What is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding (also known as crowd financing or crowd-sourced capital) involves a number of people each investing, lending or contributing smaller amounts of money to your business or idea. This money will then be pooled to reach your funding target.

Your idea will usually be showcased through a crowdfunding website.

Advantages

Advantages of crowdfunding include:

• it provides an alternative to funding from conventional means, eg bank loan
  
• you can raise finance relatively quickly, often without upfront fees
  
• it can raise awareness of your new business
  

Disadvantages

Disadvantages of crowdfunding include:

• your idea could be copied if you haven’t protected it with a patent or copyright
  
• any money you raise will normally be returned to investors or contributors if you don’t reach your funding target
  
• crowdfunding is mostly unregulated (but from 1 April 2014, loan-based and investment-based crowdfunding will be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority)

Find funding

You can look for either:

private finance providers (eg banks)

public funding (eg government schemes).

For more information please see here -

https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-explained/crowdfunding-

 See you next Tuesday for another #StartUpTuesday!

The trend of the past 10 years that has seen many companies relocating their manufacturing and distribution operations to lower-cost countries or regions of the world.

However, manufacturers are beginning to recognise that many of the factors they previously based their offshore manufacturing and supply decisions on most heavily, such as component price and transportation costs, have dramatically increased over the past few years - and those seemingly initial cost savings are no longer so big. They are, in fact, diminishing as transportation, commodity costs and labour rates rise around the world. These cost pressure issues are arising at a time when customer requirements for agility, speed and capability are becoming increasingly more challenging. 

One local company Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd., (ETI) have always had a strong UK based manufacturing ethos. Peter Webb ETI’s Managing Director said “I am not sure whether it was good forethought and planning or just luck, but we have always looked locally in preference to moving our production overseas”.

The changing economics of production and distribution, along with shifts in customer demand and the emergence of smart products, are pushing manufacturers like ETI to explore new ways of working.  Peter Webb went on to say “Buying local is not just about buying produce at the farmers market, many businesses like my own are increasingly looking for more local suppliers, it never ceases to amaze me how many very capable manufacturers and suppliers there are locally on our door step”.

Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with The Adur and Worthing Business Partnership, are set to host a whole day programme dedicated to business growth, local success along with local exhibitors in late January.

This event will build on the success of our previous showcases and will highlight the success stories of the locality, and, encourage those from the larger businesses such as ETI Limited, Southern Water and Fresh Egg to get involved with their business community.   In addition this year there will be an opportunity for an expansion of the area for exhibitors with a strong focus on the “Buy Local” offer.

The feedback from previous years of our showcase has been really positive and the event this year will have a new twist! This will once again be held at Worthing Town Hall along with a new opportunity to expand into the Assembly Rooms There will be keynote speakers and workshops throughout the day covering topics such as starting a business, crowdfunding, social media, the future of business, success story panels and specialist one 2 one clinics. There will be the opportunity to meet the buyers of the local council procurement team. You will be able to book onto a speed networking event taking pace over lunch which will be fun, fast & furious!

This event will be a great way for new, growing and established businesses to network and connect, to reinforce relationships and build new ones.  Tina Tilley, CEO, Worthing and Adur Chamber said “Last year the Showcase had a great buzz and the atmosphere was amazing.  This year we hope to top that and encourage even more local businesses to take part”.

Chris Coopey, from Carpenter Box, commented last year “It was great to meet so many of Worthing’s premier businesses and particularly good that some sectors you rarely see at events were represented.”

For further information  to book your exhibition stand and to get your ticket for the day please contact Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce.

Know what you need to know; before you start your business

• ·         Are you thinking of starting a business and already have an idea?
• ·         Have you just started a business?
• ·         Are you in your first 12 months of trading?

If so this could be just what you need to help you along the way……

Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce are launching a new programme of workshops which will be a fast paced guide through the skills and knowledge that anyone new to running their own business needs to be aware of. From understanding the common character traits of successful entrepreneurs through to the mechanics of marketing, the cut and thrust of sales and the conquering of the numbers, this course will not supply all the answers but it will make you ask the right questions.

These sessions are sponsored by The Let’s Do Business Group who are one of the delivery partners of the Governments Start-Up funding scheme to help newly trading businesses access funds to get them started where the high street banks have declined.

Following on from this programme membership to Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce will offer further support and practical help on the journey through self-employment along with a discounted package of support via the popular Wiseup2 workshops on many specific business related subjects.

So if you need to know what you don’t know about how to start a business including:-

• Ø  Finance
• Ø  Marketing
• Ø  Selling
• Ø  The legal bits

Don’t delay, email Worthing and Adur Chamber info@worthingandadurchamber.co.uk  to secure YOUR place. The first 3 hour course will be on Tuesday 17^th November. The cost per delegate is just £25.00 payable in advance. 

It’s always good to hear of a local entrepreneur who decides to build a successful business in Worthing. This is exactly what Lauren Roffey, owner of coffee and cake shop – Baked, has done.

Brought up around Worthing, and a student of Worthing High School and Worthing College, Lauren graduated from the University of Sussex with a master’s degree in geography. Lauren then went to Norwich to study at the University of East Anglia for her PhD in Environmental and Social Sciences.

While Lauren is the first to admit that her time at university taught her a lot, it also taught her that a dichotomy exists between the interests of Big Business and those of society. So Lauren set out to show that it is possible to create a sustainable business built around quality and fairness. Out of this Baked was born, opening in August 2014.

Lauren set up Baked as a social enterprise. She quickly corrects a common misconception: “A social enterprise is not a charity; it’s a financially sustainable and profitable business that serves a social and community purpose.”

So how does Baked tick these social boxes? Lauren explains: “I set up Baked to work with young people aged 18 to 24. At its core a social enterprise needs a cause and this was mine. I also wanted to create a community space because people need somewhere to meet in a safe environment. And I resolved to source from local suppliers where this is practical and possible.”

Lauren has achieved all these aims, including recruiting an assistant manager in a very socially enterprising way: a Twitter campaign. “I asked people to tweet why they would like to work at Baked.” Explains Lauren, “I was amazed by the response and found just who I was looking for.” Right from the off too, Lauren made sure she paid the UK Living Wage.

Although Lauren had the baking skills and believed in what she was trying to create, she had no experience of how to start a business. “I joined Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce and signed up for their start-up peer mentoring programme, along with eight other new businesses.” Explains Lauren, “The opportunity to learn from and bounce off each other was invaluable and I say to anyone wanting to start their own business: join the Chamber and sign up for peer mentoring.”

So where next for Baked? “The last eighteen months has been busy so right now I’m taking stock.” Says Lauren, “I’ve no plans to build a chain of cafés but maybe, just maybe, I will open another Baked in the area at some point.”

Just to remind you that time is running out to register join us at this year's Waves Ahead conference "Food for Thought; Becoming a Smarter Coast?". It’s at 5pm at Sir Robert Woodard Academy on 15th October 2015. If you have already registered, you don't need to do anything more (unless you would like to forward this to a colleague).

Thursday, 15 October 2015 from 17:00 to 21:30 (BST)

What is the conference about?

The conference this year will explore how we can develop skills to be smarter in the way we work and collectively become a “smarter" area, including the way we do things locally. A large amount of experience and knowledge is hidden in different organisations so we could be more efficient if we shared and collaborated with each other in smarter ways. “Smarter” can mean finding innovative solutions, using technologies and insights to change how we all work together and recognising that although budgets maybe tight, innovative technologies can help turn challenges into opportunities.

Why "Food for Thought"? 

Food and drink is a sub-theme we have picked for the event to help us explore some specific "smart" ideas and help us all understand how we become “smarter together”.

Why should I come to the conference? 

·  If you have heard the buzz word “Smarter Places“ and wondered what it’s all about, then come along and find out more

·  If you are involved in a local food or drink initiative in the local area and want to share your experiences and ideas and find opportunities to work together with others, then come along

·  Come and find out about the potential of Adur and Worthing to be smarter places, and explore a range of useful "Smart" tools, including digital opportunities (you don't need to be working on food projects, all the tools we'll introduce can be used in many areas)

·  Meet and chat informally with people who are already making a difference through partnership working in the local area, and find out how to get involved.

Who is the conference for?

Anyone working or volunteering in the Adur and Worthing areas, especially if you are involved in working in a partnership or would like to be.

Tor register your FREE place at the event, go to https://wavesaheadfoodforthought.eventbrite.co.uk

If you have any questions or want to find out more, please contact community.planning@adur-worthing.gov.uk

West Sussex-based luxury car maker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has revealed plans to open its seventh UK showroom in the South West.

The new site at Bristol's Cribbs Causeway will open in the first half of 2016 under the management of Rybrook Holdings.

Construction of the state-of-the-art showroom is due to commence in October, and, when complete, will create 46 new jobs.

The Bristol centre will offer sales and servicing, covering an area of more than 12,000 square miles from Land's End, through Wales and up to the Cotswolds.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bristol will be Rybrook's second franchise with the car maker, having successfully operated the Birmingham franchise for a number of years.

James Crichton, regional director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Europe, said: "Rolls-Royce takes great care in selecting its dealer partners, and we're delighted to be working alongside Rybrook as we open our seventh showroom in the UK.

"Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bristol will help us deliver further sustainable growth in the United Kingdom, and we are confident that our strengthened partnership with Rybrook will help us meet a clear demand in this part of the country for our super-luxury motor vehicles."

Henry Whale, managing director of Rybrook said: "The opening of our new showroom in Bristol represents a significant investment for Rybrook at a time of growing confidence in the British economy. There are thousands of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders across the South West, many of whom turn to Rolls-Royce for their personal transport."

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is headquartered in Bognor Regis and sold 4,063 cars globally in 2014.

Established Law Firm Miller Parris are looking to employ a full time
Conveyancing Legal Executive or Solicitor, to be based at their centrally
located Worthing office.

The ideal candidate would be experienced in all aspects of residential
conveyancing and general property matters, and would be willing to work as
part of a growing team. There are excellent prospects for the right
applicant.

To apply please email your CV with covering letter to
MikeMetters@millerparris.co.uk

Please also visit our website www.millerparris.co.uk

Are you a charity or community group that needs funding for a project?
The Worthing and Adur fund is ready to pay out - APPLY NOW!! Deadline Friday 9th October

Since 2010 Worthing and Adur Chamber has encouraged a number of local individuals and businesses to become Founder Donors of Worthing and Adur Fund. Businesses continue to donate to the fund enabling local people to manage the distribution of grants with emphasis on local small groups where a small grant can make a significant difference.

The maximum grant is £500 and the deadline for the next round of applications is Friday 9th October 2015

If you are unsure what to do or have questions about the grants please contact Sussex Community Foundation on 01273 409 440.

Who can apply?

All applicants must be not-for-profit community organisations and be working for the benefit of the people in Sussex. You do not have to be a charity but you will need to have your own bank account and be able to provide a signed copy of your constitution and accounts, a copy of a recent bank statement, estimates for proposed purchases (if applicable) and copies of relevant policies (Child Protection, Vulnerable Adults, Health and Safety etc).

How to Apply: Please read the guidance notes before you apply and please note that you may only apply for one Fund at a time.

Visit http://www.sussexgiving.org.uk/apply-for-grants/apply-now/  to apply online

Download the Application form here Complete the form and either e-mail to grants@sussexgiving.org.uk or send it to:  Sussex Community Foundation, 15 Western Road, Lewes BN7 1RL.

Contact Sussex Community Foundation on 01273 409 440 to be sent a hard copy.

Please note that for all applications a hard copy of the signed application is required together with your supporting documents (including signed copies of your constitution and accounts) by the deadline. Emailed applications should forward a hard copy of the signed declaration page by the deadline.
On receipt of your application Sussex Community Foundation will contact you to advise when you are likely to hear the outcome.
We are not able to fund applications from:

• Statutory organisations or groups seeking to improve statutory assets eg. Friends or Parents groups looking for funds for playgrounds, school equipment etc.
• Individuals – with the exception of those applying to the Paul Rooney Fund and the Westdene Fund
• Fundraising activities which will be used to make awards to a third party    Major capital appeals
• Projects whose wider community appeal or benefit is limited

Do you have  any Christmas events on between November & December?

A request from Adur & Worthing Council ...

As organisers of events in Adur & Worthing, we are writing to ask for your Christmas plans! Yes it is that time of year already. We are producing a small Christmas edition of the free What When Where Guide that gets distributed across Sussex and from our two Visitor Information Points in Worthing.

We need all copy finalised by Monday 5th October so if we could ask that you submit your event information onto the Visit Worthing website via this link http://www.visitworthing.co.uk/whats-on/add-an-event by next Wednesday 30th September, we can then export it all from there plus highlight your events on the website at the same time. Doing this will only take a couple of minutes. 

Please do upload images too so that these can be used in the guide. The cost of promoting your festive event this way is completely FREE so it is silly not to jump on this opportunity and make use of our marketing distribution channels. 

Here is the Autumn edition of the What When Where guide to remind you of what we're referring to. 

http://issuu.com/visitworthing/docs/what_where_when_autumn_2015__single/1