Croydon’s small businesses and budding entrepreneurs are being offered a boost with free, drop-in, one-to-one business support clinics again this month.
This follows the success of the first business support clinic in May, which saw business owners and entrepreneurs from across the borough benefit from free specialist advice and top tips on a wide range of topics.
Hosted by the Croydon Business Support Network, the free monthly sessions offer help with finance and funding; marketing and social media promotion; exporting and international trade; recruiting and employing staff, as well as premises and business rates.
Local business owner Mel Hollett said: “I would like to express my sincere thanks to all I spoke with at the well organised, free monthly business support clinic event on 24 May, which was organised by Croydon Business Support Network at the Business Xchange Hub. I was warmly greeted by each business advisor that I spoke with and all the business advisors were absolutely brilliant!”
“In Croydon we view small businesses as integral to the success of our economy. We want to help entrepreneurs, or established business owners get the support they need for their businesses to develop and thrive. These free clinics are a fantastic opportunity to benefit from free advice and support, whether you have been in business for a while, or are just starting out. I would urge everyone to take advantage of them.”
Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, cabinet member for economy and jobs
The next monthly clinics will take place from 10am – 1pm on Tuesday 26 June and on Thursday 26 July at The Business Xchange Hub, 5th Floor Marco Polo House, 3-5 Landsdowne Rd, Croydon, CR0 2BX. The council will be offering economic development and business growth support, including inward investment, help to identify new premises, access to a free recruitment service and financial support including loans and business rates relief.
The clinics are further supported by a range of local business organisations. These include StartUP Croydon, who are offering business training, mentoring and social enterprise support including grants. Also, South London Export, who provide importing and exporting support, and Coast to Capital (C2C) Growth Hub, offering business support, including marketing, sales, access to finance, business planning, management and leadership. Meanwhile My Super Connector will offer advice with social media, such as how to optimise a LinkedIn profile; how to network better on Twitter; the perfect hashtag formula for Instagram success; the magic of Facebook groups and how to find target customers in them; and top tips to make blogs convert.
The events are being held as part of the inaugural Croydon Year for Business, which aims to showcase the borough as a great place to grow a business, as well as inspiring further innovation among Croydon’s business community.
Simply drop-in, or for more information and to register your interest in attending any of the sessions visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-one-to-one-business-support-clinics-in-croydon-tickets-45758006429?aff=es2.
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