Thame.net

Category: Business News

  • Thame Cyber Homes company wins GB Entrepreneur Award

    THE founders and owners of smart homes technology and AV specialists, Cyberhomes, based in Thame, have won one of this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

    The award, in the category Smart Home/Internet of Things Entrepreneur of the Year 2016, was presented to Andy Mack and Ion Smith who founded Cyberhomes in 2004, in recognition of how they have steered and grown the company over the last 12 years to the point where they are now winning projects worth over £500,000 each.

    Ion Smith (left) and Andy Mack (right) from Cyberhomes with their Great British Entrepreneur Award
    Ion Smith (left) and Andy Mack (right) from Cyberhomes with their Great British Entrepreneur Award

    The awards ceremony was held at Lancaster Hotel, London on Tuesday, November 22, and the award presented by popular comedian and broadcaster, Hardeep Singh Kholi.

    Cyberhomes Director, Ion Smith, said: “This award came a bit out of the blue to be honest. We’ve had our heads down designing and installing great technology solutions for our clients, so to be recognised like this from outside our niche industry is a genuine honour.”

    Fellow Directo, Andy Mack, said: “I’m really proud of the company we’ve built; and it was great to find ourselves alongside other highly respected entrepreneurs that were shortlisted or won their respective categories. Thanks also to the sponsors, including NatWest and Kingston Smith, who helped make this
    all possible.”

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1Cyberhomes work closely with clients, architects, developers, interior designers and M&E consultants to integrate control and AV systems within overall building design and performance. The Cyberhomes founders have a background in live broadcast studio technology for the BBC and take the same rigorous approach with the equipment, cabling and software behind home automation projects.

  • Thame’s Small Business Saturday gets star treatment!

    DOWNTON Abbey star, Samantha Bond, aka Lady Rosamund Painswick, will be in Thame on December 3, when she will present the prizes in a Christmas shop window display competition, part of Small Business Saturday in the town.

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    Samantha, also recognised for her role as Miss Moneypenny to Piers Brosnan’s James Bond and other roles including in the Hercule Poirot films, will present the first prize of a case of Prosecco, a consultation with retail marketing expert, Keith Slater, and a trophy to the winning shop, as well as runner-up prizes.

    The winners of the Small Business Saturday Young Entrepreneurs Competition will also be announced, following a Dragon’s Den-style presentation to the panel of judges on the same day. The winner will receive a cash prize of £500, a year’s mentoring from a business expert, and a trophy. There are also prizes for two runners-up. The prizes will be given by John Howell MP and Tim Luscombe of Thames Valley Business Advisers, Chair of the judging panel.

    The organisers of Small Business Saturday in Thame have lined up nine, free-to-attend workshops and one2ones with several business experts, and there will also be entertainment throughout the day, provided by the Thame Pop Choir and Stagecoach Thame.

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1Small Business Saturday is a national campaign that puts small, independent businesses across the country in the national spotlight, using the theme ‘Small Business Big Difference’.

    The organisers are expecting lots of interest from local small businesses as well as from anyone planning to start a small business, and advise pre-booking to avoid disappointment. Events can be pre-booked at www.smallbizthame.uk where more information about the workshops, one2ones and other events can also be found.

  • Agency celebrates 30 years and £60 million into local economy

    A Thame recruitment business, whose three current recruitment consultants have a combined service of 40 years with the company, is celebrating 30 years in business in the town.

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    In November 1986, Suzanne Young started Downtown Recruitment. She saw a gap in the market in Thame and the surrounding area and was confident she could fill it. This proved to be the case, and Downtown quickly became the leading Thame recruitment agency. Suzanne’s son, Steve Young, joined the business in February 1997 and has been running the company successfully for over 15 years. Steve himself recalled:

    Changes over the years

    “Over the last 30 years, the recruitment industry has seen many changes and has grown rapidly. When Suzanne originally started the business everything was record-card based. This was eventually replaced by a database and then specialist recruitment software to help in all areas of the recruitment process. The original local newspaper advertising has now been taken online through the many online jobs boards. Downtown Recruitment still has a large database of locally sourced candidates that contact the company whenever they are looking for a new job.

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1“Over the years, the company has dealt with numerous local businesses and helped to place over 3000 people into permanent roles and around 5000 people into temporary work placements, helping to put more than £60 million into the local economy.

    “The local employment market has been strong since 2011 (after the last financial crisis) and unemployment levels in the local area are currently around 0.4% compared to the national level of 4.8% in November 2016.

    Development brings stimulus to the local economy

    “Due to Thame’s proximity to London, many people commute to work. However, there is a strong local employment market. This has led to a skills shortage in some sectors. Due to Thame’s ever increasing popularity as a market town, the population has been growing. This is mainly due to the many new homes that have been built in recent years and many more that are currently under construction, bringing in more potential employees to the local area. In addition, there has been a steady stream of new business units being built in Thame, Long Crendon and other parts of the local area, bringing in more local businesses and helping to stimulate the strong, local economy even further.

    “Downtown Recruitment looks forward to continuing to support the local economy through our continued business success and to working with many local companies,” concluded Steve. “We also look forward to finding interesting roles for new job candidates and the returning candidates that we have previously found work for.”

  • Big Blue Bus hits town

    SMALL businesses in Thame were able to take advantage of free advice and various on-board Workshops this afternoon when the Small Business Saturday Bus rolled into town, and was welcomed by the Mayor, Linda Emery.

    SBS Thame Co-ordinator Helen Johns (left) and Mayor of Thame Linda Emery
    SBS Thame Co-ordinator Helen Johns (left) and Mayor of Thame Linda Emery

    Business and financial advisers were on hand as well as experts on sales and marketing, social media, and how to improve your presence on Google, most in one-to-one sessions. Jackie Jarvis of Heart of Business, Wallingford, ran a very popular workshop on Sales and Marketing, focusing on 10 quick tips that any small business could learn from to get more customers. Do it Digital hosted a free workshop with Nikhilesh Haval of niKreations offering advice on how to list businesses on Google and Street View.

    Jackie Jarvis of Heart of Business, Wallingford
    Jackie Jarvis of Heart of Business, Wallingford

    Visitors to the bus were invited to sample local food and drink from the Egg House, the Deli at No 5, and canapes by Katie Ryder-Richardson Catering. Ben Smith of Concha Y Toro held a Chilean wines-tasting board the bus and XT Brewery offered samples of their craft beers. And after all that food and drink, Racquets Fitness Centre were there with a Gym challenge, encouraging everyone to see how long they could hold their arms out straight horizontally with a weight in each hand. The winner, to be announced, wins a free, one month Gym membership at the club.

    The Small Business Saturday bus travelled to Thame as part of its UK tour around the country using the theme ‘Small Business, Big Difference’, aiming to promote Small Business Saturday, on December 3.

    This annual campaign puts small, independent businesses across the country in the national spotlight, to both consumers and small business owners and in Thame, a day of activities and workshops is planned for December 3, Small Business Saturday. Visit the Thame Small Business Saturday Thame webpage HERE and sign up for the various workshops on December 3, and follow the facebook page HERE

    You can keep up-to-date with Small Business Saturday Thame on Facebook via Thame4Business on twitter: HERE

     

     

  • Invitation to the Late Breakfast

    THIS month’s business networking The Late Breakfast in Thame will be on Thursday, November 17, at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Cornmarket, Thame.

    The Late Breakfast - Monthly networking
    The Late Breakfast – Monthly networking

    The theme this month is Agency-Client Relationships: The (Brutal) Truth, the title of Alex Minchin, of Zest Digital’s presentation.

    ‘All businesses need to be in front of their customers if they are to thrive, and many achieve this by partnering with agencies. Some partnerships flourish, whilst others break down at cost to both parties. In his short presentation, founder of Zest Digital, Alex Minchin, will referee the argument from both sides and will share his advice on how you can achieve knockout success from your relationships.’

    Doors open at 8:45am

  • Deadline extended for Young Entrepreneurs Competition with £500 top prize

    A brand new Young Entrepreneurs Competition, launched on September 19 as part of Small Business Saturday, invited entries from anyone in Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire under 30 years-old, with a new business idea.

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    The closing date for entries was last Friday, November 4. Now, the competition organisers have extended the closing date to Friday, November 18 to allow more time for late entries to come in following the half term holidays.

    Even if you haven’t thought about entering the competition before, there is still time to send in your idea by the new deadline of November 18. A great first prize is up for grabs of £500 cash, plus business mentoring, as well as free business advice for two runners-up.

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1All entrants have to do is describe their idea on up to two pages of A4 paper and submit it to sbsthame@gmail.com.

    Entries can be made by individuals or teams of up to three. There is no lower age limit and the competition is open to all under 30, whether student, employed, or looking for a job. A panel of judges, including the Mayor of Thame, Cllr Linda Emery, entrepreneurs, marketing and business advisers will choose the finalists.

    The finalists will pitch to the judges on Small Business Saturday, in Thame, on December 3, and three winners announced on the day. All finalists can attend a free coaching workshop, run by Semaphora, who are specialists in helping people achieve their goals.

    For more information and to download a competition entry form go to smallbizthame.uk

    Small Business Saturday  is an annual campaign that puts small independent businesses across the country in the national spotlight, with the message ‘Small Business, Big Difference.’ In Thame, this year’s event on December 3, will include a variety of speakers and workshops on themes relevant to small businesses, as well as retailer displays and a Christmas shop window competition.

  • Don’t miss the Small Business Saturday bus!

    THE Small Business Saturday promotional tour bus is travelling through the UK and visits Thame on Monday, November 14, as part of its nation-wde journey from Aberdeen to Bournemouth on November 25.

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    Using the theme Small Business, Big Difference, the bus tour aims to promote Small Business Saturday, the annual campaign that puts small, independent businesses in communities across the country in the national spotlight, to both consumers and small business owners around the UK.

    During its visit to Thame the tour bus will be stationed next to Thame Town Hall from 2 pm until 4 pm. The Mayor of Thame, Cllr Linda Emery, will welcome people on board, where there will be free workshops and business advice for anyone who wants it. Business and financial advisers will be on hand from NatWest Bank, Thames Valley Business Advisers and others, as well as experts on sales and marketing, social media, and how to improve your presence on Google.

    Local food, beer and fitness challenge

    There will also be opportunities to sample local artisan food and drink, including sausage rolls, charcuterie, cheeses and other products from the Egg House Charcuterie and the Deli at No 5, in Buttermarket, Thame, with canapes by Katie Ryder-Richardson Catering. Ben Smith of Concha Y Toro will be holding tastings and talking about Chilean wines, while XT Brewery will be offering samples of craft beers. As a counter to all the food and drink, local fitness centre Racquets will be staging a rowing challenge.

    Tom Flynn, Project Manager for the Small Business Saturday Tour Bus campaign said: “Small Business Saturday is not just a campaign to raise awareness of our diverse and innovative small business sector, but also a way in which small businesses who embrace it can make use of the campaign and get tangible benefits from it. The bus tour is a very visible way for us to meet small businesses around the UK and show them how they can become involved as well as drumming up consumer interest, support and enthusiasm.”

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1More information on the Small Business Saturday Bus Tour can be found at https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/#bus-tour, also on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page and Twitter feed @SmallBizSatUk

    For more information about Small Business Saturday on December 3, in Thame, go to https://www.facebook.com/Thame.Smallbiz2016

  • Keep your business safe online – Free event

    THAMES Valley Police is urging small businesses to attend a FREE event to find out about cyber crime and how to stop themselves from becoming victims.

    police_cyberevent_didcotThe event, which is the first of its kind to be organised by the police force, will take place on Wednesday, November 30, at the Cornerstone Arts Centre, 25 Station Road, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 7NE.

    It is open to small businesses from across the Thames Valley with experts on-hand to talk about the risks, including the latest threats such as Mandate Fraud, CEO Fraud and Ransomware. In addition to specialists from Thames Valley Police, there will be key experts from Get Safe Online, Lloyds Bank, Kaspersky Lab and London Digital Security Centre giving presentations and available to answer questions. Representatives from the Oxford Cyber Security Cluster will also be in attendance to run workshops involving live demonstrations, such as a ‘live hack’.

    The event is being organised following the launch of Thames Valley Police’s #ProtectYourWorld – stay safe online campaign to raise awareness about cyber crime and encourage residents and businesses to take steps to protect themselves from becoming victims. Det Supt Nick John, Head of Specialist Operations at Thames Valley Police, said: “It is easy for business owners to be complacent about IT security, or to think they won’t fall victim to scams – however, there are businesses being affected by cyber crime on a daily basis and it is vital that this is taken seriously. “This free event is a fantastic opportunity for small businesses to find out first-hand about the threats that exist and could affect them and their business. We know those involved in running small businesses are busy, but I would encourage them to take the time to come along to this event and get this valuable advice from experts to ensure their business is protected.”

    Spaces for the event will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis so businesses are urged to sign up as soon as possible to reserve a free place. Register HERE 

  • Businesses asked to help identify key issues

    THE views of businesses across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being sought to help influence a new strategy that will support growth and economic development in the district.

    Image courtesy of Thame Town Council
    Image courtesy of Thame Town Council

    A statement today read: “To ensure the new strategy meets the needs of organisations throughout both districts the councils are asking businesses what their current and future priorities are, what they consider to be the key barriers to growth, and what support the district councils and their partners could provide to help them achieve their growth ambitions.”

    To ensure their views are heard businesses should complete the online survey LINK HERE. The consultation closes on October 14, 2016.

  • Prize money and mentoring for young entrepreneurs

    YOUNG entrepreneurs in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire will have a chance to shine and impress a panel of local business experts, by entering a new Young Entrepreneurs’ Competition, sponsored by the organisers of Thame Small Business Saturday.

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    As part of Small Business Saturday, being held this year on Saturday, December 3, Thame’s organisers are inviting young entrepreneurs under 30, who have a great business idea they want to develop, to pitch to a galaxy of judges. There is no lower age limit, and the competition is open to students as well as to those employed or looking for a job.

    Entries can be made by individuals or teams of up to three, and must be on no more than four sides of A4 paper. The business described must be a new idea, not a business already in existence. Up to six images and video clips lasting one minute are also welcome as part of any entry.

    Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges which will include the Mayor of Thame, Cllr Linda Emery, local business entrepreneurs, sales and marketing experts and business advisers. The first prize is £500 cash plus business mentoring, with free business advice for two runners-up.

    The competition opened on Monday,September 19, and entries must be made by midnight on Friday, November 4. After shortlisting, the finalists willo pitch to the judges on Small Business Saturday itself, Decembrer 3, and the winners announced on the same day.

    All shortlisted candidates can attend a free coaching workshop, run by Semaphora  specialists in helping people achieve their goals.

    For more information and to download a competition entry form, go to http://www.thamecentrefirst.org/small-business-saturday.html

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1Small Business Saturday https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/ is an annual campaign that puts small independent businesses across the country in the national spotlight, with the message ‘Small Business, Big Difference’. If you run a small business (up to £10m turnover), want to support small businesses, or want to start a small business, Small Business Saturday is for you.

    In Thame, this year’s event will be bigger than ever, offering a variety of speakers and workshops on themes relevant to small businesses, as well as retailer displays and a window competition. Thame will also be one of the locations the Small Business Saturday Tour Bus which will be touring the UK with 29 stops in five weeks. The Tour Bus comes to Thame on Monday, November 14, and will be based next to Thame Town Hall from 2 pm to 4 pm. There will be lots of activities to welcome the bus, so look out for more information in the next few weeks.