Join us... For the 6th Prowess Annual International Conference, the most informative, relevant and FUN event in the women's enterprise support calendar. Here is all the information you need to book your place and join other leading players - men and women - in business support policy and practice. This year we are focusing on 'Risk and Reward' to ensure female entrepreneurs are given the right support to come through turbulent economic times and excel on the enterprise journey. Marketing and Exhibition Opportunities Conference Booking Hotline: +44 (0)1603 762355
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Click here to download your Conference booking form Host Sponsor:
Corporate Sponsor:
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The Prowess Annual Conference goes from strength to strength and has sold out for the past five years. Join us in Blackpool as national and international delegates meet to discuss all that is topical in the development of women's enterprise. The conference is aimed at:
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Here's what some delegates had to say about the 2008 Prowess Annual Conference: “The conference was one of the best I have ever been to!!! It was a pleasure being there among all that positive energy”. Raymond Whyte, Brent Early Years Service “Energising and full of useful debate and best practice”. Julie Kapsalis, SEEDA "Great conference - best one I have attended for a long time!" Laura-Jane Franklin, EMDA "Made lots of contacts many of whom I am sure will result in tangible business". Joy Nichols, Nichols Employment Agency "A faultless conference again" Kath Tatlock, Business Support Network, South West "I am fired up with a plethora of ideas that came from meeting so many like minded people in the space of two days." Rosanne Kilbourn, Mid Anglian Enterprise Agency Ltd (Menta) |
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Our fantastic line up of speakers to date includes:
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Tuesday 3rd March 16.00 - 20.00 Registration opens at Imperial Hotel, Blackpool 19.00 - 20.00 Welcome to Blackpool - Informal Drinks Reception at Celeb City. Mix and mingle with celebrities from stage, screen and politics. Delegates will be transported to and from the Drinks Reception in famous Blackpool Trams. 20.00 - for 20.30 Informal networking supper at the Imperial Hotel. Sponsored by Business Link Northwest. www.businesslinknw.co.uk Wednesday 4th March 06.30 Pool open, join a Tai Chi session or enjoy the bracing sea air! 09.00- 10.00 Registration, welcome refreshments, networking. Exhibition open until 5pm 10.00 – 11.15 Plenary Session: Welcome from Erika Watson, Prowess Executive Director followed by panel presentations and discussion including Vanda Murray OBE, NWDA Board Member; Claire Dove – Chair, Social Enterprise Coalition and Lucy Martin - Gina’s Nannies 11.15 -12.30 Your choice of Workshop (select from Session A) 12.30-14.00 Lunch and the opportunity to visit the Exhibition Hall 14.00-15.15 Your choice of Workshop (select from Session B) 15.15-15.45 Refreshments, networking and opportunity to visit the Exhibition Hall The Rewards: Giving Back – presentations followed by Q&A to include Hilary Devey, Pall-Ex MD and Inspirational businesswoman and MT Rainey, Founder and CEO of Horsesmouth 17.30 -18.00 Prowess AGM – Imperial Hotel: Members only 19.00 -19.45 Pre dinner drinks in the Palm Court, Imperial Hotel 19.45 - 22.30 Gala Dinner - Including welcome from Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive – NWDA and presentation of the Prowess Flagship Awards for Best Practice in Women's Enterprise Development by Tessa Lyndon-Skeggs, RBS/ NatWest followed by Awards for Best Newcomer and Flagship of the Year. Thursday 5th March 06.30 Pool open, join a Tai Chi session or enjoy the bracing sea air! 08.00 – 9.00 Registration, refreshments and networking. Exhibition open until 13.45 09.00 – 10.00 Plenary Session: Enterprising Places: presentations followed by Q&A. Presenters include: Kath Boullen, St Helens Chamber; Emma Jones, Enterprise Nation and Frederique Clavel, Paris Pionnieres 10.00- 11.15 Your choice of workshop (Select from Session C) 11.15 – 11.45 Refreshments and the opportunity to visit the Exhibition Hall 11.45 – 13.00 Your choice of workshop (select from Session D) 13.00 – 13.45 Plenary Session: Visions for the Future including Sonia Brown, National Black Women’s Network and Professor Germaine Greer, Writer and Academic. Closing comments from Sylvia Philips, Prowess Chair 13.45 Close of Conference and depart. Bagged lunches will be available for delegates to take away * Prowess reserves the right to amend any aspect of the conference programme, activities and speaker list |
Session A: Wednesday Workshops (am) 11.15 - 12.30 1a Childcare: childcare is both an important driver of and barrier to enterprise for women. What are the issues and solutions for policy and practice? Lucy Martin – Gina’s Nannies and Dr Julia Rouse – Centre for Enterprise, MMUBS 2a Research: are women risk takers? The Prowess National Policy Centre (PNPC) is pleased to present a selection of papers by leading UK and international researchers and practitioners. Papers cover a range of topics including: the economic downturn, procurement, innovation and social enterprise. 3a New technology: E-commerce builds on women’s strengths as communicators and is strongly linked to SME growth. Leading business women share insights. Chaired by Elaine Owen, Designated Associates with Libby Nightingale, Chromasia and Anna Farmery, The Engaging Brand. 4a Women's enterprise - going global: Will look at international development by organisations that support women to start and grow their businesses. With Bola Olabisi, GWIIN, Frederique Clavel, Paris Pionnieres and Ann Marie Almeida, Association of Women's Business Centre's, USA. 5a Young Enterprise: Presentations and discussion from graduates and the organisations who support them. With Dr.Lorna Collins, National Council of Graduate Entrepreneurs (NCGE) and others. 6a Gender Focus: Fast paced and interactive workshop aimed at business support providers wanting to understand why gender matters in the way support is marketed and delivered. Suitable for all staff from reception to boardroom. Marla Nelson, Deputy Director of the Women's Enterprise Centre of Expertise (WECOE) |
Session B: Wednesday Workshops (pm) 14.00 - 15.15 1b Access to Finance: Latest research suggests women in business are taking up just 10% of Government supported finance programmes. What are the causes and implications? Policy debate and discussion led by the Prowess National Policy Centre (PNPC) with contributions from Gaynor Dykes, Business Link Northwest Head of Access to Finance service and others. 2b Research: The Prowess National Policy Centre (PNPC) is pleased to present a selection of papers by leading UK and international researchers and practitioners. Papers cover a range of topics including: the economic downturn, procurement, innovation and social enterprise. 3b Supplier diversity – public and corporate sector procurement: A hot topic in Government policy. This session will look at why procurement opportunities matter and how to support businesses to be supply ready. Panellists include Caroline Roberts of WEConnect and Mayank Shah of Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK). 4b Women’s Business Centres – the debate: There’s now agreement that targeted women’s business centres are an important element of any regional women’s business strategy. But what is a Woman's Business Centre? A range of views will be debated. Presented by Gill Fennings Monkman, BusinessWorks, Bev Hurley, YTKO, Frederique Clavel, Paris Pionnieres and Ann Marie Almeida, Association of Women's Business Centres, USA. 5b Social enterprise - Women leading the way in climate change: A panel discussion with environmentally focused female led social enterprises. To explore what motivates women to start social enterprises and how they can best be supported. Chaired by Katharine Purser, Office of the Third Sector
6b Negotiation Skills for women: The session will give you insight into improving your influencing skills and negotiating. |
Session C: Thursday Workshops (am) 10.00 - 11.15 1c Worklessness v enterprise: How can the most disadvantaged groups benefit from enterprise? Good practice examples of organisations supporting lone parents, incapacity benefit recipients and ex-offenders from regeneration and LEGI initiatives. Participants will hear from Nicola Hall of Blackpool HEROES, Richard Hudson, Bradford KickStart and Aaron Barbour, Community Links. 2c Research – are women risk takers? The Prowess National Policy Centre (PNPC) is pleased to present a selection of papers by leading UK and international researchers and practitioners. Papers cover a range of topics including: the economic downturn, procurement, innovation and social enterprise. 3c Leadership for female providers of business support: Prowess membership research identifies that there is real need for leadership development for current and potential female leaders in our sector. This workshop addresses the issues. Led by Ann Marie Almeida of Global Leadership and Management, New York. 4c Flagship focus: Find out from organisations who have either achieved Flagship status or are formally committed to achieving Flagship about how your organisation can benefit from this quality mark for excellence in women’s enterprise development. Chaired by Marla Nelson, Women's Enterprise Centre of Expertise (WECOE). 5c Risk and Reward - an entrepreneurs story: Highlights and lessons from a female entrepreneur speaking from over 25 years experience of starting and managing a successful business. You can find out how to face the risks and tears of growing a business and celebrate the rewards and triumphs. Presented by Janette Faherty, CEO of Avanta Enterprise Ltd www.avanta.uk.com 6c From role model to mentor: A mentoring masterclass for anyone wanting to develop their skills as a mentor to female owned SMEs. This session will focus on the core skills involved in being a mentor and good practice examples from existing mentoring programmes. Led by Rachel Tobell, Manager of Services for Women, UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC). |
Session D: Thursday Workshops (pm) 11.45 - 13.00 1d Impact assessment/social audit: This practical session introduces tools which illustrate and prove the social and economic impact and value of women’s enterprise support. Coordinated by Melissa Dreyling, Women's Enterprise Centre of Expertise (WECOE) 2d Research: The Prowess National Policy Centre (PNPC) is pleased to present a selection of papers by leading UK and international researchers and practitioners. Papers cover a range of topics including: the economic downturn, procurement, innovation and social enterprise. 3d My time, my pace: Many women refuse to fit the mould of ‘high growth businesses’. This session includes presentations and discussion from women who’ve done it their own way and business support providers who have learned to support this group. Chaired by Jo Cocker of NWDA with contributions from Ellen Kerr of BusinessLink Northwest and others. 4d Equal access: Supporting disabled people into self-employment. This workshop will be informative and challenging. It will assist delegates to tackle the barriers to self-employment for disabled people and enable participants to be more confident in supporting this client group. Led by Tina Wright and Gill Elsworth of Training and Consultancy Initiatives Ltd. 5d A spark of inspiration: Hear from a panel of Spark Ambassadors about the risks and rewards they have encountered in their business lives, how they have made their mark and what they are doing to inspire and encourage entrepreneurialism in others. Presented by Make Your Mark www.makeyourmark.org.uk 6d Marketing to Women: women are equal but different and understanding this is essential to hooking in a female audience. Bullet proof your business brand and communications in this interactive and collaborative session. Led by Erika Watson, Prowess. |
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We all need time to step back and take stock. A limited number of 1-1 coaching sessions will be available throughout the conference from Blaize Davies of Leap Ahead Coaching. www.leapaheadcoaching.co.uk Back by popular demand Blaize specialises in leadership and management. Popular topics include stress management, preparation for change, staff management and organisation expansion. To reserve your appointment with Blaize simply sign up on arrival at the conference. You are asked to come ready to outline clearly and concisely what your issue is, what you want to get from discussing your issue and a bit of background information about the issue. |
Marketing and Exhibition OpportunitiesProwess has established a reputation for high profile, informative and interactive events. We are expecting 300 - 350 delegates in Blackpool making this a fantastic opportunity to promote your organisations services and events. The Exhibition Hall will be open throughout the conference and will be the key space for all networking and refreshment breaks. It also provides a fantastic forum for women business owners to sell their products, raise their profile, make great contacts and obtain valuable advice from other exhibitors. Alternatively, you may wish to consider including promotional materials in the delegate bags. Click here to download the Marketing Opportunities Guidelines and Booking form "The Prowess Conference was one of the best conferences we’ve ever exhibited at in terms of the excellent networking, great atmosphere and contacts made" -Frea O’Brien, Customer First UK
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Accommodation costs are not included in the conference fee but special rates for delegates have been negotiated in association with Visit Blackpool. Delegates are asked to make their accommodation arrangements themselves, quoting the appropriate reference where applicable, and you are advised to reserve your accommodation as soon as possible as space is limited. Click here for further hotel information. * If you experience any problems using this hotel link please contact Blackpool Conference Accommodation bookings office on 01253 478216. |
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Welcome to Blackpool - a seaside town in North west England with fantastic road, rail and air links. The venue for this year’s conference is the Barcelo Blackpool Imperial Hotel, North Promenade, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 2HB. This recently refurbished hotel is a great venue in which to work hard and play hard. All meeting rooms are situated on the ground floor, and the hotel facilities also include gym, indoor pool, sauna, spa, solarium and treatment rooms.
Just 10 minutes cab ride from Blackpool North station, and 3.1 miles from Blackpool International airport the hotel has free car parking for 150 vehicles.
How do I get to Blackpool? Blackpool is easily accessible from all parts of the UK with the M55 linking the town with the M6 and the country's motorway network. The town is also served by its own international airport and has a regular train service along with being conveniently located to some of the major ferry ports. Manchester International Airport offers a regular worldwide service with direct train connections into Blackpool Liverpool John Lennon Airport also operates regular services from European destinations and New York |
Prowess is the UK Voice for Women's Enterprise, an alliance of organisations and individuals who support women to start and grow businesses.Prowess reserves the right to amend the 6th Annual International Conference programme and speakers list. © Prowess Ltd 2008. Lion House, 20-28 Muspole Street, Norwich NR3 1DJ Tel: +44 ( 0)1603 762355 Fax: +44 (0)1603 227090 www.prowess.org.uk - the UK-wide gateway to local women friendly business support Click here to download your Conference booking form |
