The Bizfizz effect

A WEALTH of new media brands, a recording studio, shops, a new pottery, art, flower and card shops, mechanics, gardeners and joiners, even flying machines... doesn’t exactly tally with the popular image of Burslem and Middleport, does it?

Many new local businesses, in one way or another, credit their existence to the Bizfizz project, which breaks down barriers to entrepreneurship. The project in Northern Stoke-on-Trent, started by the Civic Trust, has over 80 involved clients less than ten months into its first year. Clients include existing businesses and new enterprises. Whether it’s finding premises or providing motivational support, the Bizfizz coach Carolyn Powell and her panel of around 40 local people have made Burslem and Middleport buzz with new ideas and action.

Local Edition is just one of the projects that has been supported by Bizfizz and we bring you this special feature in preparation for a celebration event in October. If you want any more information on the event or on the project, just give Carolyn a call on 01782 525570.


How Bizfizz works:
the Local Panel

KEY to the local Bizfizz operation is a panel of 20-30 people who act as a network for the entrepreneurs, helping them unblock problems and providing key information and contacts.

It is not a management committee, but an advice and networking group. It consists of well-connected and experienced people from the community and the wider area who can make a practical contribution. Each panel member introduces the coach to ten additional contacts, thus helping the coach to widen their contact with potential entrepreneurs, and to gain an overview of local skills and resources available locally.

The panel includes local peoples with different backgrounds: community leaders and activists, head teachers, faith group leaders, councillors, local entrepreneurs and business people from the wider area, people with expertise in key areas such as IT, marketing, book-keeping, premises, bankers and other finance providers, people from regulatory authorities such as planning, environmental health and the Inland Revenue. What brings them together is a mutual passion for the area where they live and work.
The ability to unleash local expertise and resources is the main difference between Bizfizz and other business support. That’s why Panel members are asked to contribute not only in their professional role but using all their personal experience and knowledge. For example Local Panels are very helpful with finding premises, identifying waste materials that can be used by other businesses, and linking entrepreneurs with common interests.


How Bizfizz works:
the coach

HELPING people pursue their passion is the first step for Bizfizz. These are the hidden entrepreneurs who could be generating wealth for a community and removing the barriers that stand in their way is what Bizfizz is all about.

Bizfizz places a business advisor and counsellor in the heart of the community. We call them Bizfizz coaches since their role is not to do the legwork for local entrepreneurs, but to help people discover their own potential as entrepreneurs. The coach will usually be an experienced entrepreneur, with some experience of giving advice and support to businesses and a strong commitment to our approach. The coach gets to know the community thoroughly, through extensive personal introductions as well as visiting local clubs and pubs, societies, schools and faith groups to introduce them, and let everyone know that they are available to support local entrepreneurs.

We believe that every business needs an entrepreneur, someone who will drive the business forward. The coach’s job is not to sit on committees, or provide money, training or premises but simply to support entrepreneurs. The coach does this by helping people to follow their passions.

Nobody is good at everything. Some of us have no head for figures or flair for marketing. Bizfizz coaches encourage entrepreneurs to create a ‘virtual team’ of supporters to help them with those aspects of the business they feel less comfortable with. For example, if accountancy is a particular weak spot in an entrepreneur’s skill portfolio, an intensive training course may not be the best use of an entrepreneur’s time. Why not find a local professional who might be prepared to defer up front payment? Or a local mum who is taking evening classes in book-keeping whose fees might be lower? Or even agree to share financial risk by profit sharing rather than paying set fees?

Our coaches provide their services for free, but they are free in another sense. They are not constrained by having to ration the amount of time they give to the entrepreneurs or by notions of ‘professional distance’. Within reason, our coaches can do whatever it takes to help the entrepreneur succeed.
This is an edited

version of information from the national website at www.bizfizz.org.uk.
The Bizfizz programme is coordinated by the Civic Trust and the New Economics Foundation.