Launchpad: Sheffield City Region

The entrepreneurs we help at Launchpad have many different ideas about what their business should look like, but we think it's fair to say that few are as green as Sheffield's "Bare Alternative": Sheffield's first retail outlet to ban outright the sale of plastic plastic packaging in favour of encouraging customers to recycle existing containers.
Find out more about what drove ex-software engineer Mathew Reynolds to launch his Abbeydale Road-based business ihere! https://bdaily.co.uk/…/new-entrepreneur -pioneers-sheffields…

Last year saw the number of Yorkshire-based tech startups increase by 9%, compared with the previous twelve months: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/…/203419 1-tech-startups-in-y…

We'd like to pass on our congratulations to @PuraCosmetics who have moved into new premises in #Barnsley. Find out more about how Rose took her first steps in business here: https://justentrepreneurs.co.uk/…/kidpr eneurs-the-founder-o…

Do you have a startup mindset? If you're just starting out on your business journey, this article is a great read and looks at how startup businesses are uniquely positioned to take advantage of market opportunities: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/3302 73

We've got some fantastic events lined up next week. If you're aged between 18-30 we're hosting a special workshop in conjunction with the Princes Trust which looks at what's involved with running a business; we're offering the chance to try and win new customers, and if that's not enough, we're also hosting a special masterclass on making the most out of Instagram!
If you've been trading for less than three years, or thinking about running your own business, you can attend all of our workshops completed FREE of charge - simply register via our website: https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk/events/

Did you know that once you've signed up to the Launchpad programme, you can attend our training events anywhere in the Sheffield City Region? If you've been trading for less than three years, or thinking about becoming self employed, our team of business support advisers are ready and waiting to help you succeed! https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk

If the thought of picking up a telephone to reach out to new customers fills you with a sense of dread, then one of our latest workshops may be right for you. We've teamed up with @businesssheffield to host a special seminar looking at how to attract new business customers by simply picking up the telephone!
Best of all, this event is completely FREE of charge to attend. Simply register here: https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk/…/winning-cu stomers-via-the-tel…/

Wishing all of clients, friends and followers a very happy St George's Day! But did you know the 23rd April isn't just a celebration of the Patron Saint of England? St George is also the patron saint of Ethiopia, Georgia and also Scouting?
Whilst the 23rd April also marks "Talk like Shakespeare day", National picnic day, National Take a chance day and even National Lost Dogs Awareness Day.
... So why are we sharing this today? Well, special celebration days can offer a golden opportunity for small businesses to market their products and services - as this article explains: http://digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk/… /the-benefits-of-nat…
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The Easter break is just around the corner. For some businesses this can mean new opportunities, for others it can be a time to take stock and re-charge the batteries.
When starting a new business, there can be a temptation to invest every waking hour into your venture, but this is wise? And how important is it to achieve a good work/life balance? This article features a few useful tips how to work more effectively, whilst balancing other important commitments outside of the workplace: https://www.eu-startups.com/…/10-tips-o n-how-to-maintain-w…/

Age should be no barrier to entrepreneurship and later this month, Launchpad will be hosting a special event aimed at 18-30 year olds, to help them explore setting up and running their own business. Find out more about this amazing three day workshop which is run in conjunction with the Princes Trust: https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk/…/exploring- enterprise-course-p…/

According to new data, the number of Yorkshire-based tech startups has risen by 9% over the past twelve months, with 462 new businesses being created: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/…/203419 1-tech-startups-in-y…

Entrepreneurship is about passion, dedication, self-belief and spotting opportunities others may haven't. But what qualities do you need to run a successful business? In this article a number of entrepreneurs from across the world share some of the qualities you are likely to need to succeed in business: https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/32 2548

Designer Leann Marie spent time working in the costume department at The Crucible & Lyceum theatres before turning to teaching. Missing the creative freedom she enjoyed, Leann decided to start her own business. This is what she said about the help she received from the Launchpad programme:
"When you run a small business, you are the head of marketing, head of IT, you're the head of recruitment and HR and everything else which is needed to make the business a success. Launchp...ad has helped to provide a forum to discuss different ideas, access training courses and find out more about aspects of running a business which you didn't know about"
To hear Leann's full interview, visit:
https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk/leann-marie-de sign/
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Barnsley mum Ruby Sheldon became an 'accidental entrepreneur' after stumbling across a winning formula with her home made slime parties and a helping hand from the Launchpad team: https://unltdbusiness.com/slime-party-uk/

This week the Launchpad team is hosting an interactive two day workshop in Doncaster. If you've recently started trading, then this session is for you!
It will cover all the basics you need to give your business the best possible start, from bookkeeping and business planning to developing and maintaining customers.
To register, visit: https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk/…/business-s upport-workshop-day…/

We're going to sign off this week with this summary of useful tips, designed to help your website generate new business leads. There's some very useful tips in this article, so we thought we'd share it!
https://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/…/hacks-to -turn-your-business…/

Did you know? Since the Launchpad programme began in 2016, we have provided more than 45,000 hours of business support to new entrepreneurs based within the Sheffield City Region.

Bullion Chocolate is the first company in Yorkshire to produce tasty chocolate by taking the raw cocoa beans and through a series of complex steps transforms the raw materials into chocolate bars. It was founded by chef-turned entrepreneur Max Scotford, who turned to Launchpad to help him develop and scale his business, as well as market his new ‘beans to bar’ chocolate concept. This is what Max had to say about his experiences of working with the Launchpad team:
“It can be quite daunting setting up a company. I’ve attended a few Launchpad workshops and having someone with experience to turn to is really helpful”
To hear Max’s full interview, visit: https://scrlaunchpad.co.uk/bullion/