Enterprise week

We are gearing up for a great week here at Blackburn Enterprise Centre supporting business and enterprise in our community.

We are running two free events for businesses, one a drop in centre where you can literally just appear and have a mentoring session with one of our top mentors. This is aimed at those who are looking to start a new business or grow an existing one. The last one was very well attended and people came from a variety of businesses to get free support. The drop in day runs from 11am till 3pm and is held once a month this week on Friday.

Tomorrow we are holding our first business surgery which are meetings which will be held twice a year and will allow business owners to meet the key members of the Blackburn with Darwen Borough council regeneration team. This is your opportunity to discuss the local economy, council strategy and policy and business issues with the people who influence and make decisions. Whilst this is invite only it does give business the opportunities and support and will be held from 10am till 12 pm.

We also support business in Blackburn with Darwen through our Guardian Angels programme which has been running for some time and offers free mentorship to businesses. The stories of how mentoring has turned around some of the businesses are incredible and the success of the scheme rests largely on our pool of experienced business mentors.

Over the year we have supported business in a number of ways offering free programmes and support from coaching to empowering lives and giving back to our mentors through our business events including meals and speakers.

As support for new businesses and those wishing to grow gets more and more difficult to obtain we are pushing ahead with our programmes to ensure that business in our area is supported and strengthened.

Conrad Murray - make sure you are protected

Seeing Dr Murray being convicted of involuntary manslaughter has bought home to me the point of making sure that every business and business person is protected. I am not saying we would all be in a similar position but how often as a new start up or even in business do we forget to make sure we are properly insured and protected in any situation?

Conrad Murray was working for a client and gave in to that clients demands. He put money above and before professionalism. Jackson was a star and it is easy to be star struck. Going after big deals we can easily forget to protect ourselves or even we can agree to things we wouldn't normally do. The consequences of making the wrong decisions for that star have been grave indeed for Conrad Murray.

1. Ensure you pause and consider before putting your name to something or jumping into business with someone no matter how great the client.

Conrad Murray should have used a professional code of conduct to protect him. As a professional he should have considered himself unqualified to administer the drug as he was not an anaesthesiologist.

2. Dont agree to do things you do not have the skills or training to accomplish.

Conrad Murray faced court and had to hire lawyers and defend himself. He still may face further action from the heirs to Jackson or his family.

3. Ensure your insurance is up to date and you are fully covered for all you do. This includes things like indemnity insurance  and public liability insurance, employers' liability if you employ staff, Property insurance and finally check to see if you need different insurance if you are using your car for business purposes. Get advice and help with the issue of insurance because it will depend on the business you are running and how big your company is. Everyone will need insurance. If your client loses money because of a mistake you have made or because your work is poor or late they can claim. Make sure you are covered.

Dont forget that some of this is a legal requirement for a business and that the consequences of not having it may be severe. Shop around and get the best deal.

Conrad Murray worked alone. It was his decisions alone which got him convicted.

4. Take advice and seek support. Working alone is isolating and can be frightening if you are used to being part of a team. Mentoring schemes can be free or available for a small fee. Having someone to chat things through with is not only good for you but really best practice overall. Business coaches are widely available and can prove extremely useful.

CBPartners works hard to support businesses and to provide excellent mentors and coaches contact us if you would like to know more. 01254 505050.