Brighton & Hove Chamber Of Commerce

FANTASTIC SUMMER SOCIAL EVENT!!!!

Thursday 7th August Further details to be confirmed very soon... Watch this space!

City Business Clinics

*Do you run your business or does your business run you?* In the daily challenge of running a business it's often difficult to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Just when you should be keeping your eye on the future, the day-to-day challenges take your time and attention away from your vision and plans. It's so easy to get caught up working *in* your business, not *on* your business. *Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce*, *Brighton & Hove City Council* and *Business Link* have put together a series of city business clinics. These are designed to offer you a time and a place away from your business to talk over your business concerns, with an independent expert. These free clinics have been designed to provide local enterprises with a face-to-face review with an experienced Business Link adviser. During the session the adviser will share information and ideas to develop an action plan that will help you progress towards your business goals. You can discuss finance, sales & marketing, staffing, operations or regulatory requirements -- whatever is causing concern at the moment. And if you need specialist help or support, the business adviser can help you find that too. The clinics are being held at Kings House, Brighton & Hove City Council Offices on the first Tuesday and Thursday of every month. Each session will last an hour so that your time away from your business will be kept to a minimum. Four slots are available during that day. These City Business Clinics are open to any business, limited or sole trader, that has been in operation for more than two years. Places for these clinics are limited and booking is essential. *For more information and to book a slot for an independent look at your business, please call Business Link on 0845 6009006. Quote 'Brighton & Hove clinics'.*

July Breakfast

*Friday 25th July* If you want to hear from the man who knows a thing or two about PR then you will want to sign up to the July breakfast right now. *Ambrose Harcourt* runs AH PR, a creative and innovative public relations consultancy based in Hove, which since its beginnings in 1997 has gone on to establish an impressive list of local and national clients and contacts. For the past 20 years, Ambrose has also been one of the top DJs and voices of entertainment in Sussex and the South East of England, having worked for BBC Television and Radio, Capital Radio Group at Southern FM, Ocean FM, Capital Gold. He has entertained on many occasions from corporate events and functions through to weddings, parties, concerts and after dinner speaking and some of you may be familiar with his role as 'Dr Lurve' on the airways and most recently on his new show on Mondays-Thursdays at 10pm on Juice FM. Ambrose is also a recognised community figure who until recently was an executive member of the Worthing Chamber of Commerce and Industry, responsible for their Public Relations. He enjoys his role as one of the Patrons of St Barnabas Hospice and he has also played a prominent part in raising £5 million that helped to build The Chestnut Tree House - a children's hospice in Sussex. Ambrose is currently a member of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Ford Prison, appointed by the Home Secretary, where he is the Press Officer and is the face of Relate in Worthing and Brighton. PHEW. That means there is a lot to hear about over breakfast! Ensure you book your place now to hear this popular public speaker and respected Brighton business owner.

Business Blogging Without A Budget

*Time* 5.45pm
*Venue* Hilton Metropole Hotel Brighton, Kings Road, Brighton
*Cost* Free to members, £15 for guests

]]> As a coach, consultant and trainer in the online marketing and communications field, Libby offers a strong framework to understand why everyone's talking blogging. In a dynamic, interactive event, you will also get specific case studies to reveal why, when and how to, or not to, blog - as well as how to develop online social networks, which help you:

* Get seen & heard
* Attract the customers and employees you are meant to have
* Create authentic, loyal relationships with your key stakeholders
* Research markets in low cost ways
* Share your insights and good news
* Be reflective
* Create creative collaboration that opens up possibilities
* Inspire positive word-of-mouth referrals, and more

This event will be of benefit to all, with a special emphasis on very cost-effective resources for smaller businesses, non-profits and social entrepreneurs.

www.authenticblogging.com

June Breakfast

*Friday 27th June* Sponsored by 02 *This event is now fully booked.* Our inspirational speaker in June is Glen Poole. Glen is Communications Director of Neo, a Brighton-based agency that helps organisations working for positive change to communicate more effectively. With the support of Neo, Glen has launched the Bounce Your Balls For Cancer campaign, which aims to raises awareness of testicular cancer by encouraging people to do daft things on Space Hoppers. Events to date have included Space Hopper sky diving, Space Hopper aerobics, giant Space Hopper sculptures, Space Hopper races and a Space Hopper triathlon. Glen is a strong advocate of corporate social responsibility and believes that all businesses can and should operate as social businesses. *This event is now fully booked*

Sussex Connections Networking Event

*Tuesday 17th June* BHCC are excited to be a network partner for a large networking event in Mid Sussex this year called Sussex Connections. The night promises to be a great opportunity for all involved with over 80 people already registered! The night will provide an opportunity to hear from Penina Shepherd, Acumen Business Law, who will advise on 'Five Creative Legal Tips on Increasing Revenue & Saving Cash' as well as a speed networking session led by Nigel Woods, Need More Sales. There will be plenty of opportunities to network, drinks and nibbles, great speakers and a goody bag to go home with! For more information contact Lynn Tulip, Business Scene on 0845 0031345 or email lynn.tulip@business-scene.com or visit www.business-scene.com/event_detail.php?e=4974

10% discount on new 'Five a Day' packages

This joint offering from *Diosa Media Ltd* and *Pink Star Design* gives Chamber members the chance to save 10% on 'Five a Day' packages, designed to ensure you nourish your brand and business communications properly.

How it works:
- You pay a fixed price for a set amount of hours
- You can choose the services you want
- We tailor those services to suit your needs
- Then provide them within the hours you have bought

Pick & Mix from the following essential ingredients:
- Branding & Design
- Marketing
- Media & PR
- Websites & online tools
- Events

]]> Packages start from as little as £600 for 12 hours.

For more information please contact
*Fay MacDonald -- fay@diosamedia.com -- 01273 227386*
*Clare Hall -- clare@pinkstardesign.co.uk -- 07958 529740*

State of the Nation - CITY FOCUS!

*Thursday 12th June* Don't miss the big debate. It’s the only event of its kind - where the key decision-makers in the city tell us what’s really happening. We're inviting you, as a member of the city’s business community, to join us for this unique public debate. Focusing specifically on the economic development of our town, the structure for the evening involves contributions from our panelists, then a live “Question Time”, when you can directly question those whose job it is to nurture the business environment of the city. There’ll also be networking before the debate and drinks afterwards, so you can meet existing contacts, and make new ones. This event will be hosted by Roger French OBE, Managing Director of the Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company and Julie Stanford, President of the Chamber of Commerce. Confirmed panellists are: Adam Bain, Working Links Tony Mernagh, Chief Executive, Brighton and Hove Business Forum Dr Andrew Toal, Head of Business Services, University of Brighton Julie Stanford, President, Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce Chief Inspector Laurence Taylor, Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Brighton & Hove Division, Sussex Police We hope also to be joined by Councillor Mary Mears, leader of the Brighton & Hove Conservative Party and deputy leader of the Council

May Breakfast

*Friday 30th May* Sponsored by 02 Following Green Dreams… We invite you to come along and hear the inspirational business story of Julia Desch at our May breakfast. An accomplished artist, musician, poet, linguist and farmer, Julia offers an insight into how this unique combination of talent, experience and interests resulted in Beech Hill Farm; a diversified 20 acre smallholding in the Sussex High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here she rears Rare Breed Sheep and runs an Alistair Sawday Special Escape Cottage and Artists Studio Personal Retreat. Julia has always been fascinated by points of change: equal opportunities, changing work patterns, rights of way and over the last decade, farming practice in a vulnerable landscape. Living and promoting an organic and sustainable existence reflects Julia’s approach to business and the ‘green’ way she works and this has been recognised by being awarded the SEEDA Sustainable Business Award for Resource Efficiency. If you want to revitalize business motivation, sign up early to hear this fascinating journey. http://www.juliadesch.com http://www.sussexcountryretreat.co.uk

£25 discount to all chamber members on Telemarketing Packages

KB Marketing Solutions are offering all chamber members a £25 discount per day off the following packages when you use them for upto 3 months:

Package 1: Telemarketing

Package 2: Telemarketing & mailshots to interested contacts

Package 3: Telemarketing, mailshots & a dedicated incoming line

]]> Call the office on *01825 765319* to speak to one of our dedicated account managers who will be only too happy to assist you.

Free Financial Planning Consultation

Active Insurance and Mortgage Services Ltd are offering a free consultation to Chamber members to help you plan your current and future finances. We offer a free, no obligation, assessment of your existing pensions and investments.

]]> Contact *Nicholas Bullen* on *07846461148*

Understanding and Negotiating

*Wednesday 7th May* We all need to understand the people we work with - clients, staff, suppliers, and ourselves. The Strength Deployment Inventory is a tool for increasing awareness of what motivates people and how their priorities change when faced with conflict or opposition So what? When we understand why people do what they do we can make better judgements about their behaviour – helping us to negotiate better, work with staff and win new business. Claire Walsh of Learning Consultancy Partnership will give an overview of the inventory and how it can be used to improve communication at work.

April Breakfast

*Friday 25th April* Sponsored by 02 Frank Considine spent 18 years travelling the world covering events for BBC Newsnight; from Colombia to Croatia, Angola to Afghanistan, and Israel to Iraq. Frank kick starts our morning as he shares a not too serious, at times irreverent, look at a life and times in television news. Sign up now to secure your place as breakfasts always sell out fast!

BHCC members enjoy a 10% discount on East Communication's 'Introduction to Marketing' workshop.

Do you want to learn to stand out in the crowd? Join East Communications on 14th May 2008 to learn how to get your messages across, be heard by the right people, improve your expertise and confidence and make the most of your budget and time.

The seminar takes place from 9:30am until 1:30pm on 14th May at the Friends Meeting House on Ship Street, Brighton. Prices are £90 + VAT for community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations or £125 + VAT for corporate or other organisations.

]]> To book your place, contact: Liz Smith on 01273 606561 or email liz@eastcommunications.co.uk.

Money Matters
*Wednesday 9th April* Who wants to be a Millionaire?! After the budget, the end of another tax year and the looming credit crunch, come along with all your finance questions and challenges to put to our panel of four experts who will be able to tell you more about the current economy – the reality vs the hype, how this can affect your busines in the coming year and help you get more bang for your buck. Prepare your questions in advance and sign up now so they can show you the money, how to make it and hang onto it in 2008. They won't be able to phone a friend but they might want to ask the audience so get ready to put them to the test. Panel to include: *Clive Hyman*, Director, Hyman Capital www.hymancapital.com Clive spent 22 years with KPMG in London, 10 years of which were as a partner. He was a founding partner for their Transaction Services business and was responsible for leading the practice back into the private equity business in the 1990’s. In 2005, he established his own private equity and advisory firm, Hyman Capital Services Ltd with the aim of delivering client focused solutions which were practical and professional.Renowned for unbiased, pro-active service, Clive has extensive networks across the industry and has managed change programmes for large and small businesses and executed completion of numerous public and private transactions across the globe. Celebrated for his straight-talking approach and demystifying the world of private equity, Clive is a recognise, sought after speaker and a respected media commentator appearing regularly on CNBC Europe and CNN. *Victoria Mason*, Partner, Cardens www.cardensaccountants.co.uk Victoria is one of the longest standing team members at this office having been recruited back in 1997. She was made partner in 2007 and looks after a client portfolio ranging from the 'one man band' to £1.5 million turnover limited companies. He speciality and interest is focused on looking after new small businesses and helping them to set up and grow. *Paul Hopwood*,UK Implementation Support, Mindshop http://www2.mindshop.com/index.htm Paul specialises in facilitating the development and implementation of strategic plans for professional service firms using a blend of strategy, coaching and senior management training. He started his own consulting business in 2001 following a successful career as a Chartered Accountant (south region tax partner with a top 10 UK accounting firm). He also runs a Business Improvement Club designed to help business owners improve their performance and a Senior Management Network for successful entrepreneurs. Paul can talk about how clarity of strategic purpose is powerful in any successful venture and that the first stage in applying that is to define what your business is for and what you want to be, rather than what you want to have. You must make financial and developmental targets measurable as what you measure you get, and, if you aren't measuring, then you probably aren't serious about your business. *Mark Clancy*, Relationship Director, Business Banking, Natwest http://www.natwest.com/business.asp Mark comes as our expert from the High Street as he can offer insight around Business Banking and the services and products available to help and support both small and large companies during the hyped 'credit crunch' that everyone is talking about.