GM Business Growth Hub is bringing its Festival of Enterprise back for the third time, welcoming start-ups, entrepreneurs, sole traders and the self-employed.
Taking place on Friday (March 14), the Royal Exchange Theatre is the ultimate destination for those hoping to launch or expand their business.
Event host EnterprisingYou, GM Business Growth Hub’s flagship support programme for the self-employed and startups in the region, has supported over 4000 entrepreneurs and small businesses and helped create £13.6 million of revenue across Greater Manchester since 2020.
Yvonne Sampson, head of enterprise at GM Business Growth Hub, said: “We’re so excited to be bringing back Festival of Enterprise for the third year. And this time it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. I’m really proud of the amazing speakers and exhibitors we have lined up.“Running a business, being self-employed is really challenging. But if you allow yourself even just one day for yourself this year, it should be the Festival of Enterprise. I guarantee you’ll come away feeling inspired and ready to do business in 2025.”
This year, businesses from across Greater Manchester are speaking and exhibiting at the immersive experience, featuring a diverse line-up of inspirational speakers, networking opportunities, and an array of vendors and stalls showcasing innovative products and services in a unique festival atmosphere.
These include small businesses like Koko Blossom, based in Tameside, who will be exhibiting at the event. Laura Brownhill, its founder, said: “I’m excited for the opportunity to have a Koko Blossom stall at the Festival of Enterprise. As well as being a great opportunity to promote the business, I’m looking forward to meeting and learning from fellow entrepreneurs.”
The event will feature inspiring talks from industry experts such as Nadine Merabi – creative director of Nadine Merabi Ltd, James Hamilton – CEO of Pixeltree, Sarah Cross – founder of CODE Beautiful and Jordan Dargue – co-founder of Lifted Ventures on topics such as ‘Mastering Marketing,’ ‘The Power of Exporting,’ and ‘Finance for Success.’
There will also be chances to pitch before a live audience and get feedback, network, and take part in interactive workshops, as well as enjoy live entertainment.