Goodness me, what a week of changes. There seem to be so many people packing it all in and heading back to the UK. People who are going back for health reasons, for family reasons, and for financial ones as well. But there are still people toughing it out here, with gritted teeth they’re persevering with their businesses and trying to tighten their belts now that the summer tourist season has finished. I know of some cafes which only have just enough cash to restock so that they can keep their doors open. And just as these people are leaving or struggling so many other people are arriving and thriving on the island, which I think is also important to remember, it’s not all doom and gloom.
If your business is booming or floundering, or hasn’t even been set up yet, the Small Business Day is for you. It’s an opportunity to network with other business owners, to meet industry experts and professionals and to discover some new skills and ideas which might make a difference in your own field. When I came up with the idea for the Small Business Support Day a couple of years ago I wanted to make it as inclusive as possible which is why the price for the whole day is so low, it’s only 30€ for the workshops which start at 9.30 and go through until 16.00 and includes lunch. The last time I did the event it attracted about sixty people, so I am hoping this time to get around a hundred. There will be workshops and seminars presented on topics such as ‘How to protect your business’, ‘How to manage PR’, ‘Group dynamics and communication’, ‘Personal Branding’ ‘Accounting and preparing for the tax man’ amongst others.
Last time we did this event there was a varied group of delegates, people representing their own small and mid scale business, people looking for investors, and people looking to invest and buy businesses, and people who had not yet set up their business but subsequently have done. If you’ve got an idea or a dream that you want to fulfil then the SBS day is a really good way to start. When I set up my first business in Mallorca all those years ago I didn’t really have a clue about things like cash flow and marketing, and I had to learn the very hard way about how to do things, there wasn’t an event or a course which I could have gone on (in English anyway) that would have addressed some of the things that I wanted to develop. Well there is now, and I’m proud to be the person who came up with it!
The event will be on Wednesday 19th October and will be at Mood Beach Bar & Restaurant in Costa D’en Blanes (it’s between Marineland and Sporting Tennis). If you want to come for the day, or know someone who you think would benefit from coming then contact info@moodbeach.com or call 971 676 456 to make your booking. (It’s best to reserve in advance as tickets on the day are more expensive).
After having just read this blog I would like to find out if and when there will be another Small Business Support Day. We have a small family run childrens clothing shop in the centre of Palma and would be really interested in attending future Support Days. As i mentioned we are a small and relatively new business, with a city centre store and an on line site, http://www.minimikids.com. Our aim is to provide original childrens clothing at the best possible price and quality. All our gaments are made in England and designed, printed and emroidered in Mallorca.
hi there Gerard! Yes i will do more SBS days, but you can also join The Supper Club which is a regular evening networking group which i have started. If you want more info then send me an email to vickimcleod24@gmail.com or go to Facebook and search for https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesupperclubmallorca/ The next meet up is on Feb 16th.