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Coventry and Warwickshire business leaders seek tax cuts to help economy

Industry chiefs want tax Read

African see-saw energy revolution born in the Midlands

A Midland businessman has devised a way to help remote African villages generate energy for schools by harnessing the power of children playing see-saw. Read

£6.5m for small businesses from AWM

Regional development agency Advantage West Midlands has announced £6.5 million will be made available for small businesses in the region next year. Read

Mercury Liquid breathing new life into crumbling pubs

A West Midlands pub company has set up a management firm it hopes can save dying pubs. Read

Entrepreneurs far from doomed in tough economic climate

Entrepreneurs are proving to be resilient as firms of all sizes struggle in uncertain economics times, says Dr Gideon Maas, co-director of the Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship at Coventry University. Read

Women need more self-belief to succeed in business

Female entrepreneurs need to “believe in themselves and change the way they think to be successful”, a West Midland expert has warned. Read

Enterprise thriving in Birmingham, insist council and AWM

Birmingham already has initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, the city council has said in response to a call for more support for budding start-ups. Read

Gordon Brown to tell banks to help small businesses with credit

Gordon Brown is to order banks to offer small business a fair deal after he was warned they are struggling to obtain credit in the West Midlands. Read

Birmingham 'risks becoming another Detroit'

Birmingham must embrace the spirit of entrepreneurialism the city was built upon or face “Detroitification,” the founder of the Custard Factory has warned. Read

Birmingham's big chance to show what it can do

Bennie Gray, entrepreneur champion and founder of the organisation which runs the Custard Factory in Birmingham, outlines his manifesto for saving the city's economy. Read

Bennie Gray and the spirit of enterprise

Drawing out the hidden entrepreneurial talents of Birmingham’s diverse population lies at the heart of Bennie Gray’s strategy to get the city moving again. Anna Blackaby looks at his background. Read

Stop smoking invention in line for innovation award

A former plumber has been shortlisted for a Lord Stafford Award for innovation after developing a groundbreaking device to help smokers kick the habit. Read

Bratz opens flagship store in Birmingham

A children’s retailer which started in the Great Western Arcade more than two decades ago has opened a new flagship store in Birmingham Read

Steadfast duo see hard work rewarded in new business

Two Black Country engineers who ploughed their life savings and 20,000 man hours into their business have seen their hard work pay off with a 100 per cent increase in sales in two years. Read

Flexible working the key to business success

Is flexible working a luxury or a necessity? Jo Ind reports on the impact of the recession on women. Read

High Street store Boots tells suppliers to wait 100 days for payment.

Small business are being squeezed as banks cut of credit and major firms refuse to pay their bills promptly, Ministers have been warned. Read

Government pledges to pay small businesses promptly

Small businesses are to receive prompt payment for services provided to central government, regional agencies and health trusts to help them cope with the economic downturn, Treasury Minister Ian Pearson has pledged. Read

Inspirational Marian picks up Post Enterprise Award

A Staffordshire widow who took over her late husband’s business after he died in a skiing accident is the latest winner if the Birmingham Post Enterprise Award. Read

Birmingham Chamber welcomes aid package for SMEs

A £350 million government package to help small and medium-sized companies weather the downturn won a warm welcome from West Midlands business leaders. Read

Government urges banks to help small businesses

Small businesses which are the lifeblood of the West Midlands economy need urgent support, the region’s MPs have warned. Read