Entrepreneurs’ club Thurs 2 Feb-write a blog session. Just do it!

Let’s get Redbridge start-ups blogging to engage with customers

Thanks so  much to Nicola of FPComms for being our speaker at the entrepreneurs’ club last week.  One of her key marketing suggestions was to post blogs and to share them widely on social media with the aim of others then sharing them for you. So that it’s not just you talking about you but other people are talking about you. 🙂

So, we’re biting the bullet.  We’ve got a room of computers at the Redbridge Institute and our entrepreneurs’ club this week will be working on your first blog.  You can be shown how to set up your own blog page, or Sophia Hubs will post it on our blog.

Booking is essential on eventbrite to book a computer. There are 10 computer’s only.  We’ll  try to get along a blogger who can  give you tips, but basically it’s  you biting the bullet and putting out a personal comment to start up a relationship with your customers.

• Thursday 2nd Feb 6.45-8.45
• Book a PC and write!
• Network  with other start-ups
• Like each other’s posts and share.

For any questions email ros.southern@sophiahubs.com or ring/text 07707 460309

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Tricks to get Google to love your website! Thurs 19 Jan 6.30 Entrepreneurs’club

Sophia Hubs entrepreneurs’ club with Mike Loomey at Redbridge Institute

We  are delighted to welcome back Mike Loomey of 3 in 1 web design to share his Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) expertise.  Let’s get more trade for Redbridge start-ups, businesses and community groups by working with Google and learning the tricks 🙂 Mike runs the same seminar regularly at the City Business Library.

• Thursday 19 January 6.30-9
• Room C, Redbridge Institute, Gaysham Avenue, Gants Hill, IG2  6TD *
• Networking time too
• Free – please book through Eventbrite

You will leave this session with a wealth of search engine optimisation tips and sufficient knowledge to understand the most important criteria required to be placed towards the top of Google’s rankings and have a good grasp of the current best practices that will really pull people to your webpages.

You will discover ways to improve your site content to make it the “hub of useful information” that Google now favours and learn how to make practical and low cost changes to your site which will greatly improve your search ranking results. 

You will understand why having a mobile-friendly website really matters; learn how to promote yourself for FREE on Google Maps and discover the enormous difference being on page 1 will make to your visitor numbers and profits. Mike Loomey

Our weekly entrepreneur’s club draws on the  goodwill  of local businesses to share their  tips.  At Sophia Hubs  we believe that for your enterprise  or project to succeed you need to be tapped into the local community, have wide networks and the Borough’s skills and resources (including you!) are shared and used.

• car drivers – if  you find a parking space don’t forget to buy a parking ticket!!

For  more info on the Entrepreneurs’club click  here

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With big thanks to the 2016 speakers at our Entrepreneurs’ club

 

Local businesses, including start-ups, help Redbridge start-ups

With very big  thanks  to all  these  speakers who put in 120 quality hours into Sophia Hubs’ entrepreneurs club  🙂

January – Aidan Ward, Fiona Flaherty, Nnenna Anyanwu

February – Mo Obadina, Tom Bircham (Enterprise 4 London), Mike Loomey, Lorraine Tapper.

March –Stephen Proffitt, Thandi Ejindu, Aidan Ward, Usha Chudasama

April – Shahriar Hossain, Amanda Simpson, Aidan Ward 

May –  Jasdip Sagu, Leonore Lord, Nnenna Anyanwu

June – Oddie Rolland, Otatade Okojie, Mike Loomey

July – Asari St Hill, Mo Obadina, Isatu Harrison, Vidyha Karthik

August – Vic Norman, Shaylesh Patel

September – Olive Hamilton Andrews, Debbie Skeete, Asari St Hill

October – Aidan Ward, Amal Simothy, Ahmed Abdulazeem, Ruth Pearson, Pippa Moye

November–  Wendy Foster (City Business Library), Ruth Nyarko and Gideon Obuobi, Vic Norman, Nnenna Anyanwu,

December – Ahmed Abdulazeem, Jay Bhatt, Amal Simothy

See the video of  the  Redbridge  Creatives  session with Isatu Harrison in July …..

Redbridge start-up support – business basics by Amal the accountant Tues 13 December

Sophia Hubs weekly entrepreneurs’ club with local business speaker

This week we welcome Amal Simothy who will share his experiences of setting up an accountancy practice with his wife in 2012.  He will also share his tips for start-ups having seen the successes and mistakes of start-ups they have worked with.  Amal  and his wife run Accounting Preneur and have written an
electronic book of business  tips

• Tuesday 13th December 1-2.30
• Enterprise Desk, 2nd floor, Redbridge Central Library (Ilford)
• Open to all start-ups
• More established businesses or community groups also welcome  if  you’re  wanting a business skills refresher!

To reserve a place click here

More information on the entrepreneurs’ club….

Our weekly entrepreneurs’ club provides practical support to start-up businesses and a community network in Redbridge. 

It’s a network of local people with entrepreneurial ideas to learn, share and grow their enterprises together.  We meet at different times of the week at the Redbridge Institute (our new base) or Enterprise Desk (Redbridge Central Library).

There’s monthly topics, a speaker, input from everyone, time to work on your business
and networking.  All our speakers say the same thing – business is about relationships and your customers are people who know you and like you. Lots of deals take place here!

We believe in collaboration and strong community/business relationships.  The speakers offer their input for free; they get satisfaction from helping out and the opportunity to increase  their networks and potential customers. In the same way start-ups, small businesses and community groups give and take.

We are particularly keen to support social enterprise and more socially conscious business practices.

 

Entrepreneurs club to look at business canvas model with Nnenna Anyanwu Weds 23 Nov 6-7.30

We are delighted to welcome back Nnenna Anyanwu as our speaker to entrepreneurs’ club.

“How to use the business model canvas to continually test and grow your start-up business”

• Wednesday 23  November 6pm start, arrivals 5.45
• Enterprise Desk,  2nd  floor, Ilford library

Nnenna is a local business consultant and is a keen advocate of  the business canvas  model for start-ups.  This will be a participatory session.   Come along and be prepared to work and be challenged!

Register for  the  club meeting here

Take a look  on youtube to find  out about the business model canvas but here’s a couple of links https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlKP-BaC0jA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4MHqyf4Vw0

Nnenna Anyanwu (FCCA, PGCE, ACA) is a qualified accountant, a qualified teacher, business coach, author and an astute business advisor. She is the Managing Director of Brandstad Consulting Ltd. Nnenna advises and supports owner-managed and SME business professionals to help them grow and develop economic sustainability.

To see future  dates/times/venues  – take a look at the  Entrepreneurs’ club page.

As a reminder, there are a wealth  of resources aimed at community groups and social enterprises but useful to all, including the business model canvas, on our Enterprising Redbridge website. 

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How can City Business Library help Redbridge start-ups? Tues 1 Nov 6.30 at Redbridge Institute

About City Business Library

We hold a weekly entrepreneurs’ club at varying times and venues.  Usually we use Redbridge business owners as speakers but are inviting back Wendy Foster from City Business Library to hear about the great range of support on offer.

• Tuesday 1st November 6.30-8.30
• Speaker: Wendy Foster, City Business Library
• Topic: Resources and market research to make  your business a success
• Room C (by the carpark entrance to  main building) Redbridge  Institute, Gants  Hill (drivers will need to buy a parking ticket – 80p)

I’m looking forward to coming again.  I hope that start-ups will understand the need for research and that they will sign up at the City Business Library as we have such a lot  of support.   The Cobra database is now online through Enterprise Desk so as we have computers on hand, entrepreneurs’ can  start  their searches and research straight away on Cobra and look at our databases too.  Wendy Foster, librarian

Entrepreneurs club – mindfulness for small business with Pippa Moye Weds 26 Oct 6pm

We are delighted to welcome Pippa Moye of Silver Ray Healing Therapies as our speaker
as part of our personal development month.

• 1.5 hour workshop on mindfulness for start ups, freelancers and small businesses in Redbridge 🙂
• Wednesday 26th October 5.30 for 6 prompt start, ends 7.30
• Venue: Enterprise Desk, Ilford Libary
• Please text 07707 460309 to book your place or  email ros.southern@sophiahubs.com

This session is designed for freelancers and small business owners who juggle many responsibilities, often work long hours and still need to keep a clear head while making decisions.

Mindfulness reduces stress and illness while improving productivity and profitability. Find out what has worked for Google, Toyota and Facebook and how you can use this in your own small business or freelance enterprise.

In this workshop we will look at what mindfulness is and is not. You will learn practical ways to apply it in your work and personal life.

You will find out how mindfulness provides greater self-awareness, leading to more control of your mindset, responses and stress levels. This in turn makes you more productive while improving relationships at work and home.

Looking at your own situation, you will be able to take away some ideas to implement straight away.

Usually the sessions end with the all important networking, but this time the networking will be from 5.30 as we need to leave the library by 7.45.   For more info on the Sophia Hubs entrepreneurs’ club click here.

Wellbeing as a business owner with Ruth Pearson. Entrepreneurs’ club Thurs 20 October 1pm

Entrepreneurs’ club theme this month is personal development which  it can  be  easy to  neglect when it’s so full-on and time consuming running a start-up business.

Ruth Pearson is a Redbridge start up business focussing on the wellbeing of individuals as well as organisations and businesses. She offers training and coaching sessions using the main themes from the ‘London Healthy Workplace Charter’ which is working in collaboration with the Mayor of London and the GLA.  This new business is based  on 25 years experience in teaching and leadership and on Ruth’s personal and professional journey.

Ruth will  facilitate a 1.5  hour session for start-ups, followed  by networking

• Well-being for the business  owner- the  5 steps
• Thursday 20 October 1-3pm
• Redbridge Institute, Room C (portacabin by car park entrance)
• Parking limited, you must get a ticket from machine,   just  60p

Please book  for  the session here.

To see a previous guest blog by Ruth click here.

Our final session this month  is on mindfulness in business with  Pippa Moye on Wednesday 26th March 5.30 for 6pm – info will be here shortly.

For dates of entrepreneurs club October  to December click here. (available shortly!)

Amal the accountant speaks on facing the uncomfortable to make your start-up grow :) Tues 4 Oct 6.30

Entrepreneur’s club – support for Redbridge start-ups –  Tuesday evening

Thanks to Amal Simothy, Ilford accountant for being our speaker at our first evening entrepreneurs’ club at the Redbridge Institute. Our topic for October is personal development.

• Tuesday 4th October, 6.30-8.30
• Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable to make your start-up grow
• Redbridge Institute

Amal runs a local accountancy business with his wife Santa. Their business is now well established with most clients coming from word of mouth.  But it hasn’t always been so easy!  Amal has had to learn to confront his fears of sales pitches and public speaking and he knows through his daily work that start-ups can fear figures.

“Having set up and managed my own business, I understand the common issues business owners face such as lack of direction, bad or in-existent cash flow management and poor sales and marketing process.  A lot of this is based on not facing the uncomfortable – and I hope to share my tips to help  you over this” Amal

Amal is currently wanting to engage more with the community and to develop his public speaking and business support.  Sophia Hubs loves to draw on the willingness of the business sector to  engage with the community and vice versa. 🙂

Amal will share his experience of setting up and running two businesses, co-working with his wife,  recognising what makes you uncomfortable and what you’re avoiding and doing something about it. There will be the usual peer support, networking and opportunities to talk one to one with the speaker as part of this session.

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Entrepreneurs’ club special – encouraging community trading in Redbridge- Sat 1st Oct 10.30am

Sophia Hubs, new Board, new journey, same community and business values

We will be electing our new Board at 10.15 on Saturday 1st October and you are very welcome to attend. To become a shareholder in our Company and to be able to vote, you’ll need to complete a basic membership form and pay £1, otherwise you can observe.

At 10.30ish founding Director Aidan Ward is speaker at the entrepreneurs’ club and will lead an inspiring, participatory and practical session about your business’ needs, community needs and co-designing services and values that work for all.  He will be drawing on the positive movement of the Commons and what this can mean for Redbridge.  We will look at business and community partnerships and collaboration.

Encouraging community trading – a Redbridge conversation

A wide range of people and businesses are being invited to this.  The usual ingredients of networking and peer support will be there.

The venue is at our new base: Room C, Redbridge Institute, Gaysham Avenue, Gants Hill, IG2 6TD.  To book your place click here.  For more information ros.southern@sophiahubs.com / 07707 460309

Please pass this invitation on. 🙂

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Sophia Hubs Ltd. Industrial and Provident Society number 32082