‘The BigSmall Event’ is Huge Success

Sheffield has hosted a major event to encourage and inspire the city’s entrepreneurs to capitalise on new business opportunities.

More than 350 people attended The BigSmall Event, held by Sheffield Enterprise Agency, part of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce. The event was targeted at helping businesses, entrepreneurs, students and schools from across the region to develop their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Highlights of the day, at City Hall Sheffield, were insightful talks from business-come-TV-reality-stars Doug Richard, formerly of Dragons’ Den, and Claire Young, formerly of The Apprentice.

Doug said: “The morning was very interesting. There are a lot of people who are obviously very interested in starting their own businesses and they’re very curious with energetic questions. The entrepreneurial spirit is there so let’s hope they meet with some success.

“Sheffield Enterprise Agency is doing a good job of getting people’s feet on the ground and getting started. When I started my own business I had no idea that business advice existed! So my brother and I stumbled our way into business and I have to admit it would have been rather helpful had we had the nous to find out that there was support available.”

As well as the talks, attendees took part in skills workshops, viewed exhibitions and received one-to-one business tuition.

Mandip Dosanjh, enterprise director at Sheffield Enterprise Agency, said: “This event perfectly illustrated what Sheffield is all about.

“The calibre of the speakers, the workshops on offer and the networking opportunities catered for every type of SME and it was great to witness such an enthusiastic atmosphere in the face of such challenging financial circumstances – Sheffield is a great centre for entrepreneurialism.“

Dominic Stokes General Manager of SIV Conferencing and Business Events as well as GM of City Hall Sheffield said "It was a great privilege to host such an inspiring event in one of our venues. The City Hall was a Sheffield Corporation public works project designed to create employment in the Depression of the 1920's and 30's and to play a part in motivating the Yorkshire entrepreneurial spirit was a great link to our heritage."

The BigSmall Event was sponsored by Yorkshire Forward and Business Link.

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