Secrets of start-up success – How to make it in good times and bad

Information is key when starting up a business. When setting up a company amidst global financial downturn it becomes more crucial than ever to know your numbers, your market and the information sources you can go to in order to support your business case.

On Wednesday 15 October the British Library's Business & IP Centre is hosting an evening of presentations, debate and networking opportunities for budding entrepreneurs determined to weather the current storm and succeed. At the ‘Start-Up Stars – The Secrets of Success' the audience will have a chance to hear from and quiz four award-winning entrepreneurs who will share their experiences and offer an insight into how they made it big.

The speakers include:

Adam Goodyer: co-founder of innovative music website Concert Live. The company, which launched in 2005, make and sell live music recordings so that fans can re-live the concert experience. Despite no previous music industry experience, the company is going from strength to strength, and last year generated revenue of over £1million.

 

Tricia Weener: co-founder of Intelligent Marketing, a creative marketing agency that achieved a £2million turnover last year, and represents clients such as Honda, Woolworth's and Guinness. Tricia and her co-founder won this year's Women in Business category at the Startup Awards. Watch an interview with Tricia.

 

Rhodri Ferrier: co-founder of Bulldog Natural Grooming, the UK's first and largest natural grooming brand for men. Launched in 2007, Bulldog is available in Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Superdrug, Debenhams, Whole Foods Market, and Planet Organic, and has been named "Sainsbury's Small Branded Supplier of the Year 2007/08".

 

Dan Cobley: marketing director for Google in the UK, Ireland and the Benelux countries, promoting their services for consumers and businesses. Dan was on the judging panel for HSBC's Start-up Stars awards.

 

 

Moderator:

Matthew Rock: founder-editor of Real Business, the UK's leading magazine for entrepreneurs. He is a founder of Caspian Publishing, the £10m-turnover media business and a regular commentator in the media on entrepreneurial and investment issues.

 

Part of the Business & IP Centre's Inspiring Entrepreneurs event programme, the evening will equip entrepreneurs with the information they need to become a start-up star from researching the market to creating the right business plan and securing finance.

Isabel Oswell, the Head of Business Marketing, says: “It can be an uphill struggle to set up a business at the best of times, never mind with the gloomy backdrop of the credit crunch. Budding entrepreneurs and small business owners can reduce their risk by doing their research and learning from the experiences of others”.

The event is held from 18.15 until 21.00 at the British Library Conference Centre on Wednesday 15 October. Tickets cost £10.00 (concessions £7.50). For further information please visit www.bl.uk/bipc/inspiring.html.

For press enquiries please contact Suvi Kankainen at the British Library Press Office (telephone +44 (0)20 7412 7105, email: suvi.kankainen@bl.uk) or Ben Sanderson (telephone +44 (0)1937 546126, email: ben.sanderson@bl.uk)

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It provides world-class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. Further information is available on the Library's website at www.bl.uk, which currently receives almost 2 million 'hits' or visits per month.

The British Library Business & IP Centre is supported by the London Development Agency to provide a single access point to support entrepreneurs and SMEs in London to gain access to and exploit existing and new business and IP information, and other relevant content and data, guided by impartial Library information experts and associated partners. The Business & IP Centre has been used by over 30,000 people since it opened in March 2006. An independent survey of 230 users in 2007 showed that it helped create 47 new companies, took a further 48 to start-up and helped create 115 new jobs. Access to the Centre is free, but users need a Reader Pass; for more information visit: www.bl.uk/bipc.