West Midlands businesses urged to keep innovating during downturn

Dec 2 2008 by Alun Thorne, Birmingham Post

Earlier this month some of the region’s business leaders gathered to look at how to support small business during the downturn. Here Dave Smallwood, managing director of event hosts BT Local Business Birmingham, looks at what came out of their discussions

While the national picture points to tough times, there remain pockets of success and some thriving companies in our own backyard. Whether struggling or recognising new opportunities from the current market conditions, making the most of the help and support that is available is the key to business survival. So say the regional business influencers who attended a roundtable discussion in Birmingham.

Representatives from Aston University, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, the CBI West Midlands & Oxfordshire, Advantage West Midlands, Business Link in the West Midlands, the West Midlands Enterprise Board, Clay Rogers & Partners and Defensive Driver Training joined me to discuss how we can keep the 138,380 dynamic businesses in the region – nearly 20,000 of which are based in Birmingham – successful during these more challenging times. The event followed Small Business Week 2008, a national campaign, bringing together government, business and independent organisations to champion the UK’s 4.6 million small businesses.

Even before the current developments in the financial markets, some West Midlands firms were finding conditions challenging. With enterprises an essential part of our region’s infrastructure, it is important that the business community regroups and focuses its energies on helping small enterprises to thrive.

Attendees agreed with BT Business’ State of the SME