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Leverage £7.2 billion growth potential of the North West with a franchise

Sam Whitear
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A major new report examining business growth in the UK reveals that the North West generated £165bn GVA (Gross Value Added) in 2016, a figure exceeded only by London and the South East. The research shows further potential for growth in the area with an estimated £7.2 billion of economic output still to be realised by aspiring and existing business owners.

Franchising provides entrepreneurs with a proven blueprint for launching and operating their own successful business, at a range of investment levels and to suit all lifestyles and ambitions. It also offers the platform to expand existing businesses.

Set against the backdrop of the thriving region, The Northern Franchise Exhibition presents the perfect opportunity to examine the many advantages offered by the business model. Well-known brands and industry experts will converge under one roof to meet and advise enterprising individuals looking to take their first steps into business ownership, expand an existing business portfolio, or increase the reach of their own business via franchising.

The showcase of brands looking for new franchise partners includes ActionCOACH, Merry Maids, Esquires Coffee and Sherpa Kids. The event sponsor is the boutique gym operator taking the UK by storm, Fitness Space.

The Northern Franchise Exhibition affords visitors the valuable assurance that every brand exhibiting has been has been accredited by the regulatory body for the UK franchise sector, the British Franchise Association (bfa).

Pip Wilkins, CEO of the bfa comments: “As recent reports indicate, the North West provides an environment in which businesses can flourish. In conjunction with The Franchise Exhibitions, the bfa is proud to deliver an event in Manchester which allows budding entrepreneurs to explore the potential of ethical, business format franchising as a route to business ownership or expansion.”

Visitors to the event will be well-served by the programme of 40 free seminars providing education on every stage of the franchise lifecycle, from selection and financing to business expansion. The Growing Your Own Business Conference co-located with the exhibition will bring together experts to deliver a series of workshops on sales, marketing, and effective business planning to equip attendees with key skills.

Helen Wood, portfolio sales manager at Venture Marketing Group, organisers of The Franchise Exhibitions, summarises: “Whether seeking a low-cost business to fit around family life, or a high-investment opportunity with a global name, The Northern Franchise Exhibition is an essential event for anyone seeking to leverage the advantages of franchising.”

Football digital platform provider nets £775k investment

Sam Whitear
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Football digital platform provider, The Coaching Manual, has secured a £775k investment from NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, managed by Maven Capital Partners, and a consortium of investors led by ex-England football international, Danny Mills.

The Manchester-headquartered company was founded by brothers Terry and Chris Barton who identified the lack of expertly curated and accessible football coaching material to players, coaches and parents in grassroots football. The company set out to transform the way coaching is delivered by producing an interactive, digital platform using cutting-edge software tools to help deliver its best-in-class coaching material developed alongside world-renowned football academies.

Its innovative product offering has proven successful in the UK through all levels of coaching from grassroots to elite level and it has been adopted by a number of leading Premier League and Championship clubs. The company has also focussed on the large and growing US market where it has been endorsed by a number of state associations and multi-state football clubs.

Having secured the funding, The Coaching Manual is well-positioned to continue with its expansion in the UK and US having held advanced talks with a large number of football clubs, football associations and state associations.

The Coaching Manual co-founder, Terry Barton said: “The management team is delighted to announce that the investment into The Coaching Manual has completed. This gives us the ability to deliver incredible coach education across multiple digital platforms. The backing and Investment from Maven and especially Danny Mills, with his industry knowledge, further validates the opportunity that we have in front of us to make football better globally.”

Co-investor Danny Mills added: “When I was introduced to The Coaching Manual I instantly realised that it was a fantastic opportunity. My passion for football and business aligned with helping grassroots coaches and making football better for kids of all abilities and ages got me excited. When I saw what the management team had created I couldn’t wait to get involved. This could really help change the foundations of football.”

The investment was led for NPIF – Maven Equity Finance by Dave Furlong who added: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to back The Coaching Manual, and are excited by the wide range of opportunities that stand before the business. The Bartons have built a truly differentiated platform, thoroughly addressing the needs of coaches and players alike across the growing global football community. We look forward to working with the team, together with the incoming private investors, towards achieving the company’s goals.”

BHP Corporate Finance (Andy Haigh and Juel Chowdhury) acted as lead advisor on the transaction.

Ex-GCHQ Boss kicks off Day One at IP EXPO Manchester 2018

Sam Whitear
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As the GDPR deadline approaches, The IP EXPO Manchester has opened with a stark reminder for organisations to be cyber smart from Robert Hannigan, former Director of GCHQ, the UK government’s largest intelligence and cyber agency.

Hannigan took to the stage in front of a packed crowd, sharing both his views on current cyber challenges and valuable insights into the government’s strategy and ambition to make the UK the safest place to live and do business online.

With GDPR looming, cyber security prompted intense discussion amongst attendees. Seminar sessions from Bennett Arron, comedian and identity theft speaker, Rik Ferguson of Trend Micro and Greg Iddon of Sophos all provided thought provoking and educational content on the topic.

Commenting on the opening of IP EXPO Manchester 2018, Bradley Maule-ffinch, Director of Strategy for IP EXPO Event Series, said: “It’s our fourth year of bringing the IP EXPO series to Manchester and once again we have seen an incredible turn out. The recent news that GCHQ is to set up base in Manchester, reiterates that security is front of mind across the nation. Speakers across the programme offered invaluable advice on how we can look to increase our personal and business cyber security, something that should be high on our agendas given the ever-increasing risks we now face online.”

Additional highlights from Day One at IP EXPO Manchester, which encompasses technology across six main themes – Cloud & IoT, Cyber Security, Networks & Infrastructure, Data & Analytics, DevOps and AI – included:

  • Ian Massingham of AWS, walked attendees through the process for building, training and deploying customised machine learning models with Amazon SageMaker.
  • Adam Maskatiya of Kaspersky Lab discussed why and how cyber-threats could kill your business transformation.
  • Leo Leung of Oracle Cloud explored a modern approach to cloud computing, including what makes Oracle Cloud Infrastructure different in how it is architected.
  • A hot debate on AI, which brought together Harvey Lewis of Ernst & Young LLP, Katie Gibbs of Heron, John Shaw of Sophos, Chris Testa- O’Neill of Microsoft and Danielle Haugedal-Wilson of Co-op Group.

Day Two of IP EXPO Manchester kicks off with a keynote talk from Dr Hannah Fry, Lecturer and one of the UK’s best-known mathematicians at 10.00am. With a raft of additional speakers following Hannah, across the whole spectrum of technology topics, attendees will be able to walk away with both a look at the future of technology along with a holistic view of how they can develop their IT capabilities and better support organisational requirements.

Pioneering Mental Health clinic launches in Manchester

Sam Whitear
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Smart TMS, a leading UK clinic for the treatment of mental health issues is bringing its innovative Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy to Manchester this spring. This ground-breaking treatment for mental health issues has the potential to save thousands of lives and will be available from May.

Statistics from the Manchester Public Health Annual Report 2016/17 suggest that over half of people in Manchester claiming sickness benefits are doing so due to mental and behavioural disorders, and/or substance abuse issues. The rates of alcohol related conditions and the numbers of those who smoke are also higher than the national average in Manchester.

TMS is a clinically proven and non-invasive treatment which stimulates the affected areas of the brain using magnetic energy. This can treat a range of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, OCD, addiction, PTSD and depersonalisation disorders.

In the UK, NICE approved the treatment as a safe alternative to antidepressants in 2015, and experience has shown that around 2 in 3 Smart TMS patients experienced complete remission after six weeks.

Gerard Barnes, the Chief Executive of Smart TMS commented: “Despite the success of TMS treatment in the US and elsewhere, it is still not widely available in the UK and many patients do not even know it exists. We hope that launching this new service in Manchester will bring greater awareness and understanding of mental health issues and enable people to seek suitable treatment. We are delighted to be launching in Manchester and look forward to providing patients with a drug-free, non-invasive treatment  which relieves them of their symptoms”.

Psychologist and TV presenter Emma Kenny added: “TMS is a really exciting treatment option for a wide range of patients.  It treats the underlying causes of the disease in the brain and gives patients a completely different type of recovery, regaining positivity and motivation.  I believe this is the future of mental health treatment in Manchester and beyond.”

homes4u opens new concept agency

Sam Whitear
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The ever evolving homes4u has opened a flagship concept estate agency in Manchester city centre.

With design by Jasper Sanders + Partners, the Deansgate branch combines the latest technology with a welcoming open plan layout to revolutionise the home search experience.

The spacious Scandi-design inspired interior combined with multi screens and current software creates an interactive experience, tailored to individual needs. It is a world away from the traditional agents shop fronts and administrative based office format.

Carolyn Mellor, owner and Managing Director of homes4u, said: “We wanted to create energy in the space by having people engaged and to set a new bench mark for the industry. With the latest tech and a welcoming environment, we can offer both.”

Design Director Jasper Sanders added: “We needed to break away from the impersonal, austere feel of the mainstream estate agency environments and create a sense of place where people could feel welcome.

“We needed to humanise the whole experience to create a dialogue and conversation between people in an environment that puts customers at ease during their search for a new home.”

Rows of intimidating desks are replaced with a central console of touch screen tablets, where customers can browse rental and sales listings at their leisure – this allows staff to have open dialogue and offer a side-by-side service.

The working office is concealed behind a large glass screen, in an acoustically controlled environment, and customers can view properties on a larger scale on a 65” interactive touch screen.

The touchscreens throughout the store use interactive marketing software by Samsung Nexshop and are powered by Zoopla. homes4u is the first estate-agent in the North to utilise the technology and has more in branch touchscreens than any other agent in the UK.

The software allows customers to browse, select favourite properties and even create comparisons. Area information, such as council tax and average house prices, can all be displayed on screens and properties can be viewed on a map where local schools and transport links can be selected.

This advanced technology enhances the customer experience by customising the home search process.

The new space has a number of seating areas including acoustically controlled booths equipped with 22” touch screens, giving customers a more intimate space for discussions. This is supplemented by relaxed areas with armchairs and stools.

Carolyn commented: “The customer experience has always been at the forefront of everything we do at homes4u. We aim to create a relaxing environment where customers can browse properties for sale or for rent at their leisure with our specialist team on hand to offer professional advice.”

Jasper added: “The new design concept will help differentiate homes4u from other estate agency brands and sustain their reputation for delivering first class customer service.”

The new homes4u branch is located on Deansgate on the corner of Liverpool Road, opposite the Hilton Hotel.

Established in 1990 homes4u offers residential and investment sales, new developments, lettings, commercial, property management and block management.

WhiteNoise Media celebrates Lancashire Farm client win

Sam Whitear
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Manchester’s WhiteNoise Media celebrate another client win, making 2018 their strongest year since forming in 2014. Natural yoghurt company Lancashire Farm is the latest name to be added to their list of clients.

Lancashire Farm approached WhiteNoise Media to create regular video content for the brand, including online social clips and a TV commercial later in the year.

The videos, which will include the creation of an animated brand character, will be used to raise brand awareness for Lancashire Farm and establish them as a household name. The content will be planned and produced by WhiteNoise Media and will link the animated character to current news topics.

WhiteNoise will also supply marketing services in the form of their new data-first approach, Behavioural. This system uses artificial intelligence to automate and tailor advert creative, directing it to the correct audience and thus maximising ad spend.

Lancashire Farm are a company that sells yoghurt made with natural ingredients and locally-sourced milk. Founded in 1984, their products range from strawberry fat-free yoghurt to soured cream.

Jack Morrison, Brand Manager at Lancashire Farm said: “Over the last several years the brand has enjoyed fantastic growth, establishing itself as a key challenger within the category. For the latest chapter within our journey we were looking for a partner to deliver strong creative, with a solid digital approach. I couldn’t be more pleased to be saying we’ve found that in WhiteNoise. We can’t wait for what’s to come and see it come to fruition.”


Lee Holdsworth, CEO & Founder at WhiteNoise Media says: “We are thrilled to be working with such a leading household brand like Lancashire Farm. The team at WhiteNoise are looking forward to getting started by creating a lead character for the brand. The character will coincide with the launch of a digital-first campaign which will follow on to a TV advert, and will be underpinned by our new AI driven system, Behavioural.”

 

Camp Digital returns to Manchester on 2nd May

Sam Whitear
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There is just one week to go until Camp Digital, the leading User Experience (UX) design conference, returns to Manchester – and last-minute tickets are selling fast

Run by digital UX agency Sigma, the event will welcome 450 guests to the Royal Exchange Theatre to discuss the latest trends in digital, design, and UX.

Professor Vikas Shah, chair of FutureEverything, and Dr. Sue Black OBE, author of Saving Bletchley Park, will hold keynote talks for the conference.

They, along with the rest of the event’s speakers, will be commenting on a broad range of topics including digital innovation, service design, accessibility, professional progression in the digital industry, and a range of ‘tech for good’ topics.

What’s more, 75 creative, digital and tech students across the North West have the chance to attend the event for free through its ‘Rising Stars’ initiative, sponsored by Barclays. The aim is to enable young people to attend the event, make valuable contacts and engage with issues currently affecting the industry.

Paul Smyth, head of digital accessibility at Barclays, said: “Camp Digital has grown in reach and impact over recent years and we’re really proud to be supporting the next generation of tech and digital stars who will undoubtedly have a big impact in the future. The event provides a great opportunity for both students and industry leaders to discover more about a broad range of accessibility and inclusive design topics – so it’s definitely something we were keen to be involved with.”

Shaun Gomm, commercial director at Sigma and host of Camp Digital, added: “Inclusive design has always been key to what we do here at Sigma, so it’s wonderful to have so many prolific speakers already confirmed to give their insights on the topic. We’re thrilled to have Professor Shah and Dr. Black on board to deliver keynotes, as both have contributed so much to the tech and digital sectors over the years.”

Camp Digital will take place May 2nd 2018 at the Royal Exchange Theatre, in Manchester.

Equilibrium’s financial literacy push continues with book project rolled out in more schools

Sam Whitear
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Wealth management firm Equilibrium is continuing to promote financial literacy in schools – thanks to its book entitled Libby’s Big Aeroplane Adventure.

The book, focusing on central character Libby who flies from Toronto to Manchester to visit her grandparents – with the family having a financial budget for her stay – is now being used by 11 schools.

Both Equilibrium and the book’s author David Evans described financial literacy as ‘vital’ in primary school education.

David, who gave evidence to a Parliamentary Inquiry into the importance of teaching financial skills to young people in 2017, was handpicked by Wilmslow and Chester-based Equilibrium to carry out the project.

He was present as was Ewloe Green Primary School’s Helen McLellin, when they joined teachers from Cheshire’s Springfield Primary School, Hale Preparatory School and Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School for an introduction to the book at Equilibrium’s offices in Wilmslow.

David said: “Libby’s Big Aeroplane Adventure is fun, relatable and includes brilliantly loveable characters, so we are delighted to continue its roll-out.

“With research showing that just under half of all adults’ numeracy skills are equal or less than that expected of an 11-year-old, it’s important that people are engaged from an early age. Primary education is vital to financial literacy.”

Brightly illustrated, Libby’s Big Aeroplane Adventure sets its readers several challenges in the form of real life scenarios, such as setting budgets and crossing time zones. The use of a fictional story allows children to learn new financial skills and apply them without sharing their own financial position.

Debbie Jukes, Partner at Equilibrium, which currently manages over £750 million of assets for over 1,000 families, said the company has now given out almost 700 books to schools in North Wales and Cheshire during the current academic year.

She said: “Understanding how money works from an early age is very important. The knowledge and skills gained will serve them well as they progress through life. We’ve no doubt it plays a big part in empowerment too – financial literacy will give them a better understanding of how to manage their finances and avoid unnecessary risks and excessive debt.”

Audi and JD Sports are launch partner for Two Towers Manchester®

Sam Whitear
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Premium outdoor media owner Ocean Outdoor has increased its presence in Manchester with new locations, a new office, more staff and the launch today of the City’s first ever Two Towers digital out of home (DOOH) structure which dominates The Mancunian Way.

Audi and JD Sports are the launch partners for Two Towers Manchester® which went live today, reaching an audience of 3.6 million people along the elevated section of the A57. The double-sided towers capture access in both directions to Manchester’s busiest inner-city motorway route.

Ocean has also launched the new Gateway Piccadilly, located on the principal route to Piccadilly Station, and has installed its pioneering vehicle detection technology on two roadside screens in London Road and Princess Road.

The launch of Two Towers Manchester® brings the number of handpicked screens Ocean operates in the city to 14. In addition, Ocean has extended its smaller full motion network, called The Loop, to 40 screens, offering a combined city centre audience of 19.4 million.

Connecting much of this infrastructure is SimplyFi, Ocean’s fast and free wifi network connecting The Loop with other super premium screens in key retail and entertainment districts.

Richard Malton, Ocean chief marketing officer, said: “Out of home has made huge strides in Manchester over the past seven years, replacing static posters, outdated street furniture and old purchase models with dynamic screens, highly improved technology and the ability to purchase screen time according to the moment, the day-part or even what vehicle people drive.

“The Two Towers Manchester® is another milestone in the evolving story of world class digital out of home which is designed to anticipate the needs of a smart, globally connected modern city that’s really on the move.”

As Ocean expands its footprint in Manchester, the premium out of home media owner has opened a new office in Charlotte Street which is managed by regional sales director Keith Crisp.  Account manager Scott Webster has also joined Ocean Manchester in a regional sales role.

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 North finalists announced

Sam Whitear
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EY has announced its 2018 Entrepreneur Of The Year North finalists today, with 13 businesses from the North West making the shortlist.

The shortlist highlights the vibrant diversity of the North’s entrepreneurial landscape, with companies from sectors such as retail, events, marketing, technology, education, energy and financial services represented.

The North West finalists are:

-Shamir Patel, managing director of Chemist-4-U.com, based in Skelmersdale

-Phil Foster, managing director of Love Energy Savings, based in Bolton

-Gavin Hamer, chairman of Matchstick Men, based in Wigan

-Nick Mitchell, chief executive of Ultimate Performance, based in Manchester

-Holly Moore, managing director of Make Events, based in Cheadle

– Steven Bartlett, chief executive and Dominic McGregor, chief operating officer of Social Chain, based in Manchester

-Alex Mollart, chief executive of 1st Stop Group, based in Blackpool

-Simon Potts, managing director of The Alchemist, based in Knutsford

-David Stanhope, chief executive of Voiteq and Cirrus Logistics, based in Blackpool

-Mohsin Issa and Zuber Issa, co-chief executives of EG Group, based in Blackburn

-David Bellis MBE, chairman of Innovative Technology, based in Oldham

-Scott Tolson, chief executive of Sigmatex (UK), based in Runcorn

-Dr Alan Ryder, chief executive of RSK, based in Helsby

Victoria Price, partner and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year leader in the North, said: “I’m so proud to lead this programme for EY in the North because I know it supports the incredible entrepreneurial community we have here. This year’s programme is recognizing and connecting another 20 Northern businesses, which create jobs and generate wealth, contributing to the continued growth of the North’s economy.”

The 20 finalists in the 2018 North programme will convene at an awards ceremony in Manchester in June, where an independent panel of judges will select winners in each category. Similar events will also be held in Scotland, the Midlands, and London.

Regional winners will then progress to the UK final held in London in November, to vie for the title ‘EY UK Entrepreneur Of The Year’. The UK country winner will then attend the ‘EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Forum’ in Summer 2019, which gathers the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in the UK, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year has recognised the contribution of thousands of entrepreneurs to the UK economy over the last two decades and has created an impressive network of innovators and business pioneers.

Some of Britain’s best known business figures are former EY Entrepreneur Of The Year winners, including: Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who founded the low cost airline easyJet; Dragon’s Den investor Peter Jones, who started-up Phones International Group; and Richard Reed, one of the founding partners of Innocent Drinks.

Previous winners in the North include Jennifer Atkinson of ITC Luxury Group, Fred Done of Betfred, James Lambert of R&R Icecream and Matthew Riley of Daisy Group plc

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year North 2018 judging panel will be chaired by Mark Whitworth, CEO, Peel Ports Group.

Mark will be joined by:

  • Tayyab Akhlaq, director, Public Desire
  • Sarah Louise Fairburn, brand and sales director, L J Fairburn & Son
  • Alison Fielding, venture partner, IP Group plc
  • Matthew Hirst, CEO, Utiligroup
  • Catherine Richards, partner, Inflexion Private Equity
  • Glenn Timms, CEO, IESA

 

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