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This Autumn is packed with events and support to help your business grow, read on!

Grant funding available – D2N2 Capital Growth Fund.

If you have a growth plan that involves capital investment of £5,000 or more, then the D2N2 Capital Growth Fund may be able to help. Grants of £1,500 - £10,000 are available for eligible businesses: Who is eligible to apply? The programme is open to Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) businesses within the D2N2 area Applicants must be able to demonstrate a trading history through provision of accounts  – ideally 12 months’ accounts but 6 months can be accepted by exception. There are some sector exclusions – for example, businesses in the retail, financial and agricultural sectors are not covered by this programme. What costs can be covered? Only capital costs can be covered - typical examples include, but are not restricted to IT hardware, tools & machinery, office equipment. These costs must enable your business to make a “step change” i.e. be able to do something that it couldn’t previously do or to implement cost saving measures (including energy cost savings). Projects must be ready to start within 3 months of application. What can’t be covered? Non-capital costs such as marketing, consultancy etc. General running costs such as wages, rent, stock purchases. Software licences (annual or monthly usage licences). Items to be purchased using asset finance or rental agreements. Vehicle purchases are not supported. Any cost that has already been incurred, or where a commitment has already been made (for example, deposit paid). How do I apply? Visit d2n2capitalgrowthfund.com for full details and to request an Expression of Interest Is it for me? If you have any further questions, contact David Smith on [email protected]

Exploring energy saving technologies for business

Tuesday 27^th October, 1pm (Online - Webinar)

Businesses across the UK are facing unprecedented increases in energy bills with further increases expected in October and January. Energy generating and energy saving technologies can help to reduce energy consumption, however, each technology has its own advantages and constraints and the appropriate technology will depend on the individual circumstances of the business and property: roof orientation, age of the building, price of intervention measure etc.

At this event you will hear from a panel of experts in energy saving technologies, low carbon grants, and business support programmes. They will provide an introduction into the types of technologies available to you and they will share their own knowledge, experiences and insights of using grants to invest in energy saving technologies.

*Grants and business support programmes are subject to eligibility including the type of business, sector and location.

Our speakers include:

• Jorge Santana, Low Carbon Energy Project Manager, Midlands Net Zero Hub
• Tim Saunders, Business Development Officer, Energy Innovation and Collaboration, University of Nottingham
• David Kelly, Grant Manager, Accelerating a Reduction in Carbon (ARC), Nottingham City Council
• Rose Playle, Sustainability Consultant, Sustainability in Enterprise Programme, NTU

After the formal panel discussion, there will be an opportunity for participants to ask their own questions to the panellist

The Teams link will be sent out closer to the day, please use the link below to register for your ticket.

Energy Crisis: Exploring energy saving technologies for business Tickets, Thu 27 Oct 2022 at 13:00 | Eventbrite

Digital Marketing and Social Media for Beginners

Thursday 10^th November, 10-11am (Online - Webinar)

Nottinghamshire Business & IP Centre, working with the British Library, are excited to be able to offer you a series of webinars as part of the Fit For Business Programme.

This session is designed for Beginners.

- Setting the Scene

• How you treat people with your marketing is a reflection of your brand
• More than ever, you need to get to know your customer
• Give your customers results-oriented content
• Provide quick insights.
• Make finding you easier

- Email Marketing - Top Tips

- Social Media Marketing - Top Tips

- Cost-Effective Tools

• CRM
• Social Media Publishing
• Sales & Marketing Automation
• Blog Publishing
• Websites & eCommerce

Speaker - Mark Dunwell

Mark is an accredited business adviser and works on the Government’s Start Up Loan Scheme. He provides business advice and support for start up, SME and growing businesses. He has started and run businesses in medical devices for musculoskeletal conditions. Based on his own experience of setting up e-Commerce in his own business and from working with many start ups he has real experience in 'getting going' with digital marketing.

LinkedIn profile

These sessions are only available for East Midlands-based businesses and entrepreneurs.

To book or find out more, please visit:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-marketing-and-social-media-for-beginners-tickets-419010520747

HR Essentials

Wednesday 30^th November, 9.30am-4.30pm (Online - Webinar)

Are you a business owner struggling to juggle HR? The D2N2 Growth Hub  Are hosting a HR Essentials workshop.

For many owners of growing businesses, hiring employees is a necessity. Arguably it’s your employees that are your biggest assets and provide you with a key competitive advantage. Managing people is an art, there is a wealth of ever-shifting employment and case law lurking to trip up unsuspecting employers.

This six-hour action planning workshop, delivered in two 3-hour sessions, explores common HR headaches across the employee lifecycle. The legal pitfalls for employers to navigate, rapidly moving on to best practices to deliver gold standard HR and place you ahead of your competition.

We look at the various alternatives to managing performance, before turning to more specific Covid-related HR challenges.

This is a highly interactive workshop so expect lots of discussion and sharing of best practice. There will also be an opportunity for a HR clinic where you can discuss a current HR issue for your business and how to resolve this.

Please note that this workshop is open to trading SMEs based in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Businesses located outside of this area will be unable to attend and instead directed to alternative support.

This workshop will be presented by Sarah Loates.  Sarah is a Chartered HR Professional with over 20 years of experience in the field. She has provided HR advice, support and leadership to a wide range of sectors and business types, from private and family owned businesses, to significant multinationals including EON.

Sarah has a breadth of knowledge and her areas of expertise include employee relations, employment law and talent management.

Please see link below for presentation agenda and further details:

https://www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/hr-essentials/

How to Develop a Killer Marketing Plan

Tuesday 29^th October, 10-12pm (Online - Webinar)

Do you own an SME or lead the marketing function in an SME? Are you responsible for evaluating new opportunities and planning your organisation’s marketing activity to win new customers and generate business growth? If you are, this session is not to be missed.

In the current climate, good planning is the key to business success and is particularly fundamental in ensuring marketing spend delivers a healthy ROI. 

Having a clear, well-structured strategy provides focus, brings everyone onto the same page and aligns vision and measurable goals across the business. This engaging session is designed to provide you with the tools and practical tips you need to build a simple, but effective marketing plan, which will help you engage your audience and attract new customers.

Who should attend this session?

This interesting and enjoyable session is aimed at small business owners and marketing professionals, who are keen to improve the effectiveness of their marketing activities by writing and implementing a robust and effective marketing plan.

Please note that this webinar is open to trading SMEs based in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Businesses located outside of this area will be unable to attend and instead directed to alternative support.

This session is delivered by Lindsey Newman-Wood from Passion Marketing. She is a Marketing and Innovation Specialist, known for her enjoyable and practical workshops.  

Lindsey is passionate about inspiring businesses to create impactful marketing campaigns and has a wealth of experience helping organisations of all sizes across a variety of sectors, to ensure their brand strategy delivers measurable results.

Please see link below for presentation agenda and further details.

https://www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/how-to-develop-a-killer-marketing-plan/

University of Nottingham Business Partnerships

The University of Nottingham is keen to build positive and proactive business partnerships with local employers, to provide our students and graduates with the right skills needed for today’s workforce. Through the Skills Access Hub, the Careers and Employability Service can support your organisation with activities such as: ▪Developing engaging job adverts and providing opportunities to promote your organisation on campus ▪Streamlining recruitment processes to identify high calibre candidates ▪Creating bespoke recruitment packages that are tailored to your organisation requirements ▪Navigating international student visa sponsorship ▪Attracting a talent pool that helps to diversify your organisation ▪Access to online content and resources ▪Accessing funding opportunities All skills advice and support from our expert team is free. Our SME Engagement Officer will work with you one-to-one to help identify the skills and talent that your organisation needs. They will help you to develop relevant opportunities that will keep your organisation ahead of the curve. To find out more about the programme please visit our website, or contact Gurjit Chahal (Business Engagement Officer) directly on [email protected]  (Matt Vincent (Business Development Manager) on [email protected])

Are you part of the black, Asian and minority ethnic business community in the D2N2 region?

B-Global are here to help start-ups and established businesses find the support or funding needed for growth and to reach your full potential. With B-Global you can access: 1-2-1 advice, coaching and mentoring Support to develop your business plan Help with market research Sourcing start-up finance Guidance in choosing the right legal structure for your business Working in partnership with Nottingham City Council and the D2N2 Growth Hub, B-Global provides tailored business adviser-led support and a host of bespoke business support services, including: Start-up advice and support Growing your business Connecting your business Business events Business-focused workshops This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund. The UK Community Renewal Fund is delivered in our region as the East Midlands Accelerator project. B-Global is part-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund To find out more, visit www.bglobalnow.com

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