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Business Diary May 5
On the scent of the entrepreneur
WHAT does an entrepreneur smell like?
There's an intriguing event taking place in Brussels this week which aims to give an insight into entrepreneurship by inviting visitors to "see, smell touch and listen to installations in 10 rooms".
Is this just another example of crazy European Commission excess, we ask ourselves?
As one, anonymous, Yorkshire businesswoman told the diary: "Dear God. How can this relate to what it is to be an entrepreneur? How it feels to take risks, the excitement of doing a good job, your first thanks from a client, the buzz of a great team.
"I think you should ask readers to send in their suggestions for what the smells might be in these 10 rooms which relate to being an entrepreneur! The mind boggles!"
Anybody wanting to judge for themselves can attend the SME Experience – How it Feels to Be An Entrepreneur, which is being held from May 6 to May 9 at the space on Rue de la Loi between Rond-Point Schuman and the entrance to the Parc Cinquantanaire in Brussels.
You can find out what sort of support the European Commission offers to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Hopefully, the aroma of entrepreneurship will prove very palatable.
Banking on a man who talked sense
The recent death of former Bank of England governor Lord George, brought back poignant memories of the last time he was interviewed by the Yorkshire Post's business desk.
Deputy Business Editor Greg Wright chatted to Lord George – who was then Sir Edward – five years ago, shortly after he had retired.
Lord George was preparing to speak at the Yorkshire Forward International business conference at the QE2 centre in London.
"Steady Eddie" never faced a financial crisis on the scale of the credit crunch during his 10-year stint as Governor.
But, at a time when many people are advocating protectionist policies, his words are worth repeating.
Here, from March 2004, are Lord George's thoughts about the challenges faced by the "traditional" economic powerhouses of the West from the emerging economies.
"The response to the structural issue is not to protect everything we have. The response has to be in a form of greater flexibility, so that we move into high-value-added and knowledge-based sectors and leave the less technically sophisticated things to people who can produce them most cheaply."
The correct response, according to Lord George, was to identify where your comparative advantage lies. Business leaders and academics in Yorkshire should work together to develop sophisticated products, he argued.
The world economy has taken a terrible pounding since then. But, at a time when firms are shedding staff and cutting costs, Lord George's wise words about the importance of research and development should not be forgotten.
Doing the Biz perhaps for the second year
A Yorkshire firm which employs ex-rough sleepers, ex-offenders and those suffering from mental health problems, is hoping to repeat its success at a regional awards ceremony after winning a prize last year.
Leeds-based social enterprise Create won the award for Social Enterprise at the Yorkshire Biz Awards in 2008 and hopes to win again after growing the business to an expected 500,000 turnover this year.
The Biz Awards, which take place at the Royal Armouries, in Leeds on June 26, celebrate entrepreneurs who have overcome difficulties and obstacles to get their business idea off the ground.
The event is supported by Yorkshire Forward, Business Link, Keyfund Yorkshire, Bradford Kickstart, Sharing the Success and Approach PR.
Closing date for entries is Wednesday, May 6. To download an application form, log onto www.thebizawards.co.uk or call Alison Metcalf on 01274 230050.
Keep Wright on to the end of the road
Visitors to Newby Hall, near Ripon, later this month may be confronted by sweaty, shambling mass.
Don't be alarmed, it will probably be deputy business editor Greg Wright who is taking part in a 10k race through the grounds of the stately home, on May 17, to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
Anyone wanting to sponsor Greg, or offer words of encouragement, can visit www.justgiving.com
/gregwright3.
Any donation, no matter how small, could make a huge difference to cystic fibrosis sufferers.
If you have a story for the Business Diary email bernard.ginns@ypn.co.uk
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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