The Surrey Chambers team is back manning the office looking forward to supporting businesses across 2017. In spite of an uncertain year in 2016 our feeling at Surrey Chambers is that people just want to get on with growing and developing their businesses. We look forward to a new year full of exciting new events and opportunities. The start of 2017 saw the launch of our Power Breakfasts as a new way of breakfast networking.
We designed these Breakfasts to include networking and a bite-sized seminar on a specific topic or subject. Not only is this a great value-add for attendees, as they are able to take away practical tips on how to improve their business, but it also provides the opportunity for our members to share their knowledge with others. As always we will be keeping our audiences up to speed on key issues.
We will be covering, amongst others; New marketing techniques, team building, health and wellbeing, Cyber security and Apprenticeships.
We also have the pleasure of announcing our new website. Thanks to website designers AKIKO and IT providers ARCOM we are creating a brand new website for all our members and visitors, with lots more opportunities to interact and find exactly what they need.
This website will essentially become a hub for members to promote their news, offers and events and connect with other businesses. The new website will feature all the need to know information for new members, potential members and existing members.
Brexit
The last couple of weeks have been very important with regards to making sure the UK is a great place to do business. There has been a key speech on Brexit, the launch of the Industrial Strategy and the results of the Supreme Courts vote on triggering Article 50.
Following Theresa May’s Brexit speech businesses now have a clearer sense of her top-line priorities but we know little more about the likely outcome of the Brexit negotiations than we did before. In business, what you achieve in a negotiation - not what you bid for - is what really matters and the Brexit process is no different. In conversations with our members it is clear that they are carrying on regardless. Their message is that Brexit must not become all-consuming, and that having the right skills, infrastructure and business environment across the UK will play a far bigger part in our future success than any eventual Brexit deal. A strong Industrial Strategy could go a long way to preparing the country for the future and we will imput into this development through the British Chambers of Commerce.
Exporting
As always we are here to help people to start exporting, which we are keen to encourage. Of all the customers in the world only 4% are based in the UK so by reaching out to the rest of the world there is so much opportunity. Surrey Chambers has direct links with more than 40 countries who would love to hear from British suppliers! We look forward to hearing from our members and are here to help in any way we can.
