|
Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 222
 |
| Thought for the week: "Science becomes dangerous only when it imagines that it has reached its goal." George Bernard Shaw |
|
In this week's issue:
Social enterprise finds urban farm niche
The trend for local food is paying dividends for a social enterprise that encourages people to grow their own.
Food Train was set up by Alissa Pemberton in 2005. The organisation runs farmers' markets and backs community food projects in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
She said: "We are a very grassroots organisation in our structure. We are working to create sustainable local alternatives to the current food system. We run - and look to run - practical projects."
Canadian-born Alissa, who has lived in the UK for more than 20 years, describes herself as a serial entrepreneur. She spent a number of years working in the music industry, until she had a "personal epiphany".
She said: "I saw a shallowness really in the business I was involved in, I really wanted to be more connected with a people and a place."
Food Train started without funding and now makes a trading income from the two farmers' markets it organises each month. That money is ploughed back into the organisation.
Rather than spending money on premises and lots of staff, Food Train concentrates its efforts and resources into working with other groups for the common good.
She said: "We don't necessarily have the aspiration to grow huge. We don't want to use up the limited energies we have on chasing funding and running premises."
The group is working with the Milton Keynes Christian Foundation on an urban market garden, due to open next year, which received £70,000 of Government funding. The Christian Foundation will provide horticulture training and qualifications at the garden for young unemployed people. Food Train is also working with property developers to plant more fruit and nut trees as Milton Keynes expands.
Alissa says it's essential social enterprises get their image right.
"In order to present a professional image, your marketing is often much more professional than the reality underneath it.
"You want people to believe in what you are doing, especially if you are going for funding."
The best advice she received?
"Design your own exit first," she said. "Set about what you do in such a way that you don't have to control everything forever. Make sure you are doing something you can pass on."
And the worst?
"To get obsessed about the legal structure of your organisation. Get what you're doing right and the rest will follow."
Obtaining copyright licences - a quick guide
If you're a small business owner and need to use copyright material owned by others in the course of your trade or profession, you'll need to obtain a licence.
This applies to all kinds of businesses, from hairdressers wanting to play background music in their salons, as well as to pubs and restaurants. Authors or publishers who want to use photographs or extracts of written work will also be affected.
To obtain a licence you can approach one of the many organisations known as 'collecting societies'. These bodies agree licences with users on behalf of copyright owners and collect royalties owed to them.
Major issuers of copyright licences include:
-
Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) - The CLA licenses business, education and government copying of extracts from books, journals and periodicals, paying authors and publishers their share of fees. See www.cla.co.uk
The UK Intellectual Property Office can provide you with detailed information about copyright and whether you will need to get copyright permission. For further information see our useful guide to using the copyright of others.
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
-
Mini-snack diners - Chicago-based Minnies is a diner with a difference. It bucks the trend for super-size portions in favour of serving mini-snacks. Small gourmet burgers and sandwiches are on offer to customers and the diner offers take-away, eat-in and delivery options.
-
Life models - Posing nude for art classes may not be for everyone but more life models are finding regular work through specialist agencies.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'sinecure'? (pronounced 'sign-a-cure')
a) a first job traditionally held by school leavers
b) an office or position requiring little or no work or responsibility
c) an office or position requiring great responsibility
d) a type of insurance required by financial services businesses
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) Crime against businesses is costing around £19 billion annually, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). What type of business crime in particular does it say the Government is ignoring?
a) cyber crime
b) fraud and financial crime
c) crimes committed in pubs
d) crimes against retailers
2) The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has criticised the idea of taxing what sort of item in an attempt to reduce the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill?
a) plastic bags
b) bubble wrap
c) polystyrene packaging
d) cardboard boxes
3) Education is not the key to business success, according to a survey by Barclays Local Business. What proportion of those it spoke to had a degree?
a) 33%
b) 46%
c) 20%
d) 75%
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Report for news retailers
Tomorrow's NEWS, a report by the Association of News Retailing (ANR), explains the changing structure of newsagents' businesses. It outlines potential changes on the horizon and covers how news retailers can develop their businesses. It's been published as the Office of Fair Trading continues its investigations into the news and magazine supply chain. The ANR says its research showed that newsagents feel they have less control over the news category than any other part of their shop.
Online holiday calculator to help employers
Help is at hand for enterprises confused by the new statutory holiday entitlements coming into force. Starting from October, the minimum holiday allowance increases from four weeks to 4.8 weeks, and will continue to rise until it reaches 5.6 weeks in the year 2009/10. The new Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has come up with an online 'ready reckoner' to help employers work out staff holiday entitlement, based on when their leave year begins.
Events for business website
Business owners interviewed in EnterQuest case studies regularly tell us that networking has been one of the best ways for them to boost their business. Events for Business is aimed at helping small enterprises in Scotland to do so successfully, with details of events where you can meet other like-minded souls. It includes a monthly business club for small firms to share ideas and information in addition to a speed networking for business service.
Free remote access to your desktop
This remote access tool enables you to access your home desktop from another computer - handy if you're away from home and need access. LogMeIn Free software must be installed on the PC you want to access and the PC must be turned on. The computer or wireless device you use to gain access must be Internet-enabled.
This annually updated book is produced by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) to guide firms through the maze of health and safety legislation. It explains businesses' responsibilities and is split into easy to follow sections with sector-specific guidance. It's pricey (£90 for FSB members, £190 for non-members) but has been fully updated to include the smoke-free regulations. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is b).
'Sinecure' means an office or position requiring little or no work or responsibility.
The entrepreneur wrongly thought that leading the local networking group would be a sinecure. |
How's your business radar? The answers
1) The answer is d). The FSB says that crimes against retailers are not given the same priority as other types of crime.
2) The answer is a). The BRC says retailers already have a voluntary agreement with the Government and argues that plastic bags make up a tiny percentage of the rubbish sent to landfill.
3) The answer is b). The survey found that just 46% of those quizzed had a degree, while 20% of business-owner managers had no qualifications higher than GCSEs. |
Visit www.enterprisequest.com to access all back issues of the EnterQuest bulletin. If you have any feedback or suggestions for us to make this service more relevant please e-mail your comments to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com.
If you wish to discontinue your subscription to EnterQuest please click on the 'SafeUnsubscribe' link at the bottom of the bulletin.
Remember that we guarantee never to sell or give your e-mail address to anyone else.
Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
