Into Business Magazine 2 : 2011

Spring 2011 | Into Business | 1

Starting a Social Enterprise

Tips for Networking

Building and Motivating a Team

Growth Through Outsourcing

Virtual Office

Business Apps

Plus much more...

Summer 2011 Free Copy


Tips for Networking



Virtual Office

Business Apps

Plus much more...

ADVICE | INSIGHT | NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS | AWARDS

Your Business Centre

Inside This Issue:

2 | Into Business | Summer 2011

Engineering Excellence

Northern Regional College in Ballymena is recognised as a Centre of Excellence for the manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland. The facility provides cutting edge technologies and training resources to support the competitiveness of the manufacturing engineering industry and is a focal point for innovation in key sectors such as Robotics, CNC, Mechatronics and Electronics. Discover what NRC can do for you.

Aspire | Aim | Achieve www.nrc.ac.uk

Higher Education - Part-time courses at NRCHNC/HND Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering – BallymenaHNC/HND Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering – BallymenaBTEC HNC Diploma in Operations Engineering – NewtownabbeyIMAL Diploma for Automotive Master Technicians – BallymenaDiploma in Occupational Health and Safety – Newtownabbey

Contact Carolyn Campbell on 028 9085 5020or email [email protected]

Summer 2011 | Into Business | 3

Welcome...Welcome to the Summer Edition of IntoBusiness magazine. This edition is packed full of interesting business advice articles and tips for success, including networking, social enterprise, business apps, economic outlook, growing your business through outsourcing, and much more.

Local Ballymena entrepreneurs share top tips for growing their business. News stories profile top events in the local business calendar with other features focusing on local business success stories.

If you are considering starting a new business or growing an existing business the IntoBusiness magazine will help you take the next step, from advice and guidance on important business topics through to making contacts with the business support network and being inspired by the stories of entrepreneurs.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on our Spring Edition it is very encouraging to know that the IntoBusiness magazine has been well received within the Ballymena area.

If you have a business announcement or would like to contribute an editorial article on a topical business

Editor: John CarletonAdvertising: Rodney Beggs, William McNabbDesign: Sean Rainey

TO ADVERTISE CALL: 028 2500 2005

IntoBusiness magazine is published by Elbowroom Media on behalf of the Ballymena Business Centre.

Elbowroom MediaUnit 48, Ballymena Business Centre, 62 Fenaghy Road, Galgorm, BT42 1FL.

Material printed in this journal is not necessarily endorsed by the Ballymena Business Centre or by Elbowroom Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without permission of the publisher is prohibited © 2011

Stephen ScullionManager: [email protected]

Patricia ElliottClient Manager: [email protected]

Lynn Stewart, Jenine McIlroy, Joy KnoxSupport Team:[email protected]

Tel: 028 2565 8616 Website: www.ballymenabusiness.co.uk

Engineering Excellence

Northern Regional College in Ballymena is recognised as a Centre of Excellence for the manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland. The facility provides cutting edge technologies and training resources to support the competitiveness of the manufacturing engineering industry and is a focal point for innovation in key sectors such as Robotics, CNC, Mechatronics and Electronics. Discover what NRC can do for you.

Aspire | Aim | Achieve www.nrc.ac.uk

Higher Education - Part-time courses at NRCHNC/HND Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering – BallymenaHNC/HND Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering – BallymenaBTEC HNC Diploma in Operations Engineering – NewtownabbeyIMAL Diploma for Automotive Master Technicians – BallymenaDiploma in Occupational Health and Safety – Newtownabbey

Contact Carolyn Campbell on 028 9085 5020or email [email protected]

subject please let me know! This is your local business magazine and an excellent platform for you to promote your business.

In addition the publication has also been launched online, to view or subscribe simply visit www.ballymenabusiness.co.uk

IntoBusiness is produced by Ballymena Business Centre in partnership with Elbowroom Media, and we hope you enjoy this Summer Edition.

Melanie Christie Boyle,Chief ExecutiveBallymena Business Centre, Managing Editor


ETT is registered as a Charitable Trust and oprates on a not for profitbasis. It is governed by a Board of Directors drawn for the Union andlocal Employers who represent the apprentice training needs of theInudstry and who provide their time on a voluntary and unpaid basis.

Units 57-59, Ballymena Business Centre, 62 Fenaghy Road, Ballymena, Co. Antrim BT42 1FLT: 028 2565 0750 F: 028 2563 0725 E : [email protected] W : www.ett-ni.org

UPGRADE YOUR TRADEWITH ETT!

EVERYBODYneeds a spark!

Electrical ApprenticeshipHealth And Safety TrainingElectrical TrainingSpecialist Training

Is the Health of your Business at Risk?

ACCREDITED TRAINING PROVIDER

ow do your Health and Safety practices measure up? In the event of injury or even a fatal accident, could you convince a jury that you had taken all reasonable prevention measures?

In 2011, the first company to be prosecuted under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2008 has been fined £385,000. This is a landmark ruling which has implications for all businesses across the UK.

As a business Owner, Director or Senior Manager, you have a legal duty to ensure the safety, health and well-being of all employees and individuals who come into contact with your organisation. The first step in helping to protect your company, employees and customers is by providing your workforce with adequate Health and Safety training, tailored to the needs of your business.

ETT’s Health & Safety Experts deliver courses suitable for many industries including; construction, manufacturing, hoteliers, schools, hospitals,

pharmaceuticals and many more. Our range of courses include; CSR, Working at Heights, Portable Appliance Testing, Emergency Lighting and Fire Alarms, Site Supervisor Safety Gold Card, Manual Handling, Abrasive Wheels and Asbestos Awareness. Course fees include a Course Certificate, a set of customised take-home notes, a complimentary deli-lunch and free car-parking.ETT can also assist you with in-house or bespoke training courses upon request; providing you with expert training at the very best value for money.

For more information on ETT, training courses and industry news visit www.ett-ni.org

Peter Kenny, Galgorm Resort and Spa attended ETT's one day Emergency Lighting & Fire Alarms course

Mervyn Glasgow, Ballymena Borough Council, successfully completes City & Guilds Portable Appliance Testing.

Group of ETT customers completing a one day CSR training course.


6 Starting a Social Enterprise Patricia Elliot and Joy Knox look at the ins and outs of setting up a social enterprise

9 Top 10 Tips for Networking We look at the strategy for making the most of this marketing tool

12 Apps for Business Helen McKenna from Clarity Business Education explains how apps can help to run a business

14 Challenges and Opportunities for the Local Economy The Northern Bank Chief Economist, Angela McGowan gives us her financial insight

16 News, Awards & Events Everything that’s happening in the Ballymena business world

20 Profile on Ballymena Business Centre Each issue IntoBusiness will look at the various forms of support available for local businesses, this quarter it’s your local Business Centre

22 Case Study: Ballykeel Business Centre Despite facing tough challenges the Ballykeel Business Centre has been a complete success story. Hilary McMillan describes the journey

24 Growth Through Outsourcing The decision to outsource is a big one. Check out our helpful guide to see if it’s right for you

26 Growing an Online Business This Case Study looks at how Save & Donate took an idea to the global stage

28 News, Awards & Events Everything that’s happening in the Ballymena business world

29 What are the Benefits of Being in Business? Find out what it is that makes it all worthwhile for some local business people

30 Building and Motivating a Team Harry Harpur gives you the ingredients for success through motivation

33 Women on the Move Each issue we bring you a worthwhile networking opportunity, up this time is Women on the Move

34 Business Role Model: Karren Brady The top echelons of the business world can be a very male dominated place, but our role model in this issue is a lady at the top of her game

37 Lifestyle Find out the latest from the world of motoring and environmental issues

39 People on the Move; Useful Websites; What’s in the Next Issue?

Contents

Spring 2011 | Into Business | 1


Tips for Networking



Virtual Office

Business Apps

Plus much more...

Summer 2011 Free Copy


Tips for Networking



Virtual Office

Business Apps

Plus much more...

ADVICE | INSIGHT | NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS | AWARDS

Your Business Centre

Inside This Issue:

Summer 2011

On the Cover

The Team at Ballymena Business Centre supporting new and developing business.

See page 20


mainstream businesses they are helping the economy grow by creating jobs and increasing wages and salaries in the economy. But beyond these tangible effects they make significant contributions to well-being in our society. A successful social enterprise business will be financially self-sustaining. A social enterprise should also consider whether or not to set itself up as a charity. Doing so offers a number of benefits, including significant tax reliefs, but results in increased regulation and less flexibility.

Often the main focus of a social economy business is to offer on-the-job training to people who may lack skills. This is important in helping the unemployed come back to the workplace and opens up further opportunities for them. Employment opportunities are often available to people with disabilities within a social enterprise. By contributing to both social and economic goals, social enterprises play a vital role in empowering communities and helping them become more productive.

A social entrepreneur may have previous experience as a community activist or voluntary sector worker, but anyone with a good idea and the drive to see it through can start a social enterprise.

Patricia ElliottClient ManagerBallymena Business Centre

Have you ever considered starting a business within your community that would have a social, community or ethical purpose while providing a service or product on a not for profit basis? If the answer is yes, here is your guide to social economy business.


The social economy in Northern Ireland produces between one and eight percent of economic activity and employs over 30,000 workers – similar to the tourism or construction industries (source: www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk).It is a growing sector and is already producing economic and social benefits, including job creation, trading provision, improving the environment and building local capability. Each year people set up innovative social enterprises that meet particular needs within communities.

Social enterprises you may be familiar with in your community include:

• Credit Unions

• Local enterprise agencies

• Co-operatives

• Community businesses

• Housing associations

Social enterprises in Northern Ireland operate in a wide range of industries including:

• Health and social care• Recycling• Tourism• Manufacturing• Education and training• Advice, support and counselling

What is a Social Enterprise?According to the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment: “A social enterprise is a business with primary social objectives whose surpluses are re-invested, for that purpose, in the business or in the community rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders or owners.”

It is what a business does with its profits, rather than its specific legal structure, that determines whether it is a social enterprise. Like

Local Shining ExamplesAt the UK Social Enterprise Awards, which took place on 30 March at The O2 Arena in the London earlier this year, Northern Ireland Social Enterprise, Newington Credit Union from North Belfast was declared winner of the UK Social Enterprise of The Year Award. While John McMullan, Chief Executive of Bryson Charitable Group won the Social Enterprise Leader of the Year Award.

What Support is Out There?Financial support can be applied for through the Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT) who provide loans and business support. However, UCIT report – especially in today’s climate – that more and more community enterprises are realising that grants cannot fully meet all of their funding needs. For sustainability, it is therefore a necessity to generate your own capital within a social enterprise in order to fulfil both development and cashflow requirements. Consequently loan funding, and in particular social finance, is becoming a primary tool in satisfying these needs. www.ucitltd.com

The Social Economy Network (SEN) is a membership-based organisation that

Starting A Business

Joy KnoxSupport TeamBallymena Business Centre


draws its membership from social economy organisations throughout Northern Ireland. The key focus of the network is to build and strengthen the network of social economy businesses in Northern Ireland through representation, lobbying, partnerships, fostering co-operation and providing beneficial opportunities to its

members. SEN also provide information on training and support available as well as a social economy trade directory. Social economy businesses in Northern Ireland can also access a range of support from the network. They encourage members to utilise training programmes and business support initiatives to develop their social enterprise and

achieve long-term stability. Partnerships have been developed between SEN, the Department for Education & Learning, Investors In People and the Management Analysis and Planning programme to offer ongoing

training programmes with accredited courses to social economy organisations and social entrepreneurs. www.socialeconomynetwork.org

Social Enterprises make significant contributions to the economy and our society

Jobs

Wellbeing

TrainingEnvironment

Social Enterprise

Community

Economy


Think about your pitch: The pitch should be short, roughly a minute long. It should clearly demonstrate what your business does, who your customers are and what makes your business unique from other competitors in the market.

Research and find out who is attending the networking event: This will allow you to findout what businesses you are most interested in working with in the future and give you an opportunity to research more about their business.

Prepare business cards and/or promotional material to take with you to the networking event: You may want to design new and possibly higher grade ‘eye catching’ cards or material to take with you – that you wouldn’t necessarily use in your day to day business – to ensure that you stand out from the competition.

What are your goals/aims for attending the event: Thinking about your goals and aims will allow you to establish what you want to achieve. For example, your aim could be to make five new supplier contacts or your goal may be to get five referrals. Also think about what ways other businesses may be able to help your business or what new skills you want to learn from the event.

Make sure your are genuine: Networking involves building relationships with other businesses. These other businesses may want to recommend or refer you to potential customers. If you do not deliver good customer service to this new customer, this may reflect badly on the business that sent you the referral and trust/reputation of your businesses may be affected.

Network with as many groups as possible: Think about what groups may be of interest to your business – you may want to spend roughly five to ten minutes with each business. Remember that this is not a social event. You may want to spend time with contacts you already know, but the aim is to network and make as many new contacts for your business as possible.

Make sure you are articulate and ask open-ended questions: Ensure you are able to clearly and enthusiastically state what your business is about and how it is unique from other competitors. You also want to make sure what you say is interesting and not too long. Also ensure that you ask open-ended questions. These questions should include words such as who,

what, where, when and how as these will provide a more detailed response. It will also show that you are interested in their business.

Remember that you may not necessarily be selling to the contact you meet at the networking event: Make sure you seem confident in your business and are seen as a strong business resource to other businesses. Remember each business may have their own network of potential new contacts. Your aim may be to promote their business and in turn for them to promote yours and hopefully create new contacts.

Ensure you follow-up on any referrals you receive promptly and efficiently: This is important as you want to provide a good image of your business and provide good customer service, not only to the new potential customer/contact but also to the business that has referred you to the customer.

Ensure you provide a follow-up email or call to the businesses that you have met: As these businesses may be potential customers or contacts, when contacting them make sure you say how you enjoyed meeting with them and are interested in their business. You may want to arrange another meeting with them. Although a follow-up call or e-mail is seen as acceptable, you should be careful not to bombard them or seem to be sales aggressive – remember you may potentially want to build a future relationship with this business.

Happy networking!

Adapted from articles by Stephanie Speisman – a success coach who coaches groups and individuals in business networking skills www.businessknowhow.com and Tref Griffiths who is CEO of www.networkology.com

Top 10 Tips for Networking Networking is good for business. It allows companies to build relationships and promote themselves. Here are ten top tips to make sure you make the most of any networking opportunity.

Marketing

2

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10


Ulster Bank was established 175 years ago in Belfast in 183 by businessmen as a bank for the business community. It quickly started to grow, opening a branch in Wellington Street, Ballymena in 1838, and became very much part of the fabric of the local area. Terry Robb, the Head of Ulster Bank’s Ballymena Business Centre, explains that with its roots and history, the bank considers itself an important stakeholder in the local economy.

We’ve worked with some of the most successful companies in the Ballymena area over many years, and we want to continue to work with good businesses to support and share their success. Our small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) fund for instance has helped firms right across the borough in the past few years, and we are very much continuing to seek out demand.

We have an experienced team of over 20 business banking staff in the Ballymena area, actively looking for opportunities to support good propositions. We’ll not be able to support every company, but where there are good ideas backed by a realistic plan, we have the money to lend.

Our £300million SME fund has been accessed by many new as well as

Ulster Bank: Supporting Ballymena’s business community

existing customers across a range of sectors. Some sectors are facing greater challenges than others, but there are good businesses operating in every sector and we are lending to and supporting a wide range of companies.In particular, we are seeing strong demand in the agri-food sector, and have lent significantly to farmers and food businesses. It is a similar story with regard to the healthcare sector and in the professional sector. We are also seeing strong demand from start-up businesses and export-oriented companies.

Ulster Bank has a long history of supporting many of Northern Ireland’s leading exporters and we are increasingly using that expertise to support smaller companies to do business internationally. The internet has opened great opportunities for all kinds of local businesses to sell overseas in a way that they maybe couldn’t have in the past. We are

very much committed to supporting these companies to achieve their potential, utilising the expertise within Ulster Bank, as well as the expertise of our parent company, which is a global bank with extensive links in countries around the world.

In the start-up space, we launched a new proposition at the end of 2010, specifically tailored for new and emerging companies. We’ve had a great response to the package and have been able to help in the establishment and growth of many local companies.

Whilst finance continues to grab the headlines, other aspects of a bank/customer relationship are equally important. Trust and open communication on both sides make the relationship stronger and more productive. We’ve launched a series of business commitments to set out our intentions in this area, and we

Head of Business CentreTerry Robb028 2566 450007766 [email protected]

6


are confident that the experiences of customers in the Ballymena area will testify that we are taking the right approach.

Non-financial support is another aspect of the relationship that often gets overlooked, but customers consider very important. The Small Business Can website that Ulster Bank is a partner in is worth looking into:www.smallbusinesscan.comWith thousands of companies across Northern Ireland and the island active on the site, it is helping firms network, share ideas, learn new things, and work for mutual benefit.

Whilst Small Business Can is a 21st century way in which we are helping businesses, we are also very much committed to

what is often called ‘good old fashioned banking’.

Having worked for Ulster Bank for over 17 years and lived in the area all my life, I am determined to see this borough and its business community grow and develop in the years ahead. Along with my experienced team, we are fully committed to working in partnership with local businesses. We want to build relationships with both new and existing customers, working with them to help grow and develop for the future. If that’s the kind of bank you’d like to work with, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.ulsterbank.com/businessbanking

Local Business Banking TeamBusiness Banking Relationship Managers

Ryan Mawhinney028 2566 450107795 [email protected]

Chris Downing028 7035 072007899 [email protected]

Bob Esler028 2566 451307764 [email protected]

Conor McNeill028 2566 451207799 [email protected]

Mervyn Linton028 2566 451807786 [email protected]

Mark Brown028 2566 452207766 [email protected]

David Dunlop028 2566 451607900 [email protected]


Apps for BusinessHelen McKenna from Clarity Business Education explains how apps can help the many aspects of running a business

The use of apps in business is becoming more commonplace. This is because they offer a diverse range of tools that help businesses save time, money and resources. Some businesses in Northern Ireland even have apps for sale. There are already over 370,000 apps on the App Store and 350,000 android apps . With InStat predicting that by 2015 there will 48m apps downloaded, we can expect to see the use of apps in business increase significantly. Here are some ways apps are used in business.

Social MediaSocial media apps, such as LinkedIn and Facebook provide both marketing and networking opportunities for businesses. There are also apps that can help manage social media activities, for example Flipboard and HootSuite.

ProductivityOne of the most popular type of apps are those that help to organise tasks, schedules and calendars, such as SeizeTheDay and WeekCal.

FinanceFinance apps are available to help track expenses (iXpensilt), prepare budgets (SimpliBudget), and there are even tax calculators, such as Calc VAT and UK Tax Calculator. Many banks have apps available to help manage bank accounts. For example, HSBC Business Banking app allows users to view their

bank balances and make payments and transfers. You can even download apps to handle credit card transactions. Tender alerts apps such as InterTrade Ireland’s Go-To-Tender can help you keep up to date on tenders available throughout Ireland.

Marketing and SalesThere are apps designed to help attract customers and help manage a sales team. One that springs to mind

here is SalesForce. There are also apps that allow you to monitor websites, such as Analytics Pro. There are even apps to design business cards, for example Business Cards Composer.

Document ManagementApps even allow you to view, edit and manage documents using a smart phone or tablet computer. The most popular being Dropbox, Evernote and Documents to Go.

Personal DevelopmentThere are confidence building apps, motivational apps, stress and relaxation apps, business etiquette apps and even one to help you dress for success.

LearningMany business education apps are now available, such as Study Smart Marketing. There are also business tests and quizzes available. The iBooks app can be downloaded onto an iPhone or iPad, giving access to 1000s of business books.

More and more apps will be created in the future, providing a wealth of benefits and conveniences for business. So why not browse app stores to see if there are any that can help you manage your business and maybe even increase your bottom line.

Technology

Definition of an App App is an abbreviation for application. An app is a piece of software that can run on the Internet, on your computer, on your phone or other electronic device.


FORD LEASElindsayford.co.uk

Contract hire that really means business. More. As Standard

FROM £242.55 PER MONTH

Ford Contract HireBusiness Users only.

New Ford Mondeo 1.6 TDCi Edge 5dr

FROM £268.57 PER MONTH

Ford Contract HireBusiness Users only.

All New Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Edge 5dr

+VAT+VAT

Lindsay Ford Ballymena Larne Road, Pennybridge Industrial Estate T. 028 2566 1727

www.lindsayford.co.ukOfficial fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km): Ford range: urban 33.6 - 41.6 (6.8 - 8.4); extra urban 57.6 -64.2 (4.4 - 4.9); combined 45.6 -53.3 (5.3 - 6.2). Official CO2 emission 140 -235g/km. Business users only. Subject to status. Guarantees/Indemnities may be required. Examples exclude VAT and are based on 36 month non-maintained agreements, profile 3+35, payment in advance of 3 monthly rentals plus VAT, followed by 35 monthly rentals plus VAT, with mileage of 10,000 miles per annum. Vehicles must be returned in good condition and within agreed mileage, otherwise further charges will be incurred. Prices correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Subject to availability for vehicles registered between 01.07.2011 and 31.07.2011 or while stocks last. Not available with any other promotion. Ford Lease is provided by ALD Automotive Ltd., trading as Ford Lease, Oakwood Park, Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 3JA.

Ford Lease from Lindsay FordOffering Affordability, Flexibility and Security

Are you a small business owner? Do you run a vehicle or vehicles for your business? Ford Lease could be perfect for you...

Every business is unique. Ford Lease is brought to you from Ford Motor Company and offers you simple, tailored vehicle funding solutions for your business, whatever the size. Whether you are looking for a Transit to carry your tools, or a Mondeo fleet for your sales team, Ford Lease will have a product to suit your needs. What is Ford LeaseFord Lease is an efficient way of funding the use of a vehicle without the costs of ownership. It gives you peace of mind, simplicity and no hidden costs. You only

pay the amount the vehicle depreciates during its use, based on mileage. At the end of the contract, you just return your vehicle to us.

How it worksYou simply make an initial payment followed by fixed monthly rentals for the duration of the agreement. Depending on your requirements, the monthly rental can include a wide range of value added services ranging from maintenance and repair plans, through to a full accident management provision.

There are no part-exchange negotiation hassles, financial risks or disposal issues.At the end of the agreement, you simply return the vehicle, subject to mileage and

condition, take out a new Ford Contract Hire agreement and collect the latest model.

Service, Maintenance and RepairsIf you opt for a maintenance plan from Ford Lease, there’s no need to worry about dealing with vehicle maintenance; we’ll do the worrying for you. You simply choose the level of cover to suit your requirements and then contact our Fleet Support team via a dedicated One Call number whenever the need arises, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

VAT registered businesses may be able to recover all the VAT charged on Service, Maintenance and Repair.Within a fixed monthly fee*, you can cover your vehicle for

the following:• Routine servicing• Maintenance and repairs• Breakdown cover (including European Travel Assistance)• Free replacement vehicle for up to 48 hours in the event of a breakdown attended by the AA which cannot be repaired at the roadside• Tyre repair and replacement**• Exhausts• Batteries• MOT’s (where applicable)* subject to fair wear and tear** upgrades and winter tyres excluded

For more information of what Lindsay Ford can offer your business contact Kelly Jackson at the Ballymena branch on 028 2566 1727 or checkout our website at www.lindsayford.co.uk


Challenges and Opportunities for the Local Economy These are challenging times for the Northern Ireland economy. Angela McGowan, Northern Bank Chief Economist gives us an insight into what sectors are currently performing well and what elements our local economy needs to focus on to move forward.

The new Executive is now in place managing a smaller local government but having to face greater challenges. Northern Ireland’s recovery has been unimpressive as the UK’s ambition to set its public finances straight has meant that we have and will continue to feel some pain. VAT has risen on top of already high commodity prices, and Northern Ireland’s main employer, the public sector, is getting it tough. The private sector needs to grow, a new economic strategy needs to be put into place, and significant issues need to be tackled, such as corporation tax, raising local revenue streams, growing exports, stimulating enterprise and tackling the long-term and youth unemployment. Northern Ireland must solve its own problems – a sizeable challenge for the Executive to face.

Growth and Unemployment LevelsNorthern Bank’s latest economic forecast suggests that the local economy will grow by an unimpressive 1.1 percent this year and 2 percent in 2012. Growth is currently being held back by very low consumer confidence, and very weak private spending; although the probability of falling back into recessionary territory is now estimated to be relatively low – at 15

percent. Economic support at the moment is coming from one source only and that is low interest rates. The historically low level of 0.5 percent now looks set to stay with us into early 2012 as policy cannot be tightened when output is so low, consumer sentiment is weak and the business service sector is struggling.

Despite the weakness of this recovery, unemployment levels have not risen to the elevated levels that many other countries have experienced. The monthly claimants rose to 6.7 percent of the workforce in April 2011 and the figures from the International Labour Organisation (the more reliable measure of unemployment) actually fell to 7.2 percent in Quarter 1 this year, down from 8 percent in the previous quarter. More specifically, the number of unemployed claimants in Ballymena also fell over the month of April by 3.5 percent. This could be attributed to the relatively high number of export orientated manufacturing companies and agri-food firms in the local area.

Successful SectorsIndeed, it is important to remember that it is not all doom and gloom. Some sectors within the local economy are performing really well – in particular,

manufacturing is set to build on its good performance last year and grow by a further 4.3 percent this year. Manufacturing has been able to tap into the global recovery when other more locally focused businesses struggle with weak domestic demand. This sector’s success in 2010 has come from the exporting components of the sector – with food, pharmaceuticals, electrical machinery, plastics, machinery and equipment, and fabricated metals all performing well as world

demand reaches new record highs. The prospects remain strong for the sector, assuming the world recovery remains on track, with growth of over 4.7 percent currently forecast for 2011. The manufacturing sector currently employs over 75,000 people in the local economy and employment in this sector continues to rise.

The agri industry is our other success story with growth forecast to reach 3.9 percent this year. This sector continues to enjoy

Angela McGowan, Northern Bank Chief Economist

Finance


strong demand for its output, but on a note of caution it faces rising input prices and ever more stringent regulatory pressures, which could provide strong headwinds going forward. Nonetheless, the prospects for the agriculture and agri-foods sector remain positive with high demand likely to continue.

“Although the continuation of a weak pound can by no means be guaranteed, the Euro has stayed relatively strong despite the sovereign debt problems in Europe, and the foreign exchange rate is continuing to provide good support to our local exporters.”

InitiativesBut we need many more export orientated firms in the local economy if we are to create jobs and wealth – and therein lies the challenge. The forthcoming Economic Strategy from DETI, which has been in gestation for well over a year, is eagerly awaited to see if there are any fresh ideas or new initiatives for the Executive to take forward. Growing the private sector will be made more difficult with the impending end of Selective Financial Assistance (SFA) which InvestNI has traditionally used to attract investment.

Bravery is required and the challenge is acute. Over 40,000 net jobs have been lost, and forecasts suggest without bold policy changes it will be over a decade before they are regained.

Discussions on reducing the level of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland have progressed considerably and with the right combination

of investment in skills and infrastructure, this issue has the potential to transform levels of economic growth.

Foreign Investment FactorAttracting foreign direct investment (FDI) has always been an important element of local economic policy for a number of reasons. Beyond the job creation element, foreign investors generally bring with them better management practices and new technologies. In addition, they tend to create spin-off companies as they tap into the local market for both products (such as computers, furniture, stationery) as well as local services – the latter could range from local consultancy services right through to catering. But local enterprises are important too, and it is vital that Northern Ireland concentrates on making the region not only conducive to foreign investors, but also to local indigenous companies and entrepreneurs. Hopefully the final economic strategy will embrace all three elements (foreign, indigenous and fledgling companies) and will provide an economic environment that is favourable to each type of firm.

The local business community looks determined to move on in 2011, and the new Executive as well as policy makers appear determined to help them do just that. Local businesses are now leaner and more efficient than ever before. They recognise the importance of global not just local markets – we just need more of them and we have to accept that that simply takes time.

Ballymena Business Centre Invites micro-enterprises, who are

interested in developing cross-border trade and linkages, to participate in a

programme of support, providing opportunities to explore new markets

and products

The Special EU Programmes Body is the Managing Authority for the

European Union’s INTERREG IVA Programme

Invites micro-enterprises, who are

interested in developing cross-border trade

and linkages, to participate in a programme

of support, providing opportunities to explore

new markets and products

Tradelinks is a business development programme, delivered by Enterprise NI & its network of Local Enterprise Agencies and the Border County Enterprise Boards, designed to assist the micro-enterprise sector across Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal in developing their ability to undertake or expand their cross-border trade. Companies committed to :• enhancing employment generation opportunities • developing exporting capability• addressing barriers to cross border trade• investigating the opportunities afforded by new technology• encouraging new market and new product development • encouraging innovation

will find that the Tradelinks Programme is for them.

Tradelinks will assist micro-businesses by providing:• a wide-ranging suite of programmes specifically designed to address the issues unique to the micro-enterprise sector.• a team of experienced assessors and mentors • the opportunity to form cross-border linkages with similar micro-enterprises • a full signposting service to other programmes.

To find out further details about the Programme or to register an interest, please contact:

Stephen Scullion on 028 2565 8616 orEmail: [email protected]


News, Awards & Events

Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Awards Deadline Extended

Good news! The deadline for the ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011’ has been extended until 22 September, allowing a more substantial prize pool and even more time to nominate the best young entrepreneurs across Northern Ireland. If possible, could you update the entry deadline on the information you may have uploaded to your website.

As a reminder, applicants should be between 16-30 years of age and running their own business for less than three years. Entry deadline is now 22/09/2011. If you would like to nominate someone who you believe fits the bill please contact Advantage at [email protected] Alternatively, they can enter online today at www.advantage-ni.com/awards For the young person, entry into the awards allows access to the possibility of:

• Winning part of a substantial prize pool

• Gaining coveted title of ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’

• Extensive media coverage for all the finalists. Last year’s coverage included BBC, UTV, Radio Ulster, features of finalists in national newspapers and coverage in a number of local newspapers and a range of online sites

• Access to one-to-one mentoring. All applicants will be offered the ability to apply for mentoring – where you will be paired up with a successful business person who will help guide you on the next stage of development.

Advantage NI are Tweeting from the roof tops about their new ‘Tweet The Expert’ service for young entrepreneurs.

Managed by Advantage NI and supported by Invest Northern Ireland, this innovative service is the first of its kind in the UK or Ireland. Young Entrepreneurs tweet any business related question and receive an expert answer as fast as possible. Ian Murphy, Invest NI’s Managing Director of Clients and Entrepreneurship, said: “Innovation is important not only in business, but in the support businesses receive. By engaging our young entrepreneurs through social media, we are engaging with them on a platform they are familiar with and which has huge potential for the future.”

Gerry Ford, Director of Advantage NI, added: “Tweet the Expert is just one of a

Get an Advantage by Tweeting

range of innovative ways we support young entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland. As the nature of business changes, we need to change our support and help. At Advantage NI, we believe it is

important to engage young people through media they use day and daily, and what better way is there than supporting them through the fastest growing online communications network?”

So go ahead, Tweet The Expert, just tweet your question to @advantageni on Twitter or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/advantageni.

Chris Hughes, owner of Hughes Leisure Ltd and Business Boot Camp

graduate; Frankie McCourt, Invest NI and Craig Young, Advantage

celebrate ‘Tweet The Expert’


Antrim Enterprise Agency played host to forty local small business owners and managers keen to discover the secrets of better book-keeping at an evening workshop on Wednesday 15 June.

Business in the Community’s Connections programme, sponsored by ESBIE Electric Ireland, co-hosted the event in partnership with DARD Rural Enterprise, Grow South Antrim, Women on the Move and Antrim Enterprise Agency.

“Understanding the accounting process is the key to minimising the hassle of book-keeping,” said Bill Ellison, accountant and partner in BSx2, who delivered the workshop.

“At BSx2, we are always very keen to help show small businesses how to improve their financial and cashflow management, and make sure all record keeping is legally compliant. This will make them better businesses and improve their long-term sustainability.”

Kerry McClintock, Business Development Officer, Antrim Enterprise Agency, said: “Bill Ellison gave a very clear and practical explanation of the basic principles of book-keeping and how to make sure all record keeping is legally compliant. The workshop provided a

great opportunity for local businesses to improve their management skills and learn how the introduction of a few simple practices can help reduce their overall accounting cost.”

“Knowing that your finances and book-keeping are being handled properly and professionally makes good business sense,” explained Heather Major, Business in the Community.

“This workshop was one in a series being delivered

across Northern Ireland as part of our Connections small business initiative to help share best practice and promote responsible, sustainable growth.”

“We are delighted to play our part via the Connections programme, helping to nurture economic growth within the small business community,” said Susan Kinane, Managing Director of ESBIE Electric Ireland.

“The Northern Ireland economy has great potential

and we believe that the business community must pull together to provide every competitive advantage for the SME sector. The Connections seminar series is proving to be an important step towards delivering this.”

For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call (028) 9046 0606.

Or visit these websites: www.bitcni.org.uk;www.advantage-ni.com/awards

Better Book-Keeping for Antrim Small Businesses


Working together to help local small businesses with better book-keeping, from left to right: Kerry McClintock, Antrim Enterprise Agency; Heather Major, Business in the Community; Bill Ellison, BSx2; Claire Anderson, DARD Rural Enterprise; Emma Stubbs, Grow South Antrim and Vilma Patterson, Women on the Move

The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) in partnership with Ballymena Borough Council, Ballymena Chamber of Commerce, Ballymena Business Centre and A4e invite you to a free networking and information seminar to discover more about DEL’s Free Initiatives and Funded Schemes to help you do business smarter

and take your business to another level.

Over breakfast:• Find out how to access an employer subsidy, up to £75 per week to assist with the cost of new staff.• Learn how to secure £1000 worth of business consultancy and a co-investment approach to staff development through DEL’s

Management Analysis and Planning programme (MAP). Hear a local employer’s personal experience.• Learn more about DEL’s FREE recruitment service.• Find out about opportunities to match your needs with the needs of individuals looking to access quality work placements for work experience. • Get the lowdown on pre-

employment training for new staff.• Find out more about customised training for existing staff.

To register:e-mail [email protected] or telephone Teresa Campbell 028 2563 7054

Free Breakfast Seminar


July saw a motion calling for domestic violence to be regarded as a priority for the Department of Justice, attracting unanimous support from all parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and Ballymena businesses have demonstrated their support for victims locally by being awarded the first Workplace Charter for the town.

Mayor of Ballymena, Cllr. Hubert Nicholl was amongst those who attended the 2nd Annual Workplace Charter Awards Ceremony, at the University of Ulster on Tuesday 31 May, to support Ballymena businesses who have adopted the Workplace Charter and Safe Place initiative. Speaking after the event, he said: “We want every citizen in Ballymena to feel safe. We take for granted the safety of our own home, yet we know

that for many local residents, the home is the one place where they are most at risk. There were 818 incidents of domestic violence in Ballymena last year. We shouldn’t turn a blind eye. I welcome these businesses who are standing up to offer a Safe Place for victims to access information, and would encourage many more organisations to consider following their example.”

Amongst the businesses and organisations who have been awarded the Workplace Charter – developed by Ballymena social economy business Onus – are Ballymena PSNI and Northern Health and Social Care Trust, through to smaller local organisations such as The Front Page and Momentum.

Colette Stewart, Business Manager of Onus said: “We believe that domestic

Ballymena Demonstrates Support for Victims of Domestic Violence


Michael McNaghten of St Louis Grammar School attended Work Placement at Ballymena Business Centre recently. Michael demonstrated his interest in Business Studies by undertaking market research and assisting in the preparation of Client Business Plans. Michael is an upper sixth student at St Louis Grammar School. The team at Ballymena Business Centre extend their best wishes to Michael as he undertakes his forthcoming A Levels.

violence is an issue for all of us, and we know that many businesses and organisations in Ballymena share that sentiment. We have developed the Workplace Charter and Safe Place to demonstrate to victims that they do not have to live with abuse. We hope to roll Safe Place out in Ballymena in the coming months and would encourage any organisation – who feels they could add their voice to our campaign to declare Ballymena a place where people can live and

work free from domestic violence – to support the Workplace Charter and Safe Place initiatives.”

Anyone dealing with domestic violence can access support by calling the 24hr Domestic Violence Helpline on 0800 917 1414. Safe Place resources also give contact information for PSNI, Victim Support and Childline. For further information contact Colette Stewart, Onus Business Manager on 028 2563 2136

L-R: Mayor Hubert Nicholl; Anne McAllister, of Momentum Coaching; Pam Lewis MLA; Colette Stewart, Business Manager Onus; Steven Reynolds, The Front Page, Ballymena


Further Education Serves the Needs of Industry

What does your job involve?My job involves managing all aspects of the School of Engineering and Science, including the Manufacturing Centre of Excellence within NRC – a centre that provides cutting edge technologies and training resources to support the manufacturing engineering industry in NI. The centre also provides a focal point for innovation in key sectors such as CAD/CAM, Robotics, CNC, Mechatronics/Maintenance Engineering, Fabrication & Welding, Electronics, and Rapid Prototyping.

What is so special about the Manufacturing Centre of Excellence?Under the stewardship of the Head of Faculty, and with a dedicated team of staff, we delivered an Engineering curriculum from relative obscurity (doing a very sound work but not really having the desired tie-up with our manufacturing industry) to the point in 2011 where the NRC Centre of Manufacturing Excellence is not only recognised across Northern Ireland as being one of the most progressive Engineering Colleges in the province, but has national and international linkages that are bringing about definite change and economic impact within specific industries.

Examples of international linkages at NRC Centre of Manufacturing Excellence:•Toyota (UK) – Toyota Academy set up in Farm Lodge.• Michelin Tyre PLC – Michelin Technical Training Centre set up in Farm Lodge and also a recently appointed lecturing partnership.• Ryobi Aluminium Castings – lecturing partnership and high end economic engagement programmes.• F G Wilson – installation of an IGM Robot in Farm Lodge and continuing economic engagement programmes.• FESTO AG & Co – FESTO/Michelin Partnership and also the UKSkills Competitions – David Russell has now been appointed as a Mechatronics WorldSkills Trainer.• Schrader Electronics – installation of Automation Equipment in Farm Lodge.• Staff now working with companies in the Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, and two staff taking on the awesome responsibility of delivering worldwide (Houston, Belfast and Singapore) a ‘Mechanical Design for Manufacture’ programme to Schlumberger – a company that has some 76,000 employees worldwide.

What are the challenges ahead?There are significant challenges ahead. We as a team need to ensure that we continue to ‘Bring Education and Industry Together’ to ensure that NI PLC has the technical skills set to meet the demands of the Government led Knowledge Economy Initiatives.We know that we need to look at the following developments over the next few years to achieve this:• Seeking of New European Funding Initiatives.• Developing Continuous Professional Development Time on new machinery and equipment to enhance our Human Resource.• Investing in Innovation and Development Time.• Encouragement of staff to engage with industry through further Lecturers Into Industry programmes.• Securing of temporary staff into permanent contracts.• Building NRC capacity to deliver with confidence.• Linking of universities, colleges, schools and industry through new Global Initiatives (Industry Led Innovation Communities) to create dynamic partnerships that

produce seamless solutions and allow the economy to grow in the newly emerging technologies of the future.• To be at the forefront – not playing catch-up – in the Global Knowledge Led Economy.

How would you describe the college’s close link with industry?Engineering is constantly changing, and that’s driven by the world of technology, which keeps industry moving forward. That constant change has been part of the whole process we have been trying to work on over the last 13 or 14 years – to bring the college staff and resources up to a level that can match the world of industry. Our theme has been to bring education and industry together.

How did it feel to be recognised for your services to further education with an MBE at the start of year?It was a genuine shock.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?As engineers, we are part of the solution to any of the problems encountered.

IntoBusiness talks to Doctor Brian Hill, the man in charge of the Faculty of Engineering at the Northern Regional College Ballymena, about success, plans for the future and his recently awarded MBE for services to further education and training.

Dr Brian Hill receiving his MBE at the start of the year


wishing to have a Northern Ireland base.

Meeting Room and Conference HireThe centre offers three different types of rooms to hire for business meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences, interviews, exhibitions and launches. Each option will be customised to meet your individual needs. Room hire is available Monday to Friday 9am–5pm with flexible booking arrangements in place for full day or half day. And you can take advantage of their excellent administrative support, catering services, Wi-Fi connectivity capabilities, interactive audio visual equipment, onsite parking facilities, disabled access and pleasant surroundings. All these plus their attention to detail will contribute to the success of your event/meeting.

Start and Grow Your BusinessWith their dedicated team of in-house business advisors, the Business Centre offer a range of services providing support for your business from start up through to business growth and export opportunities. They are focused on delivering

complex can avail of on-site office services, meeting rooms, conference facilities, business services, networking events and access to business support organisations.In addition to all of the above benefits, each business occupies their business unit under an ‘easy in easy out’ Licence Agreement with the flexibility of no long term lease. Workspace opportunities are currently available in Galgorm and Ballymena South. To view available units visit www.enterprisingproperties.com

Prestigious Business AddressHaving the right business address creates a professional image for your business. At Ballymena Business Centre they are ideally placed to offer the services of a postal address, telephone answering service and day office facilities for business meetings – giving you the time to concentrate on running your business without worrying about missing an important call or small postal delivery. Over 15 local businesses currently avail of their Business Address Service, which is ideal for those working from home, starting a business or even international companies

services tailored to the needs of your business.

Business services include: Business Planning for new and developing businesses, Financial Planning, Business Assessment, Improvement and Innovation, Marketing, Networking, ICT and much, much more. Business services are delivered in a variety of formats, including one-to-one coaching, seminars, events and workshops. Their team of business advisors are regular contributors to the IntoBusiness Magazine and can be contacted at any time.

Get ConnectedIt is often difficult for those running a business to keep up to date with all the support that is available. Business support can be in the form of loans, grants, advice, guidance, one-to-one mentoring, group workshops and networking. Such support can be available from a wide range of organisations within the education, business, statutory, voluntary and private sector. It can often be time consuming and sometimes confusing researching what is available to you and your business.

Ballymena Business Centre providing much needed enterprise support in the Ballymena area.

Profile on:Ballymena Business Centre Ltd

The Ballymena Business Centre’s focus remains fixed on enterprise development by helping those embarking on their business journey for the first time and those seeking to grow and develop an existing business. Should you operate a retail, manufacturing, craft, tourism, engineering or service business, Ballymena Business Centre has a product to offer everyone.

Business Workspace Units The Ballymena Business Centre complex is located close to the village of Galgorm. This prestigious development consists of 61 well appointed business units, currently hosting 42 new and developing businesses.With pleasant surroundings each business unit is well presented and designed to accommodate a multiple mix of business users including service, manufacturing, office, light industrial and workshop accommodation.Starting from £69 per week all business units are self-contained with a choice of single or three phase power supply, full disability access and washroom facilities.Set in modern landscaped grounds with 140 free parking spaces each business located at the

Business Support

Curious, but not everyone knows we do business insurance

We do.

Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited.

We do right by you

Call 028 25652773 for a quote or pop into the o�ce to talk to us at NFU Mutual O�ce, 124 Broughshane Street, Ballymena, Co Antrim, BT43 6EE. [email protected]


on local enterprise needs. Over the forthcoming year Ballymena Enterprise Forum will be reaching out to enterprising communities and organisations. It will be sponsored by Ballymena Business Centre with membership being provided free of charge. Any enterprising community or organisation from the voluntary, statutory, educational or private sector that would like to register their interest in this forum should contact Ballymena Business Centre.

Supporting the Local Business CommunityAs a business the Ballymena Business

greater Ballymena area on a quarterly basis providing an excellent advertising platform for local businesses or for local professionals to share their expertise and advice with others. To read this magazine online visit www.ballymenabusiness.co.uk

Ballymena Enterprise Forum Ballymena Enterprise Forum is a new forum aimed at connecting enterprising communities throughout the Ballymena Borough Council area. The objectives are to join up enterprising communities, to share good practice in promoting enterprise, to reach out to local entrepreneurs and to inform key stakeholders

Centre actively contributes towards Corporate Social Responsibility by giving back to the local community. Ballymena Business Centre is managed by a board of directors who give their time, on a voluntary basis, to support local entrepreneurship. The profits are reinvested for the future development of services offered, and for the promotion of entrepreneurship. Ballymena Business Centre management and business advisor teams also give of their time on a voluntary basis within the community – working in partnership with local schools, social enterprises, networking groups and key business and statutory stakeholders.

Get in TouchFor more information on Ballymena Business Centre or on any of the services, to make an appointment to view facilities or to discuss your business needs with their business advisors, please contact the centre:

Tel: 028 2565 8616Email: [email protected]: www.ballymenabusiness.co.uk

To get you on the right track the centre’s business advisors are available to give you guidance and get you connected with business support organisations throughout Northern Ireland.

Event ManagementThe ‘Business Support Team’ at the centre has extensive experience of organising and managing prestigious business events, from local Ballymena events through to business events at a Northern Ireland level. Their event management service includes all aspects of event design, creation, management and marketing. Should you be organising a business launch, business anniversary event, workshop, seminar or business conference they offer a bespoke service that meets your individual needs.

IntoBusiness MagazineThis glossy business magazine is the first of its kind for Ballymena and has been designed to provide helpful tips and advice to those in business, and to provide inspiration and encouragement for those embarking upon a new business venture. Five thousand copies of this business magazine are distributed within the

Business Centre Directors and Chief Executive at the 2011 AGM [L-R]: Mary Hamilton; Mervyn Rankin; Aileen Graham OBE; Melanie Christie Boyle; Jim Briggs; PJ McAvoy, Chairperson; John Stuart; Joe McKernan; James Perry, Vice Chairperson; Audrey Wales MBE and James Wallace, Company Auditor

The Business Centre Team [L-R]: Stephen Scullion, Manager; Joy Knox, Business Advisor; Hilary McMillan, Facilities Manager; Patricia Elliott, Business Advisor; Lynn Stewart, Facilities Co-ordinator; Jenine McIlroy, Accounts Officer; Melanie Christie Boyle, Chief Executive


Ballykeel Business Centre

This meant any enterprise project in the area was seen as a great risk. Despite best efforts of a small number from within the community, who were actively devoting their voluntary time to make Ballykeel a better place to live and work, low levels of confidence within the community and lack of evidence of the community working together made it seem unlikely that any organisation would be prepared to invest substantial amounts of money to support enterprise in the area.

Ballykeel: An Economic and Enterprise VisionThe success of Ballykeel has required a great deal of determination and patience,

and has been a slow growing process. To address the perception issues, every opportunity has been celebrated, no matter how small, and good news stories publicised. Awareness of the opportunities that enterprise could bring was raised through partnerships with Ballymena Borough Council and Ballymena Business Centre. Activities, such as workshops, promotions and information leaflets, were targeted at everyone, including key community stakeholders. Over time, the local community recognised and understood the benefits that an Economic Development Project focusing on the enterprise theme could bring to the local area. Once this stage

had been reached, Ballykeel was able to move forward jointly and create an ‘Economic and Enterprise Vision’.

The aim of the ‘Enterprise Vision’ was to unite the area, so it needed to be easily understood and accepted – providing direction and inspiration for the way ahead. Seeking representation from various community groups and through joint workshops, Ballykeel Business Development Ltd identified key words that embraced collectively the community’s ambition, and developed the following joint vision for the project:

‘To revitalise and stabilise the Ballykeel community through an Enterprise Culture that would be open and accessible to all. Ultimately having a positive economic and social impact at a micro community level.’

Aims and ObjectivesThrough the support of Ballymena Borough Council and Ballymena Business Centre the project then established detailed aims, including helping to develop private and community enterprises, creating jobs at a local level, and providing suitable workspaces.Once a potential location for the project was identified on waste ground where the Primary School had been formerly located, the Business Strategy fell into place. Key to the success of this strategy was Ballykeel

Background to BallykeelLocated on the outskirts of Ballymena, the ward of Ballykeel ranks as one of the most deprived within Northern Ireland. It has high deprivation levels and problems with housing, education and crime, resulting in low enterprise activity.

Adding to this backdrop was a wide range of other factors – all making the area unattractive to entrepreneurs and business investment. Negative media stories about the area often made the headlines at both local and regional level, contributing to the perception of Ballykeel as a poor choice of place to start a business.

Despite many challenges, the Ballykeel community – through the leadership of Ballymena Borough Council Economic Development Department and partnership approach with Ballymena Business Centre – has been transformed into a hotbed of enterprise.

In London in 2006, Ballykeel Business Centre was awarded the prestigious Enterprising Britain NI Regional Winner Award and subsequently the Enterprising Britain UK Highly Commended Award (supported by Invest NI and Department of Trade and Investment)

Hilary McMillanFacilities ManagerBallykeel Business Centre

Case Study


Business Centre, a 10,000 sq ft development on the allocated waste ground, accommodating workspace units, training facilities and administrative support. This waste ground was purchased by Ballymena Borough Council and transferred in kind to Ballykeel Business Development Ltd.

Ballykeel Business Centre was the first of its kind, having no other local case studies in deprived areas within the North East region of Northern Ireland to compare it to. Opened in 2002, the initial targets were to generate occupancy levels of 25 percent in Year 1, 50 percent in Year 2 and 75 percent in Year 3 – to include 70 percent of all business tenants from the local community. As well as to create employment opportunities for 30 people, attract funding investment of £600,000, to reinvest profits within the Ballykeel community, and be self-sustainable by Year 5.

High AchieverHowever, the centre has far exceeded these targets. At the end of Year 1 the centre achieved 100 percent occupancy with 90 percent of tenant businesses from Ballykeel. Four of these being new businesses creating 39 new jobs in total. On the strength of this success, more waste ground was secured and transferred from Ballymena Borough Council, as well as an additional £3/4m investment from Department

of Social Development and International Fund For Ireland for the development of 16 additional business units to meet local demand.

On the strength of this new second phase development, local businesses have been established. Currently the centre has 100 percent occupancy and has provided sustainable job creation for 58 paid employees.

Melanie Christie Boyle, Chief Executive, Ballymena Business Centre highlights: “This enterprise project captures everything innovation is about and now acts as a role model for other local community developments. The approach captured the confidence of Ballymena Borough Council and through their intervention, support was received from the International Fund for Ireland, Department of Social Development and Local Strategy Partnership to invest in Ballymena Enterprise Solution. Support was also gained from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Invest NI North East Region, Training and Employment Agency, Northern Bank and local community associations.”

Ballykeel is now recognised not only at a regional level but also at a UK level as a best practice social enterprise delivering a sustainable solution to economic and social regeneration.

Main ActivitiesFocusing on economic and enterprise development initiatives within the ward of Ballykeel, the main activities of the Ballykeel Business Centre include provision of workspace facilities and business support services tailored to meet the needs of private and community enterprises from within the area.

Come along and experience jewellery making for a day. Learn the techniques involved and create your own piece of sterling silver jewellery under the watchful eye of trained goldsmiths. This is a full day course and lunch at Gillies is included. No prior experience is necessary. Space for six

people. Suitable for groups, birthdays, anniversaries, hen parties and team building

events.

Suppliers of Pork, Bacon & Sausages

Ballykeel Business CentreCrebily Road

BallymenaMobile: 07889 451109

FACTORY SHOP OPEN TOTHE PUBLIC

The Naomi Centre, 2 Cullybackey RoadBallymena, BT43 5DF

028 2563 2136www.onustraining.co.uk


Growing Your Business

to be earned by outsource vendors by demonstrating competence and acting fairly, but this requires an element of confidence in the first place in order to agree to outsource.

However, the use of social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, has meant businesses can gain the acceptance (and potentially trust) of people within their network without having met them.

These forms of social media are increasingly becoming

This everyday activity illustrates the essence of outsourcing – a realisation that external expertise is required or can be acquired to complete work normally performed internally within a company, which will be of benefit to that company.

Outsourcing grew from the view that if companies could just concentrate on excelling what they did best – their core operations – and leave the other parts of their business to companies with expertise in that area, then logically they could improve

their competitiveness and their overall performance.This view gained further prominence in reaction to the explosive effects of globalisation coupled with the opening up and deregulation of markets, which left organisations in increasingly turbulent environments. At the same time customer demand led to intensified competition, where the only sustainable advantage was an organisation’s ability to compete better. These market conditions meant organisations found it increasingly difficult to exist

in isolation and to follow independent competitive strategies. More and more organisations started to work in collaboration.

Companies now routinely outsource payroll processing, accounting, IT, distribution, and many other important functions because they need to watch their expenses or as a result of a strategic alliance.Trust is a potential barrier to overcome, especially if the outsource company is not personally known to the host company. Trust is likely

Growth Through OutsourcingYour recent home DIY efforts have ended in disaster. Reluctantly you concede you do not have the necessary skills or equipment to finish the job and must call in a professional...sound familiar?

ADVANTAGES

Resources not available internallyOutsourcing can build capability and provide companies access to resources they otherwise do not have. This is especially true for companies expanding into new geographical areas or utilising new technology.

Reduce and control operating costsOutsourcing can leverage the economies of scales of the outsource company making it cheaper to outsource activities and thus reduce operating costs and increase competitive advantage.

Gain access to expert capabilitiesAs it is their core competence, outsource providers have the expertise, technology, and people that you may not have.

Free internal resources for other purposesHelps a company focus its resources on core activities, to enhance customer satisfaction and increase competitive advantage.

Greater efficienciesCan result in dramatic improvements in cost, quality, service and speed.

Make capital funds availableCan reduce the need to invest capital, which is not core to the business.

Share risksOutsourcing providers make investments on behalf of many clients, thus the risk of investment is spread among many, reducing the risk born by a single client company.

DISADVANTAGES

Loss of managerial controlWhen a function is outsourced the management and control of that function moves to the outsource company. Hidden costsAny activity which lies outside the agreed outsource contract or service level agreement will attract additional charges. You may also incur potential legal fees of a lawyer to review outsource contracts. Information security and confidentialityAny confidential information transmitted to an outsourcing company runs the risk it may be compromised. How will the outsourcing company protect your information – are they liable if an incident occurs. Quality problemsHow will you monitor the quality and performance of the outsource company and will they produce the required quality for your customers. Is the outsource company financially robust?If the outsourcing company went bankrupt, what impact would it have on your business? Bad publicity and social responsibilityIf the outsource company is involved in any immoral activities or actions how would this impact customer perceptions of your company.

The decision to outsource can be balanced against the following advantages and disadvantages:

Stephen ScullionManagerBallymena Business Centre


The Decisionto Outsource

SupplierSelection

ContractualArrangements

Managingthe Relationship

Based on cost or track record

Requirement specification, length of contract, service level agreements, legal issues, complaints process, etc.

Structure, roles and responsibilities, skills and resources required, evaluation and feedback mechanisms

Can it be shown that an activity could be better performed outside the organisation?

What to Consider?When thinking about outsourcing for your company it may help to consider the following steps to ensure you end up with a framework you are happy with.

the means for small businesses to reach out and establish trust based relationships with their outsourcing partners.

Supplier SelectionWhen thinking about potential outsource companies to partner with, it might be helpful to consider the following attributes and outsource criteria:

• The contract terms and service level agreement• References/reputation of the outsource company• How much extra value will the outsource company add?• What is their commitment to quality?• What is the price of the outsource service?• What is the scope of the outsource company’s resources – is it scalable?• Cultural match – do they share your company values?• Do you have an existing relationship?

• What is the outsource company location?

Managing the RelationshipTo effectively manage an outsource project you need to make sure you know who it is – from within your company – who is responsible for the relationship, and what their

responsibilities are. It is good practice to establish routines of daily or weekly review calls to monitor performance and possibly provide incentives, depending on the type of outsource project.

In the quest to help companies enhance their competitive advantage

outsourcing can be a compelling decision to take, but it needs to be looked upon as an organisational competence, and like any other competences it requires learning and understanding.


Case Study

Save & Donate are set to become a major, global online portal serving the most prestigious brand names. But six months ago it was just an idea on the drawing board...

Growing an Online Business:

Save & Donate

Half a year ago serial entrepreneur Gerard Rodgers and partner Judith O’Hagan sat down with their team to outline a concept to provide an online sales retail portal for top brand names but with a twist. The twist being the consumer would get a retail discount on every online sale and at the same time a donation would be made to a charity of the consumer’s choice at no additional cost to the consumer. It was a win-win concept for stakeholders involved and Save & Donate was born.

How it WorksThe retailers• Gain from increased channel sales volumes • Indirectly help charities, as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

The charities• Obtain fundraising on a continuous basis• Gain increased profile awareness on the Save & Donate web portal, with potential secondary marketing benefits.

The consumer benefits from:•The convenience of shopping online and using the same web portal for their shopping requirements so they do not have to navigate different websites• Cashback on every sale

• Philanthropy towards nominated charities at no additional cost to them.

Like all good ideas the concept is simple yet ingenious.

Decision to OutsourceAs many of the skills required to get the concept off the ground were simply not available to Save & Donate, the answer was simple – outsource them.

Save & Donate based their decision to outsource on the following reasons:• Resources were not available internally to complete the important tasks • To gain access to expert capabilities within the specific field of study• Outsourcing would dramatically shorten the ‘time to market’ for the new business and establish the market leading position of the business early on • Rather than incur staff costs by employing staff with necessary skills, Save & Donate were able to save money at this early stage of company development by outsourcing and closely monitoring operational costs. This kept necessary cash within the business, helping company cashflow.• Outsourcing allowed the Save & Donate team to focus on developing the business model to provide

input into the final design, feel and look of the new web portal site and establish the service offering for all stakeholders, ready for market entry.

Save & Donate identified three main areas to outsource:1. Web portal design and creative input2. Web portal hosting

3. Promotional marketing

Outsource Vendor Selection

Web portal design and creative input

The core business of Save & Donate relied heavily on technology to bring all stakeholders together onto a single web portal platform. Getting the ICT infrastructure right was critical and needed to be carefully designed and implemented if the new company was to operate effectively and credibly from the start. Sufficient capability existed internally within the company to provide a conceptual specification for the web portal but the software build and creative design would need to be outsourced to professionals within the respective fields.

The company chose the software developer

and creative design professionals for the following reasons: • Gerard Rodgers already had existing personal relationships with them and trusted them• The software developer was experienced and worked as senior lecturer in IT at a prestigious university so already had the skill sets and access to research, as well as an extensive professional network to draw upon. • The software developer had credibility, having previously built similar web packages for some top names in the business • Both professionals were UK based• Cost for both individuals were within budgets.

A Save & Donate contract terms of reference was signed between all parties allowing flexibility as the needs of the business changed. Both professionals also signed a confidentiality agreement covering the entire business concept, and Save & Donate established daily routines to continuously monitor the quality and performance of the web portal design and expected completion dates.

Hosting In order to operate the web portal professionally the decision was made to have it hosted by a third party.

1

2


As their core business the third party hosting company could offer Save & Donate:• Terrorist proof physical site security• Multiple telecoms access for disaster recovery with vast bandwidth• The capability for 500K web hits per hour • Scalability and future proofing – access to extensive telecom and hardware resources • Investments in the latest technology • Flexible contract and modular cost structure so Save & Donate understood exactly what they were getting, what the charges were and the flexibility with the requirements of the business.Due to modern telecoms infrastructure the geographic location of the hosting company was not a priority. A number of premier hosting companies operate within the UK, so a shortlist was drawn up

against established criteria and the winning company awarded the hosting contract.

Promotional Marketing As the new business

entered the launch phase all available resources were tied up making sure the operations would go smoothly. Thus, it was felt that additional resources were required on a short term basis to help with the promotional efforts in establishing and creating awareness of the new business. Besides traditional promotional methods, efforts would be focused on the use of social media to drive viral promotional campaigns. Again, within Gerard’s expansive business network a marketing specialist with requisite skills in all relevant areas was identified and brought on board at the required timeframe of the business launch. Their remit

and timescales were clearly stated in their contract terms of reference and like other professionals used on the project, the marketing specialist also signed a confidentiality agreement.

Managing the RelationshipPartner organisations within outsource arrangements need to create a culture of trust and mutual respect, which is likely to be earned through competence and a close working professional relationship. Save & Donate place great emphasis on creating and maintaining the processes and routines – that such an environment requires – as part of how they manage collaborative relationships. This involves establishing the daily routines to review and monitor performance and potentially provide incentives, if required. The outsource companies have

become strategic partners to Save & Donate and are treated as an extension of the company operations.

Moreover, all the outsource contracts Save & Donate entered into are able to be modified, or terminated, whenever the changing nature of the business dictates such changes are appropriate. Having such flexibility contributes to the building of trust, quality and performance management between the collaborative partners.

In an age of increasingly turbulent markets where the only sustainable advantage is an organisation’s ability to compete better, Save & Donate realised the benefits of outsourcing at an early stage in their business development.

3



New Businesses Urged Not to Miss OutMinister urges Ballymena businesses not to miss out on money they could be entitled to through the National Insurance holiday.Treasury Minister, David Gauke, who visited Belfast to discuss rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy, has reminded local businesses not to miss out on money they could be entitled to through the Regional Employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) holiday for new businesses. There are currently 213 businesses benefitting from the scheme in Northern Ireland, but there

are likely to be many more eligible.The scheme is designed to encourage the creation of private sector jobs in regions reliant on public sector employment by reducing the cost to new business of employing staff. The holiday is available to businesses set up since 22 June 2010 and is worth up to £5,000 for up to the first ten employees hired in their first year of business. This means a

maximum saving on National Insurance payments of up to £50,000. Eligible new businesses can apply for a refund of NICs that they have already paid.David Gauke, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: “There are hundreds of new businesses in Northern Ireland that could be missing out on up to £50,000 through the National Insurance holiday. The Government is already

looking at how we can rebalance the Northern Ireland economy but the NICs holiday, along with the cuts to corporation tax we announced at Budget, can give an instant boost to new businesses. It’s quick and easy to apply for and I’d encourage all new businesses and their advisers to find out more.”The scheme runs until 5 September 2013.

Ballymena Borough Council Funds Successful Business Improvement Programme The Ballymena Business Improvement Programme is an initiative from Ballymena’s Economic Development Strategy, which provides a vision for the local authority area and a working framework for Ballymena Borough Council and other key stakeholders.

The Business Improvement Programme was delivered to 15 local businesses by Ballymena Business Centre and Northern Regional College.

Participating businesses benefited from business improvement consultation,

market analysis, improvement performance plan and one-to-one business mentoring.

Ballymena Borough Council Economic Development Strategy states: “Business and enterprise development is fundamental to sustainable

growth in Ballymena, and in today’s current economic climate the need to increase business survival rates and encourage growth through efficient work practices is more prevalent than ever.”

Melanie Christie Boyle, Ballymena Business Centre; Irvine Abraham, Northern Regional College; PJ McAvoy, Ballymena Business Centre; Stephen Scullion, Ballymena Business Centre; Trevor Neilands, Northern Regional College and Jacqueline Reid, Ballymena Borough Council delivering the Business Improvement Programme


Rosanne Cecil, Blackthorn Cottage (self-catering holiday cottage)

Dr Samuel Paul, Principal Engineer, Solve Engineering “Since starting my own mechanical design consultancy in 2006, I have found being in business both challenging and rewarding. I prefer being accountable to myself and my clients instead of being accountable to an employer. Being in business allows me the flexibility to pursue my preferred career interests and make the most of any

“The benefit of being in this business has been to transform a formerly derelict 200-year-old cottage into a comfortable well-equipped location for visitors to County Antrim.”

Bernie Doran, BD Fitness “Being your own boss has to be the main point, you are in control of all the business decisions and no one has the power to overrule you. Starting your own business gives you more passion to succeed, especially when you are self-driven. You can make up your own holiday times and days off. Learning all the tricks of the trade can be fun and extremely fulfilling.”

opportunities that arise. The specialist design work we do is varied and interesting, and not knowing what sort of machine or process system we will be working on in a few months time keeps it exciting and helps our business develop and improve.

Being in business allows me more control of the quality standard of the work I do and also the workload I take on. I have found that if you’re not too greedy then, when you’re established, being in business can lead to a better work life balance than you might otherwise have as an employee.”

What are the Benefits of Being in Business? We asked some of the participants of the Ballymena Business

Improvement Programme what they thought the benefits of running their own business were...

Robbie Orr, Aspire Business Solutions “I became a joint director of Aspire, nearly four years ago, having spent upwards of thirty years being employed in various organisations. I value the personal development and new skills which have been achieved from the support of my joint directors, and various mentors, not least the personnel of Ballymena Business Centre. A great benefit of ‘being your own boss’ is the flexibility and freedom of time management.”

Local media firm, Elbowroom Media took delivery of two advertising bikes at the start of the summer and have already conducted a number of campaigns in the town centre.

Jonathan Dempster, Guitar Tutor from the Music Rooms – one of the first companies to use this new form of advertising – said: “It’s hard to stand out from the crowd, the ad bikes allowed us to contact

potential new students directly. We were able to have the riders hand out promotional material and we have had numerous phone calls, and taken on loads of new students. We even got phone calls as the bikes were being cycled around. It’s new and it works.”

To book the ad bikes or to find out more call Elbowroom Media on 028 2500 2005.

Bored of the Same Old Advertising Options?A new form of alternative advertising has hit the streets of Ballymena, and it’s one that will certainly get your business noticed.


As a trainer, two of the questions Harry Harpur from The Loop Training Consultancy is most often asked are, ‘How do I motivate people?’, and ‘How do I get my team to perform to the best of their capabilities?’ Harry shares with us his experience and the motivating techniques that are so crucial in business.

‘‘

‘‘

Having studied motivational theories then worked with and played in teams, there are a number of areas where I don’t think there is a very clear focus on what motivation is all about. Indeed, when delivering workshops on motivation, I very rarely focus on theory or the academic approach as, in my experience, that is one sure way to de-motivate people!

It is not what you say, it is how you say it and how you behave.

The bottom line is, when it comes to motivation, you need to look at yourself first and foremost. Your team is a reflection of you, and if you are not motivated, how can you expect anyone else to be up for it? Communication is crucial when it comes to managing and motivating teams – it is a well known fact that 93 percent of all communication is non-verbal. Therefore, it is not what you

say, it is how you say it and how you behave.

The more self-aware you are of your mannerisms and habits, the more you will be able to play to your strengths. For example, a simple little trick is ask yourself do you smile? It is amazing what a smile can do. Have you ever worked with grumpy people – the moaners and groaners? Did you notice how they can bring others down with them?

Attitude is KeyThis links into a key factor in motivation – attitude. As a trainer, I am confident in being able to train anybody in anything, but what I can’t do is to train you to have the right attitude. Therefore, you can have all the talent in the world and have the best people, but

if they do not want to perform, it will not happen.

The job of the ‘motivator’ is to understand what makes each individual team member tick; listen to them and make them feel valued – it is then easier to motivate individually. Some are motivated by money, some by status, some just need a little TLC. Your skill as a motivator is to work out who needs what and when. No easy task in this challenging climate – however, I believe it is non-negotiable.

Using this form of ‘Emotional Intelligence’ gives the motivator the ability or skill to identify, assess and control the emotions of themselves and others. The emotionally intelligent person can harness emotions, even negative ones,

and manage them to achieve intended goals.

Having worked with a number of sports teams, including Belfast Giants, Celtic FC, Rangers FC and Chelsea FC, where people can get carried away with their own egos, I have found the best motivators have the ability to refocus the team on one goal and then work together to achieve all their goals.


People

Harry Harpur Managing Director The Loop

In my opinion, the key ingredients for motivating others are:

Attitude – you have to want to do it

Emotional intelligence

Strong vision

Ability to communicate at all levels and listen


that you know and like being around; they motivate just by being there, they have a presence.

Each team requires a strong leader with these skills and a role model to look up to. It is all about the soft skills with the ability to show some ‘tough love’ when tough decisions have to be made.

In business, as in sport, no-one will give you anything, your talent alone is not good enough. Desire, hunger and a drive to achieve is what you need.

As a motivator, if you can get people to ‘believe’ and ‘want to achieve’, the capacity for success is unrivalled. Problems occur when individuals within the team do not know where they are going, are unchallenged or, worse case scenario, do not want to know.

Motivation comes from within and can be an unconscious skill that gains buy-in from those around you. Think about those charismatic individuals

Top Left: Various business delegates on a local Leadership Programme

Left: Harry with the Belfast Giants –motivating a team in business just as in sport creates success and reward

find Industrial Space

find Office Space

find Retail Space

in Ballymena...

1st Month Rent Free

No LeaseMonthly Agreementwww.enterprisingproperties.comt: 02825658616 e: [email protected]

for all types of BusinessesMultipurpose WorkspaceEnterprising Properties


What is a Virtual Office?A virtual office is a combination of off-site live communication and address services that allow users to reduce traditional office costs while maintaining a professional business image.

What Does a Virtual Office Offer?Typically a virtual office will offer a prestigious business address, call handling, mail handling and room hire facilities for business meetings. Depending upon your business needs most virtual office providers will offer a bespoke service to match your business requirements.

Who Typically Uses a Virtual Office Service?The very nature of a virtual office means that it is an attractive solution for sole traders working from home through to multinationals looking to break into new markets.

Things to Consider When Selecting a Virtual OfficeStartups.co.uk offers the following tips when selecting a virtual office service company:

Visit the CompanyThey may have sophisticated technology, or they may have a chaotic mess of telephones – you’ll never know until you see for yourself.

Check the HistoryA lot of small companies have sprung up in the last five years, so check that the company has experience and can last the course.

Speak to the ReceptionistsThese are the front line for your business and the first impression for customers, so make sure you’re happy with them.

Ask for a Free TrialIf they’re confident about the quality of their service, and serious about providing it, they should be happy to let you try it first.

Decide What You WantSome companies deliver a basic message-taking service, others offer the entire virtual office experience – what level of service do you want?

Plan for the FutureYou don’t want to have to leave a company just because its not keeping up with the times, so check it’s investing in technology.

Do Your SumsThe complicated pricing structures can be confusing, so work out a sample month, and look for the hidden costs.

Read the ContractLook at the length of contract, and how much notice you will need to give if you want to terminate it.

The Virtual OfficeOperating your business from a virtual office is an affordable alternative to renting office space. Often the virtual office service can be tailored to meet your business needs and can provide a cost effective business solution.

Location

10 Reasons for Using a Virtual Office Service

• Test market, a new product or service• Attract new customers with a new business address• Impress customers with your all day PA• More professional than using your home address• You can create the right image for your business• Save on the expense of sourcing and renting office facilities• Save on recruitment and employment costs• No long-term complicated legal contracts• Flexible service offering to meet your business needs• You will have more time to focus on growing your business

And Finally…The virtual office can offer a permanent solution to all businesses, whether they are at the start up stage, business growth stage or an international company

exploring new markets. Through outsourcing, this flexible solution should provide you with the most valuable asset of all – time to focus on your core business activity.



Women on the Move (WOTM) started as an organisation in 1993. Their aim is to encourage those thinking of starting a business – or those already in business – through informational events, networking opportunities and signposting of other events and information. The current membership, of almost 200, covers businesses in the retail, manufacturing and service sectors.

branding package and an opportunity for a speaker slot can be agreed.

“While we are called Women on the Move, we welcome those men brave enough to attend as speaker, sponsor, attendee or stall holder!”

“We also love to hear of the alternative names our friends and family call the organisation such as ‘Women on the Go’ and ‘Women on the Run’ as these names fit as well with our organisation. So come along and let us know.”

If you would like to contact WOTM, you can email [email protected] or send them a message via their Facebook page.

Women on the Move

The direction of Women on the Move is provided through a voluntary board. As well as local business women, there is also representation from the local enterprise agencies and Northern Regional College. The board is currently finalising details of the programme for the next session starting in September.

What to ExpectA typical event starts with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee and a chance to network. They also like to keep an eye for those attending for a first time to ensure they are made welcome.

Members are invited to put their business cards and brochures on an information table. This is one of the vital ways that the attendees get to share information about their business.They also offer a member slot where members can speak for five minutes about their business. While some may find the idea of this daunting, it is a great

opportunity to try a sales pitch on a trial audience.

At WOTM meetings you’ll be enlightened by a varied programme of speakers, many of whom give their time voluntarily. This past year their speakers have covered topics such as networking techniques, the power of positive thinking, social media and even a session with a money savings expert.

At the end of the night, there is more time to chat and network, and this is the time when real friendships and contacts can be made.

There are also opportunities for display stands at events to showcase products and services. Last November, they had a specific showcase event where retailers, manufacturers and those offering beauty therapies had stalls.

PartnershipsAs well as their own events, they have been fortunate to partner with other organisations such as

Business in the Community and the Federation of Small Business.

Women on the Move is part of BWNNI (Business Women’s Network Northern Ireland). Here members have the opportunity to meet with other women in business in the North West, the West, and Newry and Down. Over the past few years they have organised an annual joint event to cover the members from the whole of Northern Ireland.

If you are thinking of starting a business or have a business already, why not join to get the opportunity to meet others in a friendly environment where you can glean useful information and also meet and chat with those who are going through the same highs and lows and work life imbalance issues that you are facing.

If you have services, which you think could interest WOTM members, why not consider sponsoring one of their events where a

Networking


From MD to TVBusiness Role


Karren Brady is a lady at the top of the business tree, John Carleton has a look to see how she got there

Business Role Model


Early YearsKarren Brady began her successful career at the London Broadcasting Corporation (LBC). And she started as she intended to go on by earning more commission from ad sales than the rest of the team put together. After this she moved to the famous advertising agency Saacthi & Saacthi to work as a junior account handler.

I really believe in life-long learning. The minute you think you know it all is when you don’t know anything at all

Her next move would see her being headhunted by one of her clients – a certain David Sullivan –from the early days at LBC. The self-made publisher of the Daily Sport was so impressed by Karren’s ability to sell advertising to him (to the tune of £2m) that he offered her a job at his media company, Sports Newspapers Ltd in 1988. It didn’t take her long to settle in and within a year Karren was made a Director, at the age of 20.

FootballFour years later, in 1993, Sullivan bought struggling football club Birmingham City and made her Managing Director. It would be this role that would

propel the promising young business woman into the spotlight.

Karren recalls: “There was all this hoo-ha about this woman who had come in. I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about because I hadn’t gone in to run the team.

“I remember my first press conference. I was 23 and telling the reporters all these things I was going to do. At the end I asked if there were any questions and this big lump of a man put his hand up and said, ‘Sunday People. What are your vital statistics?’ I thought, ‘Oh God!’ Then I decided to embrace it.”

She continued as Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club until 2009 and during that time turned the club’s fortunes around. When Karren took over the club it was in administration, but in her first year at the helm, the club recorded a financial trading profit. In 1996 the club made an overall profit for the first time in modern history, and in February 1997 the club launched on the Stock Market valued at the time of float at £25million. At this time Karren was the youngest Managing Director of a PLC in the UK. During her tenure at Birmingham City, Karren increased the average gate

of the club from 6,000 to a sell-out capacity of over 30,000, and in 2009 her business was valued at over £80million. Karren continues her interest in top flight football and in January 2010 she was appointed vice chairman of West Ham United FC.

Her career has seen her make so many bold steps in differing industries that you get the feeling that she is continually challenging herself, and indeed she has said that although most “people are scared of change,” she likes it, and also admits that she loves “the challenge” of change.

AwardsKarren’s success and contribution to the business world have been recognised on many occasions. She was voted by Cosmopolitan as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World in 2004. In November 2006 she won the Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year, in the category of Women Who Have Changed the World. In October 2007 Karren was voted Business Woman of the Year and in November 2008 she was named as one of the top leadership role models in a national poll. This recognition was quickly followed in December 2008 when she was presented with the coveted Spirit of Everywoman Award at

the NatWest Everywoman Awards, acknowledging her outstanding achievements in changing the landscape for women in business.

The people who

inspire me the most rise up against the odds

The accolades continued. November 2010 saw Karren listed in the business category of The Sunday Telegraph’s ‘100 Most Powerful Women in Britain’, and she was also included in the Evening Standard’s list of London’s 1000 Most Influential People.

Reflecting on her success as a business woman Karren says: “I think somebody who wants to own their own business has a different sort of personality to somebody who wants to work in somebody else’s business.

Apart from all her success in the business and TV worlds, Karren also finds the time to be an author (with four books published to date), a columnist for The Sun newspaper, and a motivational and public speaker... inspired anyone?


She’s instantly recognisable and has done it all in the business world, from being chairman of heavy metal music magazine Kerrang! to having a seat on the board of Sport England. She is currently a non-executive director of Mothercare and Channel 4 television, and as current vice-chairman of West Ham United – and previous Managing Director of Birmingham City – she is arguably the first woman of English football. With The Apprentice 2011 just finished, what better time to profile Lord Sugar’s female aide...

‘‘

‘‘‘‘ ‘‘


Wright Group Founder Recognised for Services to the Bus Industry

Dr William Wright CBE, who built up what was originally a small family business into a leading innovative brand that produces thousands of buses sold around the world, said he was honoured to receive the award.

“It is a deep honour to receive this order from such

an eminent institution,” he stated.

At the age of 83 Dr Wright shows no signs of slowing down. He is still involved in the business and is currently managing the next generation of hybrid electric and hydrogen buses.

Dr William Wright CBE

Dr William Wright, the founder

of ambitious Ballymena-based

bus maker The Wright Group was

recognised in mid-June for the second

time on the Queen’s Honours list

when he was granted Commander of

the British Empire (CBE).

Call 028 2500 2005www.doorstepadvertiser.com

DOWNTOWN

FURNITUREPENNYBRIDGE ESTATE, BALLYMENA

TheMillion

Pound

Sale

ALL S

TOCK

MUS

T GO

CLOSING

DOWNRETIREMENT

SALEARTHUR COTTAGE

DAMAGED IN FIRE

Ballymenadoorstep advertiserFR

EE

tel: 028 2500 2005

Now circulating 20,000 copies

June 2011

Ballymena’s Community Newspaper

See page 4 for full story

11 MILL STREET, BALLYMENA

Pop into the shop for further details.

11 Mill Street, Ballymena, Antrim, BT42 5AA

Tel: 028 2565 4762

WE ALSO:

Ballymena’s Only

Pawnbroker!!Ballymena’s Only




Pawnbroker!!

FANTASTIC READER

OFFER!

£50OFF

£50OFF

SEE PAGE 19

FOR DETAILS

Cyclists Wanted

Successful candidates will

be placed on a register and

called when required for

promotional cycling work.

Applicants must be fit and

available for casual work

Call 028 2500 2005 to

arrange an interview

Promotional Work

147 Crankill Road, Ballymena Co. Antrim BT44 9HATel: 028 2568 5901FOOD SERVED ALL DAYLIVE WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENTFREE ENTRYRESERVATIONS / BOOKINGSCONTROL NIGHTCLUB OPENING 5TH AUGUSTFEATURING FLASH HARRY,5 PIECE QUEEN TRIBUTE BAND

16TH SEPTEMBER, ILLEAGLES, 12 PIECE BAND

LOCAL MLAs QUERY MILK CUP FUNDING CUT

See page 4 for full story

State Of The Art Party Bus

Ideal for Birthdays, Parties, Nights Out, Formals, Concerts, Sports Teams, Functions, Stag and Hen Nights etc

www.premierlimos.netCourtesy of Etherson Travel, Ballymena

Book now!

Ballymenadoorstep advertiser

FREE

tel: 028 2500 2005

July/Aug 2011BallymenaA Great Place To Be!

The o�cial newsletter ofBallymena Borough Council

See inside:

MF GUTTERING& PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

CHEMICAL CLEAN PVC FROM £50E: [email protected]: 028 2587 9252M: 07522 263 929

Local MLAs have reacted strongly to Stormont’s decision to cut funding to the

prestigious Milk Cup soccer tournament, which stages many games in Ballymena.

Jim Allister MLA commented: “A great funding wrong has been done to the NI Milk

Cup, threatening its viability. I find the Tourist Board’s approach incomprehensible.

“The Milk Cup has been held annually for the past 28 years, yet in the NITB’s ‘Event

Viability and Management Experience’ category the Milk Cup scored 29 out of 65. That fact

alone is sufficient to demonstrate just how preposterous the Tourist Board’s decision is.”

He added: “But it gets worse. The Milk Cup scored 10 out of a possible 20 when it came

to ‘Brand Northern Ireland’! Personally I would be hard pressed to think of another

event which does more to promote Northern Ireland as a brand. Here is an event

which has been held in our province annually for the best part of three decades. It

is a major youth sporting event, which generates considerable interest overseas by

bringing young sports people to Northern Ireland. Manchester United TV (MUTV)

for example covers the tournament on a daily basis and at the end of the week produces

a one hour documentary shown on their satellite station which, I understand, is the

SAVE SAVE

SAVEAT LOGANS COMPLEXCLOUGHMILLSSEE PAGES 18 & 19FOR DETAILS...

• 20,000 circulation• Cheaper than competitors• Delivered to homes throughout

the borough and at key stockists• Official partner of Ballymena

Borough Council

“The wide distribution links used by the Doorstep Advertiser have generated many new clients, which has been invaluable for us in our first year of business. A reliable, friendly, professional service which we would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.”Wendy Rusk, Kip McGrath Education Centre.

BUSINESS TO CONSUMER ADVERTISING...

...Try the Doorstep Advertiser


Lifestyle

MotoringFour Countries, 81 -miles, One Tank of Fuel: The New Jaguar XF2 DieselDriven by an independent tester accompanied by a navigator, the standard XF passed through four countries taking in a mix of winding country roads, motorways and dense urban traffic. The XF, with just over 3,000-miles on the clock at the point of departure, consumed just 64-litres of fuel to average a remarkable 57 mpg.

On-hand to meet the car on its arrival in Munich was Andy Whyman, Chief Programme Engineer for the XF, who commented: “The entire development team is very proud of what the new XF 2.2 has achieved

Alfa Romeo has chosen to equip the latest model Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde with a number of innovative solutions. With updated dynamic exterior styling and an all-new sports interior, the latest range topping Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (formerly Cloverleaf) has become a full Italian thoroughbred and will be on sale late in July/early August for £18,755 OTR.

– this not only proves the efficiency of the new model but underlines that performance and economy can be combined.”

Despite its keen focus on economy the XF 2.2 produces 190 PS and 332 lbs ft of torque, to allow the XF to accelerate from rest to 62mph in just 8.5-seconds before reaching a top speed of 140mph. The XF 2.2 emits just 149 g/km of CO2.

Further improving efficiency, the new 2.2-litre engine is linked to a new eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and an innovative Stop-Start

New exterior features emphasise the impression of a ground hugging, sporty car, while inside the cabin a totally black interior is now complemented by two-tone (green and white) artisanal seams on the leather work.

The Quadrifoglio Verde MiTo still features, as standard, the award winning 1.4 TB MultiAir 170 bhp engine (combined cycle 47.1 mpg) and emissions (139 g/km CO2) – figures you would

system – marking the first time such a device has been fitted to a Jaguar.

Set to be launched in September, the new XF 2.2 forms part of the new 2012 model range.

expect from an economy car rather than a compact sports car that accelerates from 0 - 62 mph in just over 7 seconds.

With handling and performance being key, the MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde features the innovative SDC (Synaptic Damping Control) Active Suspension system, which actively and continuously controls the electronic shock absorbers. The Active Suspension system interacts with the three different dynamic control settings of the Alfa D.N.A system (Normal, All Weather and Dynamic) – which also controls the other systems that the car features, such as Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), power steering, the electronic Q2 differential and engine electronics.

Benefitting from a fresh new look, upgraded interiors and equipment as well as improvements in efficiency and refinement, the latest generation XF looks set to build on the achievements of the model it replaces.

Safety is integral to the MiTo, so as well as a Euro NCAP five star crash safety rating, the Quadrifoglio Verde MiTo also features seven airbags and Vehicle Dynamic Control system (ABS, ASR, EBD and Brake Assist) with Hill Holder,

Additional equipment as standard on the Quadrifoglio Verde includes a new USB and AUX-in socket allowing you to connect your MP3 player directly to the Blue&Me™ Bluetooth hands-free system; cruise control; aluminium kickplates and sports pedals; sports dials with white illumination; red painted brake callipers; sports rear bumper with extractor; rear spoiler; chrome exhaust pipe and rear parking sensors.

Sportiest MiTo Receives Dynamic UpgradesA true Alfa Romeo and one of the sportiest compacts on the market today

6

Fuel efficient: the new Jaguar XF Diesel


Lifestyle

Baglady and Northern Ireland Lead the Way in SustainabilityNorthern Ireland environmental campaigner Shirley Lewis, aka Baglady, launched Pledge ASAP back in August 2009 asking people in Northern Ireland to take the environmental lead by ‘Pledging to live As Sustainably As Possible’. What started in Northern Ireland has now spread around the world with ASAP pledges coming in from the US, Canada, Australia, India, China, France and Spain.

Baglady told IntoBusiness: “This is great. Pledges are coming in from around the world, but we need more.”

Since Pledge ASAP’s launch, she has been asking all the country’s politicians to take their own pledges. But it is children who are Baglady’s number one priority and recently she has had great success persuading politicians to join her in schools across Northern Ireland to talk to the kids about their individual pledges.

“Taking Pledge ASAP is easy, sticking to it takes commitment but it is worth it. We all have a responsibility to look after the corner of the planet we live in. We need to save energy and save resources by living ASAP so let’s do it,” says Baglady who herself lives ASAP, with no car, garage, oil tank, mobile phone or TV!

In a country with such a divided past, Northern Ireland’s politicians finally seem to have found something they agree on. Support for Pledge ASAP has been cross-party. To-date 32 MLAs, 6 MPs, 1 MEP and 2 TDs have all signed up.

Environment Ministers past and present (Edwin Poots, Sammy Wilson and Arlene Foster ) have taken pledges. Former UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher and former Education Minister Caitríona Ruane both pledged along with Fine Gael leader and new Taoiseach Enda Kenny who was the first TD to pledge. “Gerry Adams is the most famous pledger so far!” says Baglady.

Baglady’s biggest challenge is to get everyone to pledge and then ‘pass it on’, ideally to at least seven friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.

Across Northern Ireland the idea has inspired whole school pledges and over 2,000 individual school children pledges. Six schools took their pledges to Stormont last June, kick-starting the amazing cross-party array of MLA pledges.

Baglady said: “This is about people doing something and, wonderfully, it shows our children and teachers in the lead.”

Shirley Lewis has a background in journalism, radio and television. Having lived half her life in Australia, she returned to Northern Ireland in 2001, bringing with her, her new character Baglady and a floating heap of plastic bags and rubbish, which makes people laugh, think, question and feel.

The late Dame Anita Roddick, Body Shop founder, said: “Baglady is a work of art. She shouldn’t have to dress up in those bags to make us take responsibility for our environment.”

Baglady has a list of supporters, including politicians and TV personalities, but her most important support comes from children, teachers and

the community in general.

“There is something about the character Baglady that disarms. None dare say me nay. I’m not a threat and when I do speak, I speak good sense and massive encouragement,” the Baglady told IntoBusiness.

“I feel it is my responsibility now to use my profile and connections across the political and social spectrum of NI, as effectively as possible, to support our children’s future and to show Northern Ireland in a well-deserved positive light,” she added.

So take a Pledge ASAP now. Go to the Baglady website www.bagladyproductions.org/asap-world/pledge and follow the instructions to ‘take up’ something which is good for the planet, and to ‘give up’ something which is bad for the planet.

Baglady, Shirley Lewis campaigning against the overuse of plastic bags


Working from Home – Running a 5-to-9 part-time business.

Marketing on a Shoestring – Top tips and advice on promoting your business on a budget.

SEO – How to maximise Search Engine Optimisation.

Book-Keeping Made Simple – How to set up a book-keeping system to suit your business activity.

Profile on Invest NI – Profile on one of the best known business support groups in Northern Ireland.

Going Global – How technology can help you go global.

Developing Your People – Opportunities for staff development.

The Benefits of Managed Workspace – Find out why it’s more than just a landlord.

What’s in the Next Issue: Autumn 2011

People on the Move

Business Support, Conference Facilities and Business Property www.ballymenabusiness.co.uk

Business Programmes and Business Loan Fundwww.enterpriseni.com

Business Women’s Networkwww.womenonthemove.org.uk

Business Loan Fund and Mentoringwww.michelindevelopment.co.uk

Andy SmithAndy has commenced permanent employment as a HGV Crane driver at Barron Recycling Company, Castledawson through Diamond Recruitment

Olufemi Owolabi Olufemi has secured permanent employment as Lean Manufacturing Manager at Norbev Ltd through Diamond Recruitment

Sinead O’Reilly Sinead secured permanent employment as HR Manager at Norbev Ltd through Diamond Recruitment

Enterprising websites for new and existing businesses wanting to source support, networking opportunities, property, advice and information.

Useful Business Websites

ICT Advicewww.logon-ni.co.uk

Business Supportwww.investni.com

Online Business Support and Guidancewww.nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Rural Business Grantswww.northeastrdp.com

Business Networking and Supportwww.ballymenachamber.co.uk

Local Economic Developmentwww.ballymena.gov.uk

Business Networking and Mentoringwww.bitc.org.uk

Business Networking and Supportwww.fsb.org.uk


• MORTGAGE ADVICE

• PROTECTION ADVICE

• LIFE ASSURANCE

• CRITICAL ILLNESS COVER

• ACCIDENT SICKNESS UNEMPLOYMENT COVER

• INCOME PROTECTION

• HOME & CONTENTS COVER

The Mortgage Shop29-31Mill StreetBallymenaBT43 5AA

Tel: 028 2565 2222

Judy ConwayProprietor

Ryan O’NeillMortgage & Protection Advisor

Into Business Magazine 2 : 2011

Documents

Transcript of Into Business Magazine 2 : 2011