News

Take Part in a Global Entrepreneurial Challenge!

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:32:40 GMT

The competition is open to all people over the age of 18. This is a global competition therefore it is open to people from any country.

Please circulate this far and wide through you contacts and networks.......!

Your Big Year

Is seeking enthusiastic, adventurous and enterprising individuals who are free to explore the globe from January 2011.

The competition, which is free to enter and open to all adults worldwide, will test entrants’ skills in communication, charity fund-raising and entrepreneurial spirit.

This is an amazing opportunity to support enterprise and entrepreneurship, to support social responsibility and key charities and todevelop self-awareness, global awareness, and global citizenship.

Interested?

For more information visit www.yourbigyear.com.

amykeegan7 ...

Gender Specific Coaching & Mentoring Available

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:15:26 GMT

Gender specific coaching & mentoring available if prefered.

Commercial & funded opportunities for business leaders to work with a coach or mentor of their choice.

Terrie Johnson - Fruit to Suit

“Although I have only met my mentor twice, I have already seen the benefits to myself and fruit to suit. The matching process was obviously very thorough as the match between my own personal needs and my mentor were excellent. Spot on! Setting up and running your own business can be a very lonely and frustrating experience. You have to learn and develop new skills that are way out of your comfort zone. Family and friends, with the best will in the world, do not really understand and tell you ‘Oh, you’ll be fine!’ before their eyes start to glaze over! It’s when they start to dribble - I know I’ve lost them!! It’s fantastic to be able to talk with someone who does understand as they has already been through the problems and issues themselves. It’s not necessarily that I am looking for answers - quite often just talking something through with someone makes everything clearer. I do think that the Mentoring Program is excellent and I would love to be able to return the favour and be a mentor one day in the future.”

Liz Howard - Sensory Toy Warehouse

“Yes I met up with Cathy in December for the first time and the experience was nothing short of wonderful. I know that I am going to benefit so much from our relationship. We are due to meet up again this month and I’m really looking forward to it..”

For more information contact Designated Associates on 0151 653 3338 or emma.jones@designatedassociates.com

amykeegan7 ...

Want to give a young person (and your creative team) a break?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:40:34 GMT

(A full-time administrator from as little as £5,000!)

Specifically designed for the creative industries sector, the Creative Break Apprenticeship Programme sources high quality young people from the thousands looking for an opportunity to enter this unique sector and carries out essential skills training so they’re primed and ready to hit the ground running to provide administration support for a creative agency or in-house marketing team.

What's in it for you?

Talented, capable and enthusiastic young people to support your team; An opportunity to support a young people into a new career; More info: www.creativebreak.info

amykeegan7 ...

Elaine Attends Round Table Discussion on Women's Entrepreneurship

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:08:46 GMT

Elaine attends round table discussion on 7th July to discuss 'Current policy directions and influences upon women's entrepreneurship'.

Facilitated by Professor Helene Ahl (Jonkoping University: Sweden) and Professor Susan Marlow (De Montfort University: Leicester) who are currently engaged in research focused upon institutional influences upon gender and entrepreneurship.

amykeegan7 ...

ELAINE OWEN WINS “OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN’S LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT” AT WOMEN ON THEIR WAY AWARDS 2010

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:02:19 GMT

On the Friday 19^th March, Elaine Owen of the Wirral based Designated Associates won outstanding contribution to women’s learning and development award at the Women on Their Way Awards held at Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham.

The Woman on Their Way Awards have been running two years and aims to connect women through the UK, to inspire and to increase their self belief. Celebrating and recognising those women who mobilise, those who contribute and those who don’t always realise the incredible impact that they have on others.

Elaine won this incredible award despite intense competition from three fantastic finalists. She received the award from LSC (Learning and Skills Council), who was the official sponsor of this award category.

Elaine comments on her achievement,

“I’m so chuffed – this is a great honour. All at Designated Associates are delighted to be acknowledged in this way”.

Elaine has a strong passion for encouraging women into business and for raising the skill set of local people. Designated Associates under Elaine’s management, seeks to support enterprise growth in the North West via Women in Business NW and by providing low cost or pro bono services to third sector organisations and fledgling businesses.

Lead Judge Gill Fielding from the Secret Millionaire said,

“Women make great businesswomen as they follow formulas that work, more than men do”

For more information and to see photographs from the event follow the link below or visit www.womenontheirway.co.uk

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/womenontheirwayltd/NationalWomenOnTheirWayAwards2010?feat=directlink#

amykeegan7 ...

Elaine Owen invited by Gordon Brown to Global Investment Conference

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:18:41 GMT

Elaine Owen Director of Women In Business and Managing Director of Designated Associates was personally invited by Gordon Brown to Global Investment Conference on Monday 22^nd February.

Gordon Brown, commented on the conference,

“I have convened this Conference, to bring together a unique mix of though-leaders, investors and decision-makers from around the world to debate the issues that will influence business and investment in the years to come, and discuss how we can ensure that international investment continues to play a vital role in the new global economic landscape”.

In attendance were, Prime Minister, Lord Mandleson, Lord Davies, Alistair Darling Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord Drayson.

Speakers included Jonathan Ive Senior Vice President Apple, Lord Sebastian Coe and Angela Ahrendts CEO Burberry.

Elaine said,

“It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with international business leaders, the whole day was extremely valuable and stimulating”.

amykeegan7 ...

Northwest business support organisations receive new international quality standard

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:52:54 GMT

Eight business support organisations across the Northwest have been awarded a new quality standard for women’s enterprise.

The Women’s Business Centre (WBC) Standard, funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and developed by Prowess, the independent voice of women’s enterprise in the UK, has been developed as a framework for providing world-class support services to budding and established female entrepreneurs.

Organisations which have achieved the WBC Standard have been officially recognised as putting women’s business support requirements at the forefront of their service. They understand and embed the needs and aspirations of their women clients into the very fabric of their organisation; focusing on establishing and maintaining a long-term relationship with their client and providing support through the whole lifecycle of their business journey.

Awarded at the Northwest Women in Business Awards 2010 on the 29th January at Ribby Hall, Lancashire, the first 8 organisations across the Northwest to achieve the WBC Standard are:

Lancashire:

• Bolton Business Ventures
• Enterprise4All
• Hyndburn Enterprise Trust

Liverpool:

• Blackburne House
• Blue Orchid

Cumbria:

• Furness Enterprise
• University of Cumbria

Greater Manchester
• Rochdale Borough Women’s Enterprise Network

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said:

“Women are currently significantly under-represented in business in the Northwest and the UK and it is vital that we work to address this imbalance – it has been estimated that if women started businesses at the same rate as men, the UK would see 150,000 more businesses per annum.

It is therefore vital that the right business support, advice and guidance are available to ensure female entrepreneurs can achieve their potential. The WBC standard is a clear symbol of the quality of female-targeted business support offered by organisations in the Northwest, which we hope will create a step change in the number of women accessing support and ultimately starting up their own businesses.”

Elaine Owen, Chair of the Northwest Women’s Enterprise Forum, said:

“We were very proud to announce the first 8 organisations to receive the Women’s Business Centre Standard (WBC). This pilot is a great example of the positive change happening in Women’s Enterprise and how mainstream business support can put women’s requirements at the forefront of their thinking. As the first and only international standard for women’s enterprise support, we also hope it will help to bring women entrepreneurs all over the world together, to learn from each other, share knowledge and promote their businesses.”

For further information about the WBC standard visit www.wbcinternational.org

A number of workshops will take place during March to raise awareness of the Women’s Business Centre Quality Standard across the region:

Thursday 18 March: Village Hotel, Warrington
Friday 19 March: Blackburne House, Liverpool
Monday 22 March: Palace Hotel, Manchester
Tuesday 23 March: Roundthorn Hotel, Penrith
Wednesday 24 March: University of Central Lancashire, Preston

amykeegan7 ...

Elaine Named “Business Personality Of The Year” at ABF Tiger Awards 2009

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:10:54 GMT

On Saturday 21^st November, Elaine Owen of the Liverpool based enterprise development organisation Designated Associates was named Business Personality of the Year at the Asian Business Federation’s 2009 Tiger Awards in Manchester.

The Tiger Awards is the North West’s leading multicultural business award event and nearly 500 delegates from across the region gathered at the to recognise the outstanding achievements of this year’s winners. In all, seven award categories were contested at the ceremony, which was sponsored by HSBC and took place at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester.

Elaine won the coveted prize despite intense competition from high flying finalists from across the North West. She received the award from Dominic Ashley-Timms, Managing Director of Notion Coaching, which was the official sponsor of this award category.

Designated Associates was founded in 1994 and operates as a commercial organisation with socially responsible aims. Under Elaine’s management, it seeks to support enterprise growth in the North West via Women in Business NW and by providing low cost or pro bono services to third sector organisations and fledgling businesses. Elaine has a strong passion for encouraging women into business and for raising the skill set of local people. Judges were struck by her willingness to give her time to inspire, educate and re-energise individuals, and by her down to earth approach.

Speaking shortly after the announcement, Dominic Ashley-Timms said: “Personality is an important driving force behind business success and, as an organisation that is committed to helping people to develop their full potential, Notion is delighted to be sponsoring the Business Personality of the Year award. All the finalists have shown great enthusiasm and commitment to their companies, so the standard has been very high and Elaine is to be congratulated on a very impressive achievement.”

More information about the awards can be found by visiting www.tigerawards.co.uk.

To see Elaine's acceptance speech click here.

amykeegan7 ...

Leading the Way for Women

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:36:51 GMT

Elaine Owen is an award-winning businesswoman and an inspirational figure in the region’s women’s enterprise arena.

The mother-of-three runs her own IT and learning development company. In her role at the Northwest Women’s Enterprise Forum (NWWEF), she is striving to unlock the potential of many other women so that they can follow in her footsteps.

Elaine left school at just 16 and while running her own business was not her first choice for a career, she was given the opportunity after being made redundant.

“Running your own business can be a lonely place, because not many of your peers are in the same position,” explains Elaine, “but the support is out there and women should trust in the fact that they have many qualities that make them excellent business people.“

Elaine, who is the current holder of the Prowess Award for Business Mentor UK, spent two years as vice-chair of the NWWEF before taking over as chair in April this year.

The NWWEF was established by the Northwest Regional Development Agency in 2004 and is made up of local female entrepreneurs and stakeholder representatives.

The forum gathers opinions from a range of different organisations to learn about the issues affecting women’s enterprise. This intelligence is used to push for change where it is needed.

Elaine’s vision is to drive the already successful forum forward, working with stakeholders to help its members to achieve their best.

“Women represent an amazing, relatively untapped, resource and could play a big part in driving the North West economy if many of the potential entrepreneurs among them are encouraged to take the first steps,” says Elaine. “Since the NWWEF was established, it has taken great strides in empowering women to become successful business people, but there is still more work to be done.”

Business Link Northwest is working hand-in-hand with the NWWEF to support women starting out, or in established businesses, help that that Elaine thinks is vital.

“Business Link has listened to the needs of female entrepreneurs and has responded accordingly,” says Elaine. “When I started out I wouldn’t have dreamt of approaching an organisation like Business Link, but now more and more women are taking up the service, which is testament to the good work that is going on.”

A key part of that work is encouraging women to see the value of networking and engaging with the plethora of support groups that are available.

“As well as providing networking opportunities, these organisations can be a great source of support for women and open up many opportunities. Times are changing and while once women rarely made it to director level, now more are standing shoulder to shoulder with men on the board. But the forum is not aiming to prioritize women’s needs over those of men; men and women can learn a lot from each other in business.”

For Elaine, the forum will have been a true success when it is no longer needed. She concludes: “That time will come when women are no longer a minority group in the world of business but are equal in every sense of the word. There is a lot of work to be done but I strongly believe it can be achieved and the North West economy will reap the benefits.”

To access the new dedicated women in business pages on the website log onto www.businesslinknw.co.uk/womeninbusiness

You can download the full article in Adobe PDF format by clicking here.

Admin ...

Hope University Enterprise Day

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:37:00 GMT

Women In Business NW attended Hope University at the request of Lynn McCann to speak with young enterprise students who had a huge variety of questions to pose about business and enterprise experience. A small selection of Women In Business NW women spoke of real life scenarios and gave first hand experience to all those who attended. Elaine Owen, Ellie Kerr & Jan McDermott would like to pass on their thanks to all the women who gave their time freely to invest in the enterprising women of the future.

Admin ...