WLV SPEED

Lord Paul Award 2022 - Applications now open! If you are a current student of the University of Wolverhampton click the link below to find out how you could secure a grant worth up to £10,000 for your newly established business... https://www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/careers-enterprise-and-the-workplace/start-your-own-business/-the-lord-paul-fund-2022-/

Fancy up to £10,000 for your business? The University of Wolverhampton Enterprise team will be launching the Lord Paul Award 2022 soon! Whilst we are confirming dates, check out how you can register your interest and take part this year.

The Most Important and Best Tools to Use in your Startup | Enterprise Action

Happy Monday! Here is some with tips on how to run your more efficiently...

The Most Important and Best Tools to Use in your Startup | Enterprise Action   If you’re reading this, then you are most probably in the process of setting up your business or thinking about setting one up. In that case, you will understand the levels of work, commitment, persistence and detailed planning needed in building your startup. On top of this, there are what fee...

WLV Women in Business with Fungai Ndemera

Click below to find out how you can attend the next event held by University of Wolverhampton Business School. Secure your place today!

WLV Women in Business with Fungai Ndemera To mark International Women's Month we are holding a Women in Business networking event with guest speaker Fungai Ndemera

Are you a Student or Graduate of the University of Wolverhampton?
We can help you turn your hobby into a business.
Click to check if you’re eligible for free business support.
www.e-action.org/getting-started/

Santander X Global Challenge | Finance For All - Santander X

Check out the latest 'Santander X Global Challenge | Finance For All'. Your startup could gain access to funds to help grow your business! Applications close soon so be quick, click below to enter...

Santander X Global Challenge | Finance For All - Santander X 1 Challenge, 3 issues: adapt to demographic changes and create a lasting social and economic impact focusing on Youth, Elderly and Unbanked

Final call! Are you a current student or recent graduate of University of Wolverhampton and looking to setup your own business? Tomorrow, as part of we are running an 'Open House Networker' where you can meet like-minded individuals and take your next step toward turning your business idea into a reality! Click to register... https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/speed-open-house-networker-gew-tickets-204393365057

This week is Global Entrepreneurship Week . Click the links below to sign up to our first event taking place this Friday...

As part of , our WLV SPEED team are hosting some fantastic networking opportunities and workshops for current students and recent graduates of the last 5 years. Get involved and improve your understanding of how to run a successful business 👇

Open House Network: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/speed-open-house-networker-gew-tickets-204393365057
Business Start-up Workshop: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/speed-start-up-do-you-want-to-start-your-own-business-2-day-event-tickets-194535720577

Happy friday! Next week we will be announcing what what we have in store for Global Entrepreneurship week 2021! Stay tuned... #WLVSPEED University of Wolverhampton Alumni University of Wolverhampton Wolves Students' Union

In just 2 weeks will rally almost every nation in the world to empower entrepreneurs and encourage citizens to become starters - finding new and better ways of doing things. To learn more and to access planning resources, visit www.gew.co.

Calling all University of Wolverhampton students! Fancy a year's worth of free tuition fees? Enter the Santander Universities Student Campaign Tuition Fee Grant! https://app.becas-santander.com/en/program/santander-scholarships-studies-santander-student-campaign-tuition-fee-grants

University Chancellor Rt Hon Lord Paul recently met up with the winners of the Lord Paul Enterprise Award to discuss their winning business, Motorsport 3D, taking home a headline prize of £10,000 to take their business to the next level.

A total of 9 businesses were awarded funds via the Lord Paul Fund and Motorsport 3D Ltd had the honour of meeting Lord Paul himself at the University's Springfield campus.

Learn more about the University's WLV SPEED projects here 👉 https://www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/careers-enterprise-and-the-workplace/start-your-own-business/

So today is my last day as a SPEEDie and I just want to say a massive thank you to my wonderful team and wish all the businesses we help the best for the future, it's been a pleasure to work with you all!

Thank you to everyone for interacting with me over social media, it's been a joy to manage😁

So here's to you all and to the future, thanks for making my time at SPEED something special 🥂

Workshop Wednesdays (on Thursday)

Product Design and Development

Many start-ups focus on the development of new products. However, between 70% and 90% of new products fail. Developing new products is tricky – it can be expensive and time consuming. It all starts with empathy and customer centred design – understanding what customers actually want – NOT what you think they want. This session will go through a chronological series of steps designed to improve your new product success rate.

Learning objectives:

• A thorough understanding of the 10 stages to product development from initial customer centred design to commercial launch

• Knowledge of the Lean Start-up methodology

• An understanding of how to screen and validate new product ideas.

Hello Monday 😁

Workshop Wednesdays

Creativity and Innovation

Creativity and innovation is not a chance process, and neither is the generation of new business ideas. The course starts with an understanding of the nature of creative thinking, this understanding allows participants to learn quickly how to generate fresh ideas and then work with those ideas effectively.

It provides a really good overview of what to focus on and then prioritizing the actions to take. Participants will learn practical techniques to understand problems thoroughly, generate and develop new ideas and solutions, compare and evaluate solutions and then communicate those ideas effectively and create usable plans that help with the business planning process.

This workshop will focus on:

· Recognising your personal thinking styles and the styles of others
· Accomplishing better business decisions
· Increasing your ability to generate innovative ideas and solutions
· Thinking beyond the needs of the present moment
· Developing an effective action plan for solving any problem
· Turning creativity in to practical business solutions and gaining maximum Buy-In from prospects
· Following the stages of decision making
· Seeking sources of inspiration for creative thinking

Have you forgot to send an important document to a client or maybe you’ve accidently deleted some very important files and now you’re worrying what to do...

Well I may just have the answer as today is National Blame Someone Else Day 😂 so as far as your concerned you’ve done nothing wrong, it was all Claire from accounting or Dave from finance’s fault you are blame free now go and enjoy the weekend 😈😁😂

’tme

Workshop Wednesdays

Business Structures-

When setting up your business it’s important to know the best structure for your business to make sure that the business works for you and can grow with you. This may be different for different businesses so in this workshop we will look at:

• The different types of business structures options available and the differences

• The impact of this on tax

• What will work for you

• How to go about setting up

• Basic Finance – what you need to know

• Business Planning – how to plan your business

Santander Scholarships Tech | Santander Aspire Tech Grant programme

Santander Aspire Tech Grant programme

Students and graduates listen up! Enter today for your chance to win one of 400 tech prizes ranging from £50 - £1,000! Successful applicants will be able to use these funds on a variety of goods and services available on the JS Group web store, including laptops, headphones, e-books and much more!

Follow the link to apply!

Santander Scholarships Tech | Santander Aspire Tech Grant programme In need of a new laptop? Need a data boost? £60k of free tech up for grabs! Enter today for your chance to win one of 400 tech prizes ranging from £50 - £1,000! Successful applicants will be able to use these funds on a variety of goods and services available on the JS Group webstore, includin...

A logo shares a lot of characteristics with a business name in principle – it’s often the first thing a customer sees and it needs to create a good first impression of your business. Your logo will do a lot to serve as the foundation of your brand identity. Everything from colour, font, and tones are combined with the essence of your name and what your brand is; all condensed into a single image.

A good logo is made through solid design and is intrinsically linked with a brand identity, but there’s a few other constituent parts that can turn a good logo into a great one. It needs to be memorable (for the right reasons) and it should separate you from your competition.

Workshop Wednesdays

Digital Marketing:

We will outline the importance of an online presence and how digital marketing activity underpins advertising for your business, understanding the changing attitudes of your audience and explore examples of businesses ‘pivoting’ during these unprecedented times. We will also share our predictions for the future as the world of digital marketing rapidly evolves. Most notably, with privacy changes being introduced with the latest iOS 14 update.






Photo by Mikael Blomkvist from Pexels

Santander Scholarships Studies | Santander Universities £10k Giveaway x UNiDAYS

Santander Universities is offering one student from any UK university – including undergraduates and postgraduates - the chance of receiving a Santander Grant worth £10,000.

The selected student who will be chosen at random and who will be receiving the funds, will be encouraged to spend the Grant on either one year’s worth of tuition fees, or their personal and professional development

Click here to apply:

Santander Scholarships Studies | Santander Universities £10k Giveaway x UNiDAYS Enter the Santander Universities £10k Giveaway! We’ve teamed up with the number one student app UNiDAYS to bring you the chance to win a huge £10k towards your education. Let’s make student finance one less thing to worry about.  How to enter: 1. Sign up to the Santander Scholarship Platf...

Workshop Wednesdays

Networking:

Networking skills are absolutely vital to grow your business, increase your market share, help you gain new ideas and provide new work. Networking with one person can potentially give you access to over 200 others. This workshop identifies the key aspects of Networking that a new business owner or entrepreneur needs to understand to become a successful networker.

The workshop will focus on:

The Benefits of Networking: What are they? Why network?

Preparing to Succeed : Making the right impact, understanding your own networking style, building self -confidence.

Skills: Developing listening skills.

Dealing with small talk.

Marketing and selling your concept: Self-promotion – both verbal and written – Usp’s Vp’s - practical application of ‘Brand’ and ‘Image’.

Support : What is needed for your business?

Organisational skills. The business card, Leaflets, Website.

Following up: Building lasting relationships. Building trust.

The very first thing your potential customers will encounter will be the name of your business – and it’s a crucial first step. Humans make snap judgements when we first encounter something, and we decide whether we like or trust something in a matter of moments. In essence, your business name needs to do a lot of work in a short period of time.

Your potential customers will automatically begin to associate your business’s name with the quality of the product or service you’re offering. You’ll also find then that the business name becomes intrinsically linked with the business itself by way of forging an identity.

Photo: t2conline.com

So today is apparently Hot Enough For Ya Day- although, at the moment I feel like every day is Hot Enough For Ya Day 🥵🥵🥵

Hope you’re all keeping cool and here’s to another week of smashing goals and getting stuff done 😁💪



❄️

Workshop Wednesdays

Branding:

Branding in the current world of commerce is constantly changing and growing in importance. Creating the brand is about identifying what your business is all about. Marketing is how you communicate this message.

In this workshop we will look at how to make branding work for your business by

• Identifying the brand personality of your business, by:
o Working out your core values
o Creating your mission and USP
o Crafting and sharing your brand

• Building awareness of your brand – what tools to use

• How to bring your brand alive, living your brand.

• Case studies of where it can all go wrong



Photo by Eva Elijas from Pexels

A new week comes with new goals 💃

What's your answer to the question?

Who's got that Friday feeling 😁

Workshop Wednesday

Introduction to Social Enterprise:

If you’re wondering what a social enterprise is, or whether it’s the right business model for your idea, this workshop will provide you with the information you need to make a decision. The workshop will take you through the basics of social enterprise, the options for legal structures, funding and finance options and how to access these, as well as identifying how you’ll achieve financial sustainability alongside making a positive impact on people or the planet.

The 3- hour virtual workshop will cover:

- What is a social enterprise?
- Defining your purpose and having a viable business model
- The legal structures available
- Funding options and financing your Social Enterprise
- Measuring your impact



Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Workshop Wednesday

Value Proposition:

Identify your value proposition during this interactive session and develop a clear explanation of why a customer should purchase your product or service. Investigate what differentiates your product or service and define why you are an attractive option within the marketplace.



Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Ask yourself this....

As it's International Joke Day today i just had to post some of the funniest business jokes I could find.
Let me know if they made you giggle 🤣 (or cringe🤦🏻‍♀️) and feel free to share your best knee slapping jokes too 🤣

I just started a business where we specialize in weighing tiny objects.
It’s a small scale operation.

I’ve started a business making boats in my attic.
Sails are going through the roof.

Who is the best at minding their own business?
An entrepreneur.



Photo by Amir Ghoorchiani from Pexels

Workshop Wednesdays

Finance:

Finance it critical to any organisation but it can be intimidating to people when starting up their own business. In this session, we aim to make it simple to understand and work out what is important for you.

We will look at:

• Overview of the different Business Structures and the differences between them

• Basic introduction to finance – we will try to simplify this and help you understand what you need to know

• Overview of Tax – what you need to be aware of

• Planning, budgeting and cashflow management – the importance of working out where you are going in your business

• Funding – how are you going to fund your business

Today is national bring your dog to work day 🐶 but for most of us who were/still are home working this might be the norm.

I can’t think of a better desk buddy than your favourite four legged friend 🐩🐕🦮🐕‍🦺

I might not have a dog here with me, but does a cat who thinks it’s a dog count 🤣🤣

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