SFEDI NEWS

SFEDI NEWS

The latest news and updates from SFEDI.

New Website Launch

February sees us launch our new online small business portal to coincide with our 'Wherever there's SFEDI' campaign.

Business Improvement Tool for Entrepreneurs (BITE)

Can you improve how you run your business? Check out the online tool and downloadable PDF that can help identify opportunities for improvement.

Press Room

Download the latest Press Releases from SFEDI

GoSkills becomes SFEDI qualified

Business Adviser team achieves business support standards.

SFEDI and ILM partnership announced

This announcement sees a major step forward for all entrepreneurs and small businesses across the country.

Newly Approved Standards

We're pleased to announce the availability of our newly approved range of Standards.

Ask An Adviser

Have a question about starting up or running your own business? Working in partnership with NFEA we are now able to offer access to their 'Ask An Adviser' service.

NEW Small Business Section

As part of the second phase of our web development we're pleased to announce the new Small Business section.

SFEDI and GoSkills Sign Memorandum Of Agreement

Peter Huntington, Chief Executive of GoSkills and Tony Robinson, Executive Chairman of SFEDI sign a Memorandum of Agreement in the presence of some of the representatives of the leading small business membership and business support organisations who are members of the SFEDI Lead Body.

SFEDI Executive Chairman Honoured

Tony Robinson OBE Honoured for Championing UK Entrepreneurship at the IAB’s Qualifications for Business Awards

SFEDI Online Learning Now Available

SFEDI have teamed up with The Small Business Company (www.tsbc.co.uk) to create a series of 30 online training modules that matches the 5 SFEDI Enterprising Essentials standards (6 online modules for each SFEDI Standard).

NEW Draft SFEDI Pledge

We're currently looking for feedback on our new SFEDI Pledge document. The draft document is available as a download.

National Survey of Small Business Advisers

The UK Business Adviser Barometer website (in conjunction with Barclays) are currently conducting the first national survey of small business advisers, consultants and mentors.

Government Funded Training and Support - Fight or Flight?

The FPB has been a key member of the SFEDI Lead Body since inception in 1995. Its participation on the Lead Body, along with its peers in other key small business organisations in the UK, ensures it has a strong voice in communicating what its member small business owners and those who support them need to know in order to succeed.

2008 UK Enterprise Support Awards Launched

New awards designed to recognise excellence among individuals and organisations providing support to the UK’s entrepreneurs and small businesses have been launched by SFEDI, the small business watchdog and standards setting body.

Enterprise Week 12-18th November

Enterprise Week is an annual UK-wide week of activities and events, aimed at inspiring young people (14-30) to have ideas and make them happen.

SFEDI Opens New Offices

We're pleased to announce the opening of our new central office in Newton Aycliffe.

RISE 'SFEDI' Bursary heralded a success

The provision of high quality business advice to social enterprises throughout the region is a priority for RISE. To help this to happen, RISE set-up a bursary scheme for social enterprise advisors to benefit from a 50% discount on the price of being SFEDI assessed and accredited. RISE is supporting 22 advisors to get quality approved through the scheme which opened in 2006. The bursary, which supports advisors with the costs of being SFEDI assessed, was a limited opportunity and all funds have now been committed.

An Innovative Programme for Social Enterprise

The University of Derby and EMQC Ltd are offering a unique integrated Social Enterprise programme, specifically developed to provide common language and foundations for social enterprise development.

BusinessZone Sponsors the SFEDI BAFTAs

We're pleased to announce our new media sponsors for next year's 2008 National Business Support Awards as BusinessZone.co.uk.

Business Zone

 

UK Business Forums

 

A Very, Merry, SFEDI Christmas

We'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Leading Government Enterprise Advisors Show Support for Sean Taggart and Describe Government Policy for Small Business Owners as Discriminatory

Two small business owners who have been leading enterprise advisers to Government; Tony Robinson OBE, founder of SFEDI, the business enterprise training and support standards setting body, and Elsa Caleb, director of SFEDI and former member of the government’s Small Business Council, have expressed support for Sean Taggart, managing director of Kent-based Albatross Travel. Mr Taggart has just resigned from the Department for Business and Regulatory Reform's (DBERR’s) Small Business Forum, claiming that the voice of small business has been ‘neutered’ in Whitehall.

‘Apprentice’ Tim Campbell to present key award at 2008 UK Enterprise Support Awards

Former ‘Apprentice’ Tim Campbell is the latest high profile name to support the 2008 UK Enterprise Support Awards to be held in April at BAFTA and hosted by the SFEDI Advisory Board.

Business Enterprise and Business Support Report Released

Research for this report was conducted during September 2007 to January 2008 with financial support from the Sector Skills Development Agency. The work was led by SFEDI directors with support from GoSkills. The research was undertaken by Stratagia, Vector Research and the Wood Holmes Group. The report does not necessarily reflect the views of SFEDI. It is presented as a contribution to the development of a Qualification Strategy for business enterprise and business support

SFEDI research highlights entrepreneur preferences for ‘informal’ skills development and business support

UK entrepreneurs and business owners believe they and their peers are their own best teachers when it comes to developing enterprise skills according to a study from SFEDI, which researches the needs of entrepreneurs and sets standards for training and support. They also cited ‘managing cash flow’ and ‘winning new customers’ as the most difficult challenges they faced. The launch of the findings coincides with a mixed response from SFEDI to the Government’s Enterprise Strategy unveiled yesterday.

InBiz Founder Terry Owens Wins Overall Champion Enterprise Supporter Award at 2008 Enterprise Support Awards

Terry Owens, founder of InBiz, which helps individuals and groups to develop enterprise skills, was judged 2008 Overall Champion Enterprise Supporter at the SFEDI Advisory Body’s Enterprise Support Awards on 17 April 2008.

First National SFEDI Enterprise Trainers

SFEDI are pleased to announce our very first ‘Enterprise Trainer’ accreditations. Following a successful pilot by our Centre of Excellence in the East Midlands, EMQC, Susan Hallam and John Owens have become the first in the country to achieve the SFEDI/ILM Enterprise Trainer Award.

Competitive Edge for Business Growth

Join a London Development Agency and Enterprise Enfield flagship programme to support potential High Growth businesses by working in partnership with a successful CEO and providing a solid business support framework.

SFEDI Announce New ICT Partnership at BAFTA

SFEDI announced at the UK Enterprise Awards 2008 that Redstone plc would become SFEDI¹s exclusive ICT Partner, building on Redstone's expertise & understanding of the IT & Communication needs of the SME business community for over 20 years.

Elsa Caleb Appointed New Chair of SFEDI

Elsa Caleb has been appointed Chair of SFEDI, the UK’s leading enterprise development and support organisation. In her new role, she will work with Managing Director Nat Hardwick to develop the support offered by SFEDI to prospective and new businesses across the UK, both through its regional network of SFEDI Centres of Excellence and its accredited advisors. Elsa has a particular focus on supporting the development of social enterprise in the UK.

SFEDI Chair to lead session at Social Enterprise Coalition Event

New SFEDI Chair, Elsa Caleb, will be leading one of the break-out sessions at the upcoming 'Business of Opportunity and Empowerment' event at London's Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Business Enterprise and Business Support Qualification Strategy Consultation

SFEDI has released its first draft of the Business Enterprise and Business Support Qualification Strategy and are currently seeking comments.

How to be a Brilliant Community Based Business Adviser

How to be a Brilliant Community Based Business Adviser, a unique and exciting reference guide for new professionals is launched on Thursday 13 November 2008.

Happy Small Business Week!

SFEDI would like to wish all small businesses a very happy Small Business Week.

Big is Bust: Micro is Mega

Where the jobs and growth will come from - Tony Robinson OBE

SFEDI / NFEA Enabling Enterprise Report

This report is the result of a seminar at the NFEA National Conference held in York on 9-10 September 2008 which brought together over 140 delegates from leading enterprise agencies and other organisations in the wider business support sector around the country. It was facilitated by Tony Robinson OBE of SFEDI, the standards setting body for enterprise, entrepreneurship and business support.

NFEA Enabling Enterprise Report

 

Enterprise Week 2008

Enterprise Week (17-23 November 2008), part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, is a national celebration of enterprise with thousands of events and activities happening across the UK. Last year there were over 5,000 events and more than half a million people took part!

SFEDI Write to the Prime Minister

SFEDI have written to Gordon Brown this week to secure government backing for the new Enterprise Excellence Framework which is due to be officially announced at the 2009 UK Enterprise Support Awards at the Magic Circle on April 16th.

BBC Dragon's Den 2009

Entrepreneurs from across the country once again have a chance to make their business dreams come true by appearing on Dragons’ Den. If you’re genuinely seeking investment for your business idea or invention, they’d like to hear from you.

SFEDI Enterprise Support Awards Founder Asks for 'Fair Share for Enterprise'

‘By showing, at our annual awards event, what training and support are proven to work for small and home business owners to start up, survive and thrive, we hope to influence government policy. Big isn’t best. Investing in entrepreneurs and enterprise support will continue to be great value. It provides more growth and jobs than any other sector. Unfortunately, the lion’s share of public money still goes to support corporate managers and management consultants.

It's a Kind of Magic

Last Thursday saw the 7th Annual SFEDI UK Enterprise Support Awards being held at the Magic Circle in London. 'The Magic of Enterprise' awards event, hosted by the SFEDI Advisory Board and sponsored by Lloyds TSB Commercial, recognised those who had demonstrated a commitment to enterprise and small business support.

Enterprise Excellence - National Enterprise Framework

This proposal from the SFEDI board and SFEDI Advisory Board is in response to recent government announcements regarding Train to Gain, improved small business eligibility for skills and employment programmes, new products from the business support simplification process and the need to encourage Banks to lend to and support micro enterprise.

Free publicity opportunity for London SMEs

London-based small and medium-sized companies are invited to showcase their positive approach to diversity and social responsibility on a prestigious website.

Enterprise As Opportunity

SFEDI Advisory Board Enterprise manifesto

New Managing Director Appointed at SFEDI Enterprises

SFEDI Enterprises, the commercial sister company of the UK government-recognised Standards Setting Body for Business Enterprise and Business Support, are pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Ellis as Managing Director, with effect from 1st July 2009. The appointment follows previous MD Nat Hardwick's move to Executive Director (Brand) for SFEDI Group.

Six Killer Facts

 

Six Killer Facts

6 killer facts in micro enterprise learning and support.

PRESS RELEASE: Improved Enterprise Training and Support Vital for UK Economic Success

A call for greatly improved and consistent enterprise training and support was made yesterday at an event held in London.

SFEDI Endorsement Re-launched

At SFEDI Enterprises we have re-launched our Endorsement service. SFEDI Endorsement is a badge of excellence and recognition for products, training/learning programmes, websites or qualifications.

Important Changes to SFEDI Reaccreditation

As of January 2010 maintaining ‘Gold’ status on the SFEDI National Directory will become more accessible as we have moved away from Reaccreditation to a new approach following consultation and research with the business support community. This new approach is a significant change and will be a ‘Re-approval’ of individuals who hold a SFEDI Endorsed Award or Qualification and are listed on the SFEDI National Directory.

National Training Awards

The National Training Awards (NTAs) are the premier accolade for training and development in the UK and are run by UK Skills on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and supported by SFEDI.

VACANCY: SFEDI Group seeking to appoint Chief Executive

We are seeking a Chief Executive of SFEDI Group who will expand, integrate and develop the reach, influence, revenue and profitability of existing and future SFEDI companies and all associated SFEDI intellectual property.

Enterprise Support Stars Recognised

The who's who of national small business membership and business support organisations gathered at Kensington Roof Gardens for the 8th Annual SFEDI Advisory Board Enterprise Training and Support Awards. Entrepreneurs, accountants, bookkeepers, mentors, coaches, online and offline network builders and business advisers were recognised for their outstanding achievements over the last year in supporting pre start, start ups and existing self employed and small business owners.

SFEDI Solutions Ltd announces appointment of new Chief Executive

SFEDI Group is proud to announce the appointment of Leigh Sear as Chief Executive of SFEDI Solutions Ltd. Leigh brings with him a wealth of talent and over 15 years experience of leading and managing applied research projects related to the understanding and support of enterprise development. Leigh's appointment to SFEDI Solutions comes in addition to already holding the position of Chair of the SFEDI Advisory Board, which comprises all the major national small business membership and business support organisations plus key entrepreneurs.

SFEDI Launches Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs

This week sees the launch of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs. The IOEE is the very first entrepreneurs learning Institute and explicitly recognises and rewards the enterprise skills and know how gained by people who successfully start and run their own enterprise. It is dedicated to recognising enterprise and entrepreneurship as a professional career choice. Professional institutes exist for most occupations, but not entrepreneurs, until now. As with all professional institutes, entrepreneur members will be entitled to use post-nominal letters to demonstrate their professional status and regard.

FSB Supports IOEE Mentor Programme

The Federation of Small Businesses has recommended the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs and its mentoring programme in their policy document, 'Vision for a national mentoring system'.

SFEDI to work with BBA Business Finance Taskforce and FSB on national mentoring programme

A taskforce of six major British banks has unveiled a 1.5 billion pounds business growth fund to kickstart funding to small businesses. The recommendations include a national mentor programme with SFEDI and FSB - the voice of small business - involvement.

WinWeb And IOEE Partnership Established For Small Business Success

WinWeb.com, suppliers of software for small and medium sized businesses, has today announced a unique way of engaging, helping and working with its small business customers.

SFEDI Group Update

What we have done in 2010 and what we have planned for 2011!