Small Business Can

As you know we are busy redesigning the site. That always causes some creative tension.  Nearly all members of the board have been insulted and most have by now threatened to resign (If only they would).
 
We are confident that you will like what we have come up with. We are simplifying, we are changing the design (if you want a preview and want to give us feedback and ideas, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will give you access to the screen shots), the CAN-man is back, but we are also changing the sentiment.

For 143 years, Northern Ireland has showcased its agricultural and food sectors at the Balmoral Show, now the largest agricultural and food event on the island. But the agri-food sector is more than a highlight within the May events calendar; it has been a major bright-spot for the economy during the wider economic downturn.

Whilst private sector output is some 16% below its Q2 2007 peak, output within the Food, Drink & Tobacco sub-sector has increased by almost 13% in real terms. Annual output figures for agriculture highlight that the volume of gross output increased by 2% year-on-year in real terms to £1.7bn last year; although relative to 2007, output is up just 0.5% in real terms.

It is often the spirit of determination that marks out a small business entrepreneur. That is certainly the case with Doris Seggie, an Arizona woman who came to live in Belfast after her mother-in-law, who lives here, was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

Doris was a high flier in the US, with a doctorate in organisational leadership. But that was not enough to get her a job in recession-hit Belfast. So her response was to set-up in business for herself.

Business is a cobweb of human relationship.” – Henry Ross Perot

Relationship marketing is the act of building close relationships with existing customers and prospects. It’s about having an ongoing dialogue with them over a period of time. It can also include gathering customer information and analyzing their feedback- eradicating what they don’t like and do more of what they do.

You can practice relationship marketing on a small scale and get plenty of benefits without implementing an elaborate system. For Product2Market, this has led to client retention, pre-empting objections and obstacles from customers and of course, ensuring a strong reputation as a Marketing Company.

It probably started with "The kids are all right", which one of the first books we read about gaming and how it impacts on business and the next generation of human capital. "Fun Inc." explains the importance of the gaming industry and also starts talking about gaming as the future interface for product and services.



I knew they were up to something, just wasn't sure what, until now.... But I thought someone else would've picked up on this before me, or maybe I'm just jumping the gun, or to conclusions....

My sources tell me that China has given the nod to build a USD1.85 billion trading hub in Westmeath. 
I believe the idea is something similar to the Chinese city of YiWu (if you've been there).

Our resident halfwit is not from this country and where he is from they do not like to spend money. We have never seen his wallet. You can imagine his delight when we decided to focus this week on freebees. Free tickets, free videos, free drinks.

Export-focused food companies will be at the centre of Northern Ireland’s economic recovery, experts from Ulster Bank emphasised at a briefing event for agriculture, food and business journalists.
 
Outlining the Bank’s commitment to supporting the agri-food sector, Ulster Bank’s Head of Business and Commercial Banking, Northern Ireland, Ian Jordan, said that the sector is a major bright spot for the local economy and will continue to perform strongly by tapping into export opportunities.
 
Mr Jordan was joined at the event by the Bank’s Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking, Northern Ireland, Kenton Hilman; Chief Economist, Northern Ireland, Richard Ramsey; and Senior Agricultural Manager, Cormac McKervey.

The event, in the Bank’s Belfast headquarters, was organised as part of the build up to Ulster Bank’s principal sponsorship of the Balmoral Show 2012 (May 16-18), and was attended by members of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists as well as other members of the media.

The idea to organise Angel Meetup emerged from the desire to get the start-up and investorcommunity engaging closer together. Diane Roberts and her team at Xcell Partners undertook the task of getting the event off the ground and transforming the idea into a reality.

Angel Meetup provided a unique forum for exchange for both Anger Investors and Entrepreneurs alike, igniting many lively debates and discussions. It was held in the heart of the Silicon Docks in The Factory, on Barrow Street a stone’s throw from the Google office and home to StartupBootcampDublin.

Fleet Financial has grown substantially since it was formed in 1996. Five people were involved in the Belfast company when it was formed by senior managers who had run the contract car management operation for Charles Hurst. Today Fleet Financial has 25 staff.

The trigger for the formation of Fleet Financial had been the takeover of Charles Hurst by the Lookers group, which, the founders of Fleet Financial believed, would not retain some large contract management clients.

That created an opportunity for senior staff to start their own business, which they have done very successfully.