Information is key to success

By Paul Bennett

When I received a request to write something for the launch edition of Shropshire Business, I was delighted that Shropshire was going to have a dedicated business magazine to inform and support what is, and remains despite any Brexit and national issues, a thriving business community.

We have proven start-up successes, which enables high growth businesses to deliver jobs. It’s a pretty successful combination: self employment and jobs for others.

Our economic picture is a good one: small businesses thrive, we have a fantastic tourism base, agri-tech skills and a hugely successful service sector serving the whole county, country and in many cases internationally.

Shropshire is a great place in which to do business.  The county is growing in terms of population and business numbers, but that merely increases the need for the diverse business community to have a dedicated independent magazine to enable success stories and examples of good practice to be shared for the benefit of the whole of Shropshire.

The Shropshire Business Partnership, which I am privileged to chair for a third year in 2016, supports service businesses.  Members range from IT contractors to solicitors, accountants, surveyors, marketing, PR and design professionals - which just shows the range of businesses we have in Shropshire before you consider our successful manufacturing or retail sectors. 

We meet only four times a year, to enable business owners to meet each other, share good practice and to learn something from each meeting that should have application to their business.

Quality, not quantity, is we think key. Our next event will share the current thinking and funding support available from the Marches LEP (Local Economic Partnership) with our aim of enabling business planning for growth to access information from the key regional source.  Details about us can be found at www.shropshirebusiness.org/about-sbp. The next meeting is on Friday November 25, 2016, and places can be booked online.

Why should you read Shropshire Business or attend the Shropshire Business Partnership?  Information is key to success, and learning about other businesses is always a chance to learn to grow and succeed.  Join us if you want to succeed.

Finally, I wish the Shropshire Business team all the best, and look forward to reading the magazine for years to come.

• Paul Bennett is chairman of Shropshire Business Partnership, and a partner in Aaron & Partners solicitors, Shrewsbury