Autumn is an incredibly busy time of year as the summer holiday season fades into memory and we all get back to business.

It’s also a very exciting time events-wise in Staffordshire as we hold one of our flagship events, The Staffordshire Business Festival.

Our headline event at the Business Festival on 19^th October at Uttoxeter Racecourse is our Speaker Summit.

I am extremely proud that we have been able to host such a talented and impressive line-up of speakers for the Speaker Summit – topped by England Lioness and Euro 22 winner Jill Scott.

Jill, who retired from football shortly after the tournament, will discuss her experiences as a female football player, drawing on the leadership qualities and strategies she implemented throughout her career that saw her win nine domestic honours and feature in 10 major international tournaments.

She will also talk about the parallels between elite sport and the day-to-day management of the Manchester coffee shop ‘Boxx2Boxx Coffee’ which she opened earlier this year.

Jill will be joined by Raj Athwal, club president at Indian Super League football club Odisha FC, Maxime Belingheri, human rights manager at L’Oréal and Anuja Boopathy, general manager at Amazon Rugeley.

I can’t think of another Chamber event in which we have had so many high-profile speakers in one room – and this is a great opportunity to hear their stories firsthand and enjoy an insight into how they have all achieved success in their respective fields.

To celebrate the occasion, we’ve released 30 tickets with at 50% discount which are now priced at just £25 for Chamber members, inclusive of a networking lunch.

These tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. To claim yours, use discount code SUMMIT50 at checkout. Chamber members should ensure that they are signed into the website for a further discount.

On the same day, we also have our free international trade event, Broaden Your Markets.

This event is specifically for any business that currently imports or exports or plans to grow through trading internationally.

We’ll be joined by leading policy experts Alex Veitch and Liam Smyth from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), and Graeme Chaplin from the Bank of England.

Alex will give an insight into the trade agreements worldwide, how the Chamber network can help businesses make more use of trade agreements and the role of the international Chambers of Commerce in supporting UK exporters.

Liam will be talking about changes that the Government plans to international trade in the months and years ahead and will highlight opportunities to drive down the cost of trading to improve cashflow.

Graeme Chaplin is the Bank of England’s Regional Agent for the West Midlands & Oxfordshire and will present the Bank’s most recent forecast for the UK economy and discuss the global economic outlook, as well as domestic demand and supply conditions.

You can book on these events or register for Let’s do Business here: Events Archives – Staffordshire Chambers

Then on the following day, 20 October, it’s the return of Let’s Do Business, the region’s biggest business show!

Stands are fully booked for the event but there’s still time to secure your free delegate ticket if you’ve not done so via the website, here. It really is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to network, showcase their services and, most importantly, do business!

I look forward to seeing you at Uttoxeter Racecourse!

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Next week we launch the third cohort of our Boosting Women in Business programme.

Boosting Women in Business is a project funded by NatWest Skills & Opportunities Fund and delivered by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.

People start on their own for a variety of reasons – it may be due to loss of employment or redundancy, or it could be that a nine-to-five job no longer fits their lifestyle.

Whatever the reason, starting a business can be daunting. I have done it myself, so I know from experience! But with help, guidance and the support of a network of professionals and peers willing you to succeed – it becomes a whole lot easier.

Boosting Women in Business provides all of the above, equipping participants with the fundamentals and knowledge to transition into the world of self-employment through practical workshops, one-on-one support from business advisors and mentoring and networking with peers.

The programme leads to the formulation of a business plan and a pitch to win a £1000 cash prize for the best plan.

Lisa Smith, owner of mobile catering business Silver Café Co and first prize winner from Boosting Women in Business earlier this year puts it better than I can:

“The Boosting Women in Business course really helped me understand the importance of business fundamentals such as developing a business plan. Modules were delivered in easy to absorb chunks with time for one-to-one help. Just knowing that there was someone to offer guidance was a great comfort and I am confident that I can make a success of my business, with the support of everyone involved in Boosting Women in Business.”

This is a fantastic opportunity and who knows what lies ahead for our new cohort of enthusiastic ladies as they embark on this new and exciting chapter in their working life.

The next Boosting Women in Business programme is in early 2023 and if you are interested in participating email start@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Mini-budget reaction

The measures announced in the mini-budget today will be welcomed by many businesses and should act as a catalyst to boost economic growth while encouraging investment.

Reversing the increase to National Insurance Contributions is good news for the business community who need a strong and suitable support package during the current economic climate.

The move to make the Annual Investment Allowance permanent will also come as a relief to many firms. It is a crucial tool which gives them the confidence to push ahead with investment, and will add greater certainty to their plans, now we know it is guaranteed to remain.

Investment Zones could also help finally deliver on the Government’s long-standing promise to Level Up, if the scheme is truly UK-wide. However – lessons must be learned from the past, otherwise they can simply displace growth and investment from one area to another without creating new economic activity.

All-in-all, this has been a good week for businesses, with today’s announcements and the energy support package – and we will now await further detail on a comprehensive long-term economic strategy.

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk