News from Make Your Mark

THE ‘SPARK’ WOMEN’S BUSINESS WORKOUT HITS BRISTOL, NORWICH AND WIRRAL IN MARCH


Women living in and around Bristol, Norwich and Wirral are about to experience a totally new kind of fitness. Toned arms, taught tummies and firm thighs are old hat; pumped up profits, energetic turnover and a strong client portfolio is where it’s really at in 2008.

The Women’s Business Workout is coming to these UK locations (Bristol, 5 March; Wirral, 12 March; Norwich, 13 March) coordinated by Spark, the Women’s Enterprise Ambassador Network, which brings together successful entrepreneurs and enterprise champions across the UK to encourage women to recognise that business is for them.

Attendees of the events can expect to walk away with the right information, contacts, tools and most importantly mindset they need to start, improve or grow a business.

Each woman will receive their own tailored ‘Business Fitness Plan’ containing a workout schedule of sessions led by business experts for the day ahead. For example a typical fitness plan might include ‘Fitness Phobe or Fanatic’ – a class that determines what kind of entrepreneur you are, followed by ‘Low Energy, High Impact PR’, teaching the secrets of good publicity on the smallest of budgets. And finally, some serious number crunches in the ‘Getting Your Finances into Shape’ class.

The highlight of the day is an invaluable opportunity to experience a one-to-one assessment session with a ‘Fitness Guru’, individuals the women feel can help them the most; be it business advisors, accountants or lawyers.

Alex Ritchie from Make Your Mark, the organisation coordinating Spark, the Women’s Enterprise Ambassador Network, comments; “These UK regions are already home to many successful female entrepreneurs – just look to your local high street for inspiration. The workout will energise and inspire more women to go out and grab opportunities whilst also connecting them to like-minded others to make their dreams become a reality.”

To register for a place at the events please log onto www.sparkambassadors.org.uk and follow the registration process.



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Notes to Editors


More on Spark, The Women’s Enterprise Ambassadors Network

Spark, the Women’s Enterprise Ambassadors Network, brings together successful entrepreneurs and enterprise champions across the UK to encourage women to recognise that business is for them. There are already over 1,000 Spark Ambassadors committed to telling their inspiring stories via events, school visits and the media. The network is co-ordinated by Make Your Mark and delivered by the Regional Development Agencies on behalf of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. It will inspire women to go out and grab opportunities and connect them to like-minded others to make their dreams become a reality.
www.sparkambassadors.org.uk

Girls! Make Your Mark is part of Make Your Mark, the national campaign to create an enterprise culture in the UK. It aims to inspire young people in their teens and twenties to have ideas and make them happen. The not-for-profit campaign is backed by an unprecedented coalition of businesses, charities, education bodies and government.

It was founded by the four leading UK business membership organisations – the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. Their Director Generals sit on Make Your Mark’s board. It is also supported by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and is endorsed by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

National organisations working closely with the campaign include:
Arts Council England – Association of Colleges – Black Training and Enterprise Group – Business in the Community – Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform – Department for Children, Schools and Families - Enterprise Education Trust - Learning and Skills Council – National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship - National Education Business Partnership Network – National Federation of Enterprise Agencies – Prowess – Quality Improvement Agency – Scottish Government – South-East England Development Agency (representing Regional Development Agencies) – Shell LiveWIRE – Social Enterprise Coalition – Specialist Schools and Academies Trust – The Prince’s Trust – UnLtd – Young Enterprise

www.makeyourmark.org.uk

Further information from Barclays, 2004

TOP 10 FEMALE
BUSINESSES % change in volume 00 v 04
1. Hairdressing / beauty 96%
2. Other specialist non-food retailers -26%
3. Physical well being and human health 181%
4. Takaway food shops and stalls 40%
5. Licensed and unlicensed restaurants and bars 41%
6. Other non-store 58%
7. Retail sale of clothing -2%
8. Public houses and bars 1%
9. Building cleaning 41%
10. Management and business consultancy 26%
Source: Barclays Internal Data
REGION Female Mainstream starts
(000) in the last year New firms per 1,000 females
of working age
East 6,700 11
East Midlands 12,000 10
London 23,100 10
North East 6,500 7
North West 19,700 11
South East 33,200 10
South West 20,600 15
Wales 6,900 8
West Midlands 11,800 8
Yorkshire
Source: Barclays SME Research Team 13,900 9