Member Article

City Olympian joins line-up for Accelerate 2014

Liverpool-born Olympian, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Steve Smith, is to take to the stage in his home city to share business wisdom with hundreds of UK SMEs at Accelerate 2014.

Regarded as one of the signature events of this year’s International Festival for Business 2014 (IFB 2014), the event will focus on helping businesses with excellent prospects to achieve their growth potential.

Taking place this week (Thursday 20th June 2014) at ACC Liverpool, the event is set to repeat the success of its inaugural year in 2013, when more than 1,000 delegates were treated to master classes from inspirational business pioneers on how to grow their enterprises.

Steve, who is managing director of business development company, Raise the Bar, said: “I’m enormously excited and honoured to be speaking at this year’s Accelerate 2014 event. For me, the best way to learn about building a business is to hear the experiences of others.

“It is events such as this which prove as the most effective way to reach new entrepreneurs, to share advice, and to provide vital support.

“I think the International Festival for Business is a huge opportunity for Liverpool to have the chance to showcase exactly what it’s made of and is one of the best things we’ve been able to do since the Capital of Culture year.

“We’ve proved that we can host large events and get bums on seats before. This time, it’s about ensuring people want to return, to relocate and invest in the city in the future.”

Bringing together fledgling start-ups, entrepreneurs, and outstanding speakers from the world of business and beyond, Accelerate 2014 will provide guests with the inspiration and concrete tools needed to take their business to the next level.

It will be presented by Liverpool-born broadcaster, foreign affairs journalist and presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy and also features many other top entrepreneurs.

These will include Karren Brady CBE, UK Small Business Ambassador; Michelle Mone OBE, founder of Ultimo and MUM International; Wayne Hemingway MBE, founder of HemingwayDesign; Lara Morgan, founder of Pacific Direct; Kresse Wesling, environmental entrepreneur and founder of Elvis and Kresse; Bryan Adams, CEO of Ph. Creative; Adam Shaw, founder of The Ideas Company; and Andy Bounds, best-selling author of ’The Snowball Effect;.

The Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson OBE, will officially open the event, and it will be closed by Max Steinberg CBE, chief executive of Liverpool Vision and Chair of IFB 2014.

Max Steinberg said: “Celebrating successful and fast paced businesses, the ones that are transforming the landscape of our economy and Britain’s position in the global marketplace, is a huge part of the International Festival for Business.

“But just as importantly, IFB 2014 is about providing start-ups, entrepreneurs and new businesses with the support, the right opportunities and business intelligence that they need to grow.

“Accelerate 2014 truly encompasses these qualities. With the help of a fantastic line-up of speakers, many of which, like Steve, are home-grown talent, the event will undoubtedly provide the right support for the large number of guests due to attend.”

The event has received significant backing from global communications provider and IFB 2014 sponsor, BT, which will host an exclusive final Accelerate session for 200 people on the theme of ‘Potential’.

This will include expert speakers on sharing advice on leadership, achieving success with very little, and how SMEs can use social media to meet their business ambitions.

Other sponsors are Virgin Trains, which is also an IFB 2014 supporter, and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

Accelerate 2014 is a one day event held at the Arena & Convention Centre Liverpool on Thursday June 20th.

Tickets are available at an early bird price of £65, plus VAT and booking fee, and can be booked via the website: www.accelerate2014.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .