Author: Martin Driver

Businesses across Sefton are invited to attend next month’s free The Good Business Festival event at Southport Market, in partnership with InvestSefton.

‘Family Fortunes’ takes place on Tuesday 7^th December from 5pm. It will offer an insight into family-run businesses and explore how the business dynamic of working alongside those related to you may help, or occasionally hinder, growth and progression.

According to the Institute for Family Business, 87.6% of businesses in the UK are family businesses. They employ more than 14 million people nationwide and make up more than 50% of the private sector workforce.

All businesses based in Sefton, regardless of whether they are family-run or not, are welcome to attend the evening event. It will feature contributions from local entrepreneurs, leaders and family business owners. This will be followed by entertainment from Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell and then networking opportunities and refreshments.

Southport Market will host the event, taking place on Tuesday 7^th December from 5pm. Interested businesses can sign up for the event by visiting the Eventbrite website: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-good-business-festival-presents-family-fortunes-at-southport-market-tickets-206647928517  

The event will run as follows:

• 5pm to 5.15pm – registration
• 15pm to 5.25pm – welcome and introductions
• 25pmto 6.15pm – panel discussion
• 15pm to 6.35pm – Q&A
• 35pm to 6.50pm – comedy entertainment (act to be announced)
• 50pm to 8pm – refreshments and networking

Contributors include:

• Karen Potter – Managing Director, Karen Potter Ltd
• Norman Wallis – Owner, Southport Pleasureland
• Peter Salt – Director, Immersive Interactive Ltd
• James Maddocks – Co-Director, Radwraps Ltd
• Mark Catherall – Head of Tourism, Sefton Council

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said:

“After an incredibly challenging year for our Sefton businesses, it’s so great to see events like The Good Business Festival reinvigorating and reshaping the way we do business in a really positive way.

“Holding the event here in Southport, where we’re just finalising our plans for the £37.5 million Town Deal transformation, sends a clear sign that Sefton is very much open for business.

“’Family Fortunes’ really is an outstanding opportunity for local businesses to come together to meet fellow entrepreneurs and industry experts, alongside our InvestSefton advisors who can support them with their future growth and expansion.”

Wayne Hemingway, Creative Director of The Good Business Festival, said:

“For us, being a family business means operating with a non-hierarchical structure and approach that prioritises quality of output over process. We are no doubt informal, if not unusual, in our setup. It means grandchildren are regularly in the office and family dogs barking at the post arriving interrupt meetings, but it makes, we hope, for a fun and lively working environment.”

InvestSefton leads on and supports economic growth in the Borough and is the Council’s enterprise, business support and inward investment service. To find out how InvestSefton can help your business contact 0151 934 3452, email investsefton@sefton.gov.uk or visit www.investsefton.com

Commissioned by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, The Good Business Festival, was postponed earlier this year due to Covid-19 restrictions but smaller events have been taking place across the Liverpool City Region throughout the autumn.

For more information about The Good Business Festival visit https://thegoodbusinessfestival.com/