More than 800 people got advice and tips from business leaders

The third annual Wandsworth Enterprise Week, which ran at the begining of this month, offered a week of free help and support for Wandsworth’s start-ups and small businesses included dozens of workshops, events and one-to-one advice sessions across the borough

Organisations giving advice included Virgin Start up, NatWest, General Assembly, UKTI, Kerb and the Nationwide Caterers Association.

Highlights included Women’s Enterprise Day which featured talks from local business women and from serial entrepreneur, author and broadcaster Lynne Franks

The Wandsworth Business forum was attended by close to 300 businesses and featured Charlie Mullins OBE, founder of Pimlico Plumbers, who stayed for hours to talk to local businesses owners, and marketing and branding expert Rafe Offer. Music on the night was provided by students from the World Heat beat Academy.

The week came to a close at the Young Enterprise Trade fair at Southside, which saw students companies selling their wares. Putney High school for Girls won best product for their collapsible lunch box

Joanna Giddins of Wandsworth based Wyld Cookery School told this website:
"The one to one session with Jonathan Amponsah from The Tax Guys in Wandsworth was really useful. Jonathan answered all the questions I threw at him and some more accounting than tax related."

Putney business woman Debbie Blott, founder of the DecorCafe Network, was a guest speaker at the Womens Forum and hosted one of the start-up events. Debbie told this website, "Enterprise Week was truly inspiring. I met so many people using their imagination to set up and progress fantastic new businesses. It is great that the council offers them this level of support. Made me proud to live in Wandsworth!"

The council’s business spokesman Cllr Guy Senior said:
“Wandsworth Enterprise Week goes from strength to strength, and it was encouraging to see Wandsworth’s thriving business community come together to network and learn lessons from business leaders. We are determined to make sure that Wandsworth is a haven for start-ups and small businesses, and will do all we can to support them and help them grow.”

Wandsworth Enterprise Week is organised by the council’s Economic Development Office, which supports the local business community. Find out about other ways it can help your business at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/business.

March 16, 2016