Working together can defeat worst of recession

2:17pm Wednesday 19th November 2008

Owning a business doesn’t have to be a lonely experience.

Organisations like the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce offer the chance to meet up with like-minded people to share ideas, pursue new opportunities or simply get to know each other.

Business Editor SAM THOMSON spoke to the three women in charge of the chamber to find out the benefits of becoming a member.

“As Bertrand Russell once said: ‘The only thing that will redeem mankind is co-operation.’ I think we can all appreciate the relevance of that now.” “Was that on a beer mat?” “Yeah, it was Guinness Extra Cold.” “I won’t say anything.” “Thanks.”

The above exchange takes place during a particularly hair-raising scene of hit horror-comedy film Shaun Of The Dead, as hoards of zombies surround the pub where our heroes have tries to hide in safety.

OK, so even with a recession looming, the economy is not quite as bad as the prospect of being eaten alive by the living dead.

But times are undoubtedly hard, and the words of the great British philosopher and historian are more relevant than ever.

They would certainly not be out of place as the motto of the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce.

Throughout the interview with chamber president Julie Stanford, new director Sarah Springford and events chairwoman Fay MacDonald, the topic of co-operation among city businesses comes up time and again.

The chamber has more than 400 members, with more joining on a daily basis.

It is a not-for-profit operation with two main functions.

The first is to represent the needs and interests of the city’s businesses community and the chamber is represented on the key local partnerships and initiatives, including the Economic and Sustainability Partnerships and the Brighton and Hove Business Forum Secondly, the chamber provides members with opportunities to meet and learn from a diverse range of business people at various network and training events run every month, most of which are free.

Although they are proud of the work the chamber already does, the women in charge are keen to stress the more firms that join, the more that can be achieved.

Ms Stanford, who founded the Essential Business Guide, has been president for the past two years.

Her role is to represent chamber members on strategic groups such as the economic partnership and business forum, as well as liaise with executives and the economic development experts at the council.

Ms Stanford said: “I am very passionate about support for businesses because I think it takes a rare type of person to run a business and the people who choose to do so need all the help and guidance they can get.

“I had been to a number of organisations like Business Link and the Federation of Small Businesses.

“For me I liked the chamber because it was affordable and the quality of training and networking was very welcome.”

As an example of the organisation’s influence, Ms Stanford said she had a large input to the council’s recent “recession busting” package of support for businesses, which included a commitment to pay invoices within ten days and charge rent monthly instead of quarterly.

“We do a lot of work behind the scenes,” Ms Stanford added.

“We have got very good links with the council and can talk to the leader and other councillors frequently about ways we can work together to help businesses.

“I think the council is showing great initiative at the moment.

“It is very welcome because business need this joined-up thinking.

“Businesses don’t like to see duplication of delivery and know the value of working in partnership.”

Ms MacDonald, who owns communications consultancy Diosa Media, leads the events team which plans and runs the various events organised by the chamber.

She found the chamber to be invaluable when settling in to an unfamiliar city.

Ms MacDonald said: “I came to Brighton in 2006. I had just started my own business and did not know the city at all.

“I went along to a chamber networking event at the Thistle hotel and loved it.

“Immediately I asked myself how I could get more involved and ended up on the events team.

“I have met so many people through the chamber.

“About 80% of my clients have been won directly or indirectly through it.”

Like most people who make up the chamber’s executive committee and working groups, Ms Stanford and Ms MacDonald are volunteers who manage to juggle their time helping out with running their own business.

Thanks to funding through the council, Ms Springford has joined as only the second full-time member of staff alongside events co-ordinator Lara Hockman.

Her task is to focus on delivery of the chamber strategy while encouraging more members to join.

Ms Springford said: “I like the fact the chamber is run as a business, so aims to have best practice in everything it does.

“When you are working on your own it can be difficult to access help and advice.

“If you run a business and are trying to stay competitive, keep good people and stay lean, then come along as a guest, talk to us and see what you think.”

Chamber members are kept up to date by a newly launched website, designed and built by a Brighton-based company.

Ms MacDonald said: “The site is now much more flexible for members to use and has an RSS feed to alert people to breaking news as well as online booking for events.”

Chambers of commerce have a long history in the Britain and can often conjure up images of stiff-collared, elderly white men meeting in smoky rooms to digest the issues of the day over brandy and cigars.

Ms Stanford is keen to point out that the Brighton and Hove Chamber is a modern, lively organisation which perfectly reflects the diverse make-up of the city’s businesses.

She said: “One of the best aspects of the chamber is that it reflects Brighton.

“We will be celebrating our centenary in 2012 and the organisation today is very different from what it was. It has changed as the city has changed. It’s very inclusive with no big egos.”

The suggestion that the chamber is also different because it has three women in charge is quickly shot down, however.

Ms Stanford bristled at the very idea that someone’s sex makes a difference in today’s world of work.

She said: “I don’t think our gender has any relevance at all.

“I was really shocked when someone called me a woman business owner the other day.”

Changed She admits things have changed though: “I remember about 18 years ago I went to see my bank manager for a business loan and we sat there for ages.

“We waited and waited until I asked what the problem was and he told me he was waiting for my husband to come along and sign the forms.”

Ms MacDonald laughed at this and added: “My bank manager is a woman and she’s just joined the chamber.”

Ms Springford said: “It’s also true that more people are launching start-up businesses, so by definition there are more women getting involved.

“There is also much more media coverage through shows like Dragons’ Den, so women are being encouraged all the time.”

While there is more than 400 chamber members, this is only a small proportion of the 11,000-plus registered businesses in the city.

All three women are determined to sign up as many of these as possible to ensure city enterprises can survive the looming recession.

Ms Stanford said: “Myself and a lot of our members went through the last recession and there is much more help and support available now.

“It is a testing time but there are ways to make it more likely that a business will survive.

“Through us, people can get help with things like pricing, marketing and cost cutting.

“A lot of business have their head down working hard.

“That is commendable but I think they can get something out of lifting their head and seeing what help is out there.

“By getting together an sharing best practice they are more likely to grow and become more profitable. You get back what you are prepared to put into it.”

For more information about the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce, visit www.business inbrighton.org.uk, email administrator@ businessinbrighton.org.uk or call 01273 719097.

Annual fee £99 + VAT (businesses with one to five employees) £199 + VAT (six to 15) £299 + VAT (15+) Future events Next breakfast - Friday, November 28, at Carluccio's - inspirational speaker and breakfast. 7.45am start.

Seasonal event - Christmas party - Tuesday, December 16, at The Old Market, Hove - the party for businesses in Brighton.

Details for these events (and soon to be announced 2009 events) on the website www.businessinbrighton.org.uk.