Survival Skills for Start-up Companies in the Creative Industries
Survival Skills for Start-up Companies in the Creative Industries A new Survival Skills course is offered by the Centre for Creative Business, targeted specifically at creative start-ups that have been in business for at least a year. (The Centre for Creative Business is a joint initiative between University of the Arts London and London Business School) Thursday 16th ? Saturday 18th November 2006 9.45 am ? 4.30 pm held at London College Communication, Elephant and Castle Subsidised course: All-inclusive fee of ?50.00 for three-day course including lunch Course Outline: A team of experts will focus on issues pertinent to creative businesses that are newly established and vulnerable to survival: Strategy, Marketing and Branding, Creative Team issues Protecting Your Intellectual Property Managing Your Finance Funding and Investment ?Survival Skills deals with all of the key issues that an early-stage creative business needs to address.? Dr Joan Burks Academic Director, Centre for Creative Business Key Questions: Congratulations! You?ve finally got your company off the ground. But now you are beginning to spot the challenges. Have you asked yourself the following questions? What can I do to ensure that my business is ?built to last?? Have I got the right strategy? Is my Marketing planning and branding appropriate for my product and the marketplace? How can I protect my intellectual property? How can I build, grow and manage my creative team? What people management issues might I face in my business? Can I get some funding or investment for my company? How do I tap into available funding? My accountant and bank manager are less than impressed, even though I am selling product! Do I need some expert financial advice? If these questions strike a chord ? and more importantly, if they had not occurred to you, then you need to apply for a place on the Survival Skills course! Course Agenda: The course is delivered at London College of Communication over three days: Thursday 16th November - 9.45 a.m. Strategy: An opportunity to assess your current strategy You will have the opportunity to consider your creative and business goals and your business strategy, identifying and analysing your current strengths and weaknesses.
Thursday 16th November - 1.45 p.m. Team development What are the key people/team issues within a creative business? Managing teams and motivating people in a creative environment can present a range of specific challenges. Using a case study of team issues within a leading branding agency ? and through other exercises and discussion - you will consider some of the unique dynamics that exist and the different roles that people play.
Friday 17th November - 9.45 a.m. Marketing and Branding Have I got this right? You will consider the benefits of coherent marketing planning and identify methodologies for achieving these goals. A diagnostic approach will be taken to examining the key marketing challenges of your business. You will identify a range of practical strategies that can be implemented within your creative enterprise. Friday 17th November - 1.45 p.m. How can I get a much-needed injection of money? Options on Funding and Investment Funding ? what?s out there, getting ready to go through the formalities ? banks, mainstream funding, angel investment, grants and loans. Venture capital ? how does it work? An introduction to the Creative Capital Fund, its investment criteria and how to apply for funding. Sponsorship. “Getting money from willing stones” ?Raising money for projects through external sponsorship, the process and management issues from the initial approach for sponsorship, to an industry contact through to the resultant collaboration, support and follow up. Saturday 18th November - 9.45 a.m. How can I Protect My Intellectual Property? Are there actions I can take to protect my IP? Saturday 18th November - 1.45 p.m. Which financial tools will help me to monitor the financial health of my business? You will have the opportunity to consider the case of a company in financial difficulty, use the tools for analysing the reasons why, and consider what needs to be done to survive and then succeed. The course is highly subsidised by the Centre for Creative Business ? an all-in fee of ?50.00 for all three days of the course - including lunch. Places are at a premium, so apply now! If you wish to apply for the course, please contact: Dr Joan Burks Academic Director Centre for Creative Business mailto:j.burks@lcc.arts.ac.uk tel: 0207 514 6612
