! StartUp Britain is a national campaign by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, harnessing the expertise and passion of Britain s leading business people to celebrate, inspire and accelerate enterprise in the UK. The StartUp Britain Bus will be travelling the length and breadth of the UK, visiting 40 universities and further education colleges, giving students the opportunity to network with, and learn from business advisers and successful entrepreneurs. Keep an eye out around campus for more information and dates. StartUp Britain s Sponsors will each be giving specialist business advice and discounts: PantrepreneurSHIP Are YOU ready for the challenge? The PantrepreneurSHIP Challenge, run in association with the Gazelle and ethical clothing brand Pants to Poverty, is your chance to market and sell your own range of underwear in this exciting college enterprise competition. There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs, with the winning teams from each college going through to compete against one another for the chance to travel to India and see your pants being produced, and to sell your merchandise at some of the UK s leading summer music festivals! 25% of the revenue will be donated to the Pi Foundation to help farmers and factory workers in India who produce our pants, and the other 75% will go back to the colleges taking part where it will be used as seed-funding to invest in student businesses. BCoT will be taking up the challenge in 2014 and will be looking for student teams to compete. Keep an eye out around campus for more info and dates. BCoT will be taking up the challenge in 2014 and will be looking for student teams to compete. Keep an eye out for further news

8 Help is at Hand Read on to find out how the Enterprise Hub can help you Business Mentoring, Coaching & Advice Have an idea but don t know where to start? At BCoT, we want to ensure that each of our budding entrepreneurs has access to the right information at the right time. If you have a one-off question or idea that you would like to discuss with someone, or if you feel that you would benefit from longer-term business mentoring or coaching, just pop into the Enterprise Hub. We will arrange for you to speak to one of BCoT s panel of business mentors, each of whom has significant experience of running his or her own business. Just drop into the Enterprise Hub Main Entrance, South Site or enterprisehub@bcot.ac.uk Financing Your Business Already thought of a business idea and serious about getting started? There are many different ways of funding a new business. We can provide access to a range of information to help you. If you are aged between 18-30, you may want to get in touch with Startup Loans and Rockstar Youth, the UK s No 1 Mentoring & Funding Organisation for Young Entrepreneurs. 14 Get up to 4,500 funding and free mentoring for your business. Rockstar Youth offers yr olds an opportunity to develop their business ideas, build suitable structure and get the right support and funding to launch, scale and grow. They offer budding young entrepreneurs a full incubator programme, suitable for yr olds who: Have a business idea that they wish to launch Started working on their idea and have hit a brick-wall in progression Recently launched their business and need support in scalability Business ideas that are looking for funding Businesses under 18 months that are looking for investment Go to: For help with your application, please contact the Enterprise Hub. Business Incubator We want to provide entrepreneurial learners at BCoT with the best possible opportunities to succeed in getting their business off the ground. Think Big Think Big Could you change the world for the better? Have you ever bought the Big Issue? Read it over a bar of Divine chocolate? Watched Jamie Oliver s Fifteen? Visited the Eden Project? Shopped at the Co-op? Well, then you already know a bit about social enterprises: businesses that are changing the world for the better. Social enterprises are businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people s life chances, or the environment. They make their money by selling goods and services in the open market, but they reinvest their profits back into the business or the local community. And so when they profit, society profits. Social enterprises do not make profits for shareholders (because they don t have any) or exist to make their owners very wealthy. To find out more, check out these websites: Social Enterprise UK - national body for Social Enterprise with a wide membership of private and third sector organisations who support the movement as well as social enterprises themselves. UnLtd charity which supports UK social entrepreneurs by providing a complete package of funding and support to help individuals make their ideas a reality Ashoka global association of leading social entrepreneurs Guardian Social Enterprise Network - specialist professional section of the Guardianwebsite which focuses on issues relating to the sector Mashable s Social Good sector news and blogs For support developing your social enterprise idea, contact the Enterprise Hub. Social enterprises are in our communities and on our high streets from coffee shops and cinemas, to pubs and leisure centres, banks and bus companies. If you have a business idea and need space to get it up and running, talk to us about ways we can help. We may be able to loan you office space in the Enterprise Hub for a limited time whilst you find your feet. 15

9 Get Recognised! Get Recognised! At BCoT, we strive to recognise exceptional achievement. Our Enterprise Awards are given out to individuals for distinct and extraordinary attainment, and include Most Enterprising Student Best Business Idea Best Entrepreneurial Business Most Profitable Business Outstanding Social Enterprise Initiative The awards are presented at a special lunch and awards ceremony attened by the Principal. They recognise efforts, attitude and achievement. Enterprise in Action Josh Hensman set up his own telemarketing business during 2012, whilst he was completing his BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business. I started my own telemarketing business five months ago and it is going really well. I have managed to run this successfully whilst taking advantage of the flexible learning programme at college. This means I can do the majority of my studying at home and on-line, and come into BCoT once or twice a week. Being involved with Enterprise has given me the confidence to take an idea, run with it, and turn it into something which is profitable and successful. Stuart Machin, above left, wins Best Enterprising Individual Award for his Car Wash and Go business. Having taken part in 2012 s 10 Start-Up Challenge, Stuart developed a regular client base for his car washing services and earned himself 75 per week 16 A group of Hospitality students, above middle, took home the award for Best Entrepreneurial Business of 2012 for their business start-up, The Lunchbox. The Lunchbox provided a sandwich making service for staff and students, developing a regular client base. They have provided catering services at college events and gained a contract from the Mayor of Basingstoke. Hairdressing students Barbara MeyerWulff and Dhlonipa Omozuwa, above right, set up a specialist hair salon dedicated to people with Afro Caribbean hair, operating a weekly session every Tuesday afternoon for 3 hours, using the college Hair and Beauty facilities. My plan is to develop and grow my business further. I would still like to continue working with the Enterprise team at BCoT so I can support and educate other young entrepreneurs like me. 17

10 Businesses 18 BCoT: A Partner for Local Businesses NACUE BCoT has strong relationships with over 1000 businesses, representing a wide crosssection of industry and commerce in the local area. BCoT has an excellent history of working with local businesses to establish training partnerships and work-based learning opportunities. We also work closely with local employers to share knowledge and information, ensuring that the workforce of the future possesses the skills to meet local industry needs. Our leadership team is currently working to bring local business to the very heart of BCoT, offering partner businesses a base within the college itself. Enterprise at BCoT is supported by NACUE, National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs. Gazelle Colleges Group BCoT is linked with the Gazelle Group of Enterprising Colleges. The aim of the Gazelle Colleges Group is to work towards the transformation of the group s colleges through enterprise and entrepreneurship. Gazelle aims to provide an opportunity to engage with established entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs and innovators and to bring that experience into the heart of Further Education. 19