Events
The Business & IP Centre at Exeter and Barnstaple Libraries host a range of events and workshops to suit start-ups, entrepreneurs or businesses looking to learn new skills or research their industry.
Every fourth Tuesday and Thursday between 14:00 and 15:00, the Business & IP Centre at Barnstaple offers free one-to-one sessions with a trained business champion. One-to-ones are useful for enquiring about how you can access business information and support, or to find out more about Intellectual Property. Find out more information.
The Business & IP Centre in Exeter offer an ‘Introduction to the Business & IP Centre’ appointment. This appointment is designed to go through all the resources available to you at the Centre, and provide information of other relevant professional organisations that may be able to assist you on your business journey.
These appointments can be made at any time to suit you. Please email bipc@librariesunlimited.org.uk with your preferred time and date. We will endeavour to accommodate your preferred date and time. However, if it is not possible, we will offer a suitable alternative.
All of our events are bookable via the BIPC Devon EventBrite page. Click on the title of any event for further details and booking information.
Reset. Restart: Stand Out from the Crowd with your Email Marketing with Francesca Mapp (online) Wednesday 31st March, 13.00 – 14.00
Stop sending the same old boring emails as every other brand! Fran Mapp teaches you how to send emails that your customers want to read. Book your free place here.
Finding Funding: An Introduction to GRANTfinder (Online) Tuesday 13th April, 12.00 – 13.00
This session will introduce you to GRANTfinder, a large database that allows you to search for grants, loans or other funding opportunities specific to your needs. GRANTfinder is available remotely, for free, with your Devon and Torbay Libraries card. Book your free place here.
NatWest Business Builder: Writing a Great 60 Second Pitch (online) Wednesday 14th April, 10.00 – 11.00
Can you explain your business simply and quickly to someone in just 60 seconds? Craft the perfect pitch to take advantage of any opportunity. Book your free place here.
Business Startup Information: an introduction to COBRA (online) Wednesday 21st April, 13.30 – 14.30
Are you in the early stages of starting your own business? Join us for an introduction to COBRA (Complete Business Reference Adviser) Guides, available from home with your Devon or Torbay Libraries card. All you need to know to start your own business! Book your free place here.
NatWest Business Builder: The Power of Mindset (online) Thursday 22nd April, 10.00 – 11.00
Our mindset shapes everything we think and do. Understand your own mindset, where it may be holding you back, and the tools and techniques you need to take the next uncomfortable step. Book your free place here.
Introduction to Intellectual Property (IP) (online) Friday 23rd April, 11.00 – 12.30
An introduction to copyright, trademarks, designs and patents, and how you can benefit from and protect the IP rights in your business.Book your free place here.
Starting a Social Enterprise: Do What You Love for a Living – with Torbay Spark (online) Tuesday 27th April, 13.00 – 14.00
Chris and Andrew from Torbay Spark invite local social entrepreneurs to share advice on how to start and run a social enterprise. Book your free place here.
Keeping up with the News (online) Wednesday 28th April, 13.30 – 14.00
An introduction to NewsBank, available from home with your Devon or Torbay Libraries membership.Book your free place here.
Moving from Benefits to Business Ownership: The New Enterprise Allowance (online) Thursday 29th April, 14.00 – 15.00
Alex Coull from the DWP explains how the New Enterprise Allowance can provide funding and mentorship to help you start/grow your business. Book your free place here.
The following free online webinars are part of the national Business & IP Centres’ Reset. Restart programme, supporting SMEs across the country, and open to all business owners.
For full details and to book any or all of these sessions, click on the webinar title, or visit the British Library’s Reset. Restart page
Reset. Restart: your connections (online coffee hour) – Tuesday 30th March, 12.00 – 13.00
Are you looking to talk to likeminded individuals to help you re-energise, and find clarity and inspiration? Find time to pause, reflect, plan for the future and make connections with other emerging entrepreneurs on a similar journey during these uncertain times.
Reset. Restart: your marketing (online) – Tuesday 30th March, 15.00 – 17.00
Marketing effectively without being opportunistic is a tough challenge for entrepreneurs during COVID. However, there are marketing approaches that entrepreneurs are using right now to help them thrive and set themselves up for future success. This workshop will share the latest research that will give you the confidence to get your social media and email marketing right.
The PRECIOUS Awards was founded in 2007 to celebrate and applaud the professional and entrepreneurial achievements of women of colour in the UK. PRECIOUS Nights is a monthly event that gives you the opportunity to hear previous winners share the highs, lows and lessons of their business journey, give actionable tips and advice.
Reset. Restart: your mindset (introduction to programme) (online) – Monday 5th April, 09.00 – 11.00
Business success starts with your mind. During this session you will get an understanding of how your mind works and how stress manifests itself, while learning simple but powerful techniques to cultivate a positive and productive mental attitude. The aim of this is to equip you so that you are ready for any setbacks in your business journey.
Reset. Restart: your business model (online) – Tuesday 6th April 2021, 12.00 – 14.00
An understanding of business models will assist you in improving your business delivery, increasing your differentiation and therefore competitiveness.This workshop will introduce you to a visual tool, the Business Model Canvas (BMC), which is designed to help create practical, flexible, and deliverable business models, as well as encouraging creativity and team engagement.
Reset. Restart: your products and services (online) – Wednesday 7th April 2021, 10:00 – 12.00
This webinar focuses on the importance of asking the critical question of what your customer actually wants or, maybe more importantly, what they need. We will discuss how we frame this question and how to go about solving it. We will look at different examples of creative thinking methods and how they can be used to deliver solutions.
Reset. Restart: your funding options (online) – Wednesday 7th April, 13.00 – 15.00
Obtaining funding to launch and grow your business has always been one of the greatest challenges for entrepreneurs. And now, it’s a even more complex challenge than ever, with changes to the world economy and the way we do business. But new opportunities are emerging – discover routes to capital that you may not have heard of before, and decide on the best approaches for your business.
Reset. Restart: your market opportunities (online) – Thursday 8th April 2021, 14.00 – 16.00
After the uncertainty of the last year, how is business, and the world in general, evolving? Pete Schonbeck will take you through some engaging and surprising statistics and insights that will help your business refresh, re-engage with consumers, and prepare for the new and evolving marketplace.
Reset. Restart: your customer offer (online) – Tuesday 13th April 2021, 10.00 – 12.00
During this session, brand experts, Michael Murdoch and Robbie Dale will use their Story Cube formula to dissect the key questions you need to consider when building the foundations of your brand. The session will be interactive and will equip you with useful exercises to consider when thinking about selling and pitching with ease.
Reset. Restart: your finances (online) – Tuesday 20th April 2021, 10.00 – 12.00
Undoubtedly one of the hardest things when running a business is getting on top of – and keeping on top of – your finances. This webinar will break down what you need to know and understand into seven key steps. By the end you will be much more confident in managing this important aspect of your business.
Reset. Restart: your digital productivity (online) – Friday 30th April 2021, 10.00 – 12.00
Technology is ever-changing and while it can improve your productivity inordinately, you need the know-how of how to make it work for you and your business. This webinar aims to improve your productivity as a business owner using a range of free and low-cost tools and tech.