Leading broadcaster and journalist Emily Maitlis will be one of a number of high profile and expert speakers to take part in the Start Up Bromley Business Week 2022, which runs from Monday 14 March to

Leading broadcaster and journalist Emily Maitlis will be one of a number of high profile and expert speakers to take part in the Start Up Bromley Business Week 2022, which runs from Monday 14 March to Saturday 19 March.

A host of events have been scheduled including workshops, a business panel and the competition final of a Bromley Business Pitch competition.  All the events are free, take place in libraries across Bromley and are designed to support the local small business community.

The highlight of the week will be a business panel discussion that draws on leading experts and commentators.  Moderated by Emily Maitlis, who was voted one of the 50 most influential people in the UK, the panel will also include David Smith, Economics Editor for the Sunday Times, Rene Perkins co-founder of CityMaaS an award-winning inclusive technology company, Lauretta Wright, Publisher of the community magazine group Life in… and Neil Mitchell co-founder of the Ollie Polly Play Café.

Later in the week the final of a Dragon’s Den style Business Pitch competition will take place.  Six Start Up Bromley members will deliver a live pitch to a team of expert judges, hoping to win up to £2,000 to invest in their business.  Former Sky News, Bloomberg TV and Reuters journalist and presenter Sasha Qadri will facilitate the session.

The week’s full programme of free activities comprises:

14 March – E-commerce Deep Dive: Selling your products online

15 March – Legal and Compliance: What your business should know

15 March – Business Panel – the entrepreneur experience in the UK

16 March – Human Resources for small businesses

17 March – Business pitch competition final

17 March – How do you protect a business idea?  Understanding IP

18 March - Meet the buyer: How to get your product in stores

19 March – Spring marketplace

Councillor Gray, Small Business Champion and Executive Assistant for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said, “Thriving local businesses are essential to our local economy and I am excited about the potential growth opportunities that are available, even in challenging times. There are so many aspects to running your own business and we have a full programme in Bromley Business Week to help, with business lounges in our libraries available for use helping support business.”

Commenting on Bromley Business Week, Martin Stone Sector Libraries Manager for GLL the charitable social enterprise that operates Start Up Bromley said: “Bromley Business Week 2022 is an absolute ‘must’ for any small business owners or managers, entrepreneurs or budding entrepreneurs.  We’ve worked really hard to pull together a programme that covers some of the most challenging aspects of setting up or running a business and we are really proud of the calibre of speakers we’re tabling: from successful entrepreneurs to leading business journalists and broadcasters.”

For more information and to sign up to the free events visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/start-up-bromley-business-week-158799

Start Up Bromley is operated by charitable social enterprise GLL, on behalf of Bromley Council and provides support to aspiring entrepreneurs and new businesses in the borough of Bromley.

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About Start Up Bromley

Start Up Bromley is about building a thriving local business community, focusing on established Bromley businesses helping new and emerging companies in the borough. Start Up Bromley hosts regular workshops both virtually and in person covering different aspects of starting up, launching and building a business. Speakers from a variety of companies share their knowledge and experience for Start Up Bromley members.

About GLL

Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services. Operating under the Better brand, manage 258 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. GLL has 850,000 members and welcomes 46 million customer visits per year. www.gll.org

For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Head of Public Affairs, on 020 8461 7670 or email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk or Carol Pendle at GLL, on 07768462601.

Published: 9th March 2022