East Devon Business Initiative
The EDBI (East Devon Business Initiative) is a non-profit making, networking and referral group made up of enterprising small and medium sized businesses in the East Devon and Exeter areas.
We aim to offer something different to other groups - put aside any of your traditional views about networking and enter a scene where the emphasis is nurturing relationships, rather than forcing referrals....
EDBI offers the value added extra of business support and advice as well as a regular schedule of informative and inspirational speakers. Every member has a chance to give a short presentation on their own business so that fellow members can speak knowledgeably about them when coming across a possible lead.
At EDBI we emphasise getting to know and supporting each other in our businesses and maximising business growth opportunities through member referrals. We do have a structure to our meetings and manage the group on a professional basis but the atmosphere remains very friendly and completely 'unstuffy'. We build trust in each other and foster relationships on business and a social level, believing that people buy from people.
EDBI is currently one of the largest non-profit making business support groups with a healthy, growing membership and avoiding internal competition by allocating membership to only one in each business category.
The Friday EDBI weekly networking breakfasts are held from 7.30
- 9 am leaving you with plenty of the day to still effectively run your business. Meetings take place at Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Club which offers EDBI members excellent meeting facilities as well as fantastic discounts on leisure memberships as well as the chance for some of our golfing enthusiasts to tee off following our meetings.
Additional benefits are:
- each member has the right to a full page on their business/products and services on the professionally optimised EDBI website. Your page can also be linked to your website.
- a weekly EDBI newsletter highlighting special offers, future speakers and events as well as business information and advice,
- regular advertising campaigns featuring the quality of EDBI members services in the local press.
So if you are a business wishing to develop, why not contact us by emailing
chair@edbi.co.uk to attend a couple of breakfast meetings to find out how your business could benefit from membership?
Why join us?
- Inspired weekly Friday breakfast networking!
- Free business support and advice
- Professionally optimised website presence linked to your own web site
- Opportunity to receive discounted training
- Bi-monthly evening social networking events
- Exclusive business categories
- Friendly and relaxed atmosphere where you can relax amongst colleagues but still develop your business
- No pressure to give referrals, buy or sell
- Non-profit making but with a charity focus
- Regular attendance encouraged but no need to attend every week
All of this for just £170 for annual membership - we know economic times are hard but this has to represent money well spent! (Weekly breakfast costs additional)
Every year the EDBI likes to support and raise funds
for local charities. This year we have chosen to support CLIC
Sargent. CLIC Sargent has one simple aim: to ease the
burden
of childhood cancer on children, young people and their families.
Every day 10 families are told that their child has cancer.
Diagnosis comes as an almighty shock as their world is turned
upside down. Treatment usually starts straightaway and can last
up to three years.
Please take time to read more about
CLIC Sargent
THE EDBI Welcomes...
Over the last few weeks we have had some new members
join the EDBI. We are pleased to welcome Guiseppe Conti from
Singleswitch and Graham Dowling from JNG Surveys. You don't need to wait to
be invited if you want to come along as a guest to one of
our breakfast meetings just contact Helen 01392 479330
or Pete 01395 270150 and see the benefits for yourself.
Since our first official EDBI breakfast in September 2009
interest in the group and membership growth has exceeded expectations;
we now have over 30 members. There is no pressure to bring along
guests but every week we have one or more guests attend one
of our networking breakfasts.
We regularly invite outside speakers to come along and impart
their knowledge and advice.
For a list of forthcoming events and presentations throughout
the year please check our EDBI Events
page for further details.
The EDBI weekly networking breakfasts are held at
Woodbury
Park Hotel & Golf Club. These are exciting times for
the
EDBI
as there are major plans to further increase membership. It would appear that we are on
to something good and obviously doing something right. It was
therefore felt that we needed to look for an alternative venue,
one that would cope with the expected increase in club membership
but also offer both EDBI members and guests excellent meeting
room and function facilities as well as the chance for some
of our golfing enthusiasts to tee off following our meetings.
For further information view the
Woodbury
Park Hotel & Golf Club website.
The EDBI Committee 2011 - 2012
Chairman's Message
"It
is a huge privilege for me to take over the Chairmanship of
such a vibrant group of businesspeople. Over the years in business
I have been a member of various networking groups but rarely,
if ever, have I come across a group as committed as the EDBI.
It is well structured and professional, plenty of business is
passed between members but most of all, this is conducted between
a supportive, congenial group of people with a huge collective
experience and expertise in business management in a variety
of sectors.
Unlike other groups, our mission is not just the passing
of referrals and profile raising for our own businesses but
the group provide a forum for plenty of 'value added' elements:
meeting at the fantastic facility of Woodbury Park which offers
our members added benefits; embracing new businesses as well
as established passing on expertise; a comprehensive programme
of speakers on topics of particular relevance to all of our
business members and keeping them up to date on business developments
nationally as well as in Devon and East Devon in particular.
In addition many of our members have become real friends,
not only those we trust in business but those of similar minds
with whom we can raise money for charity and have great social
events too. Come and join us!"
Helen Mattacott
Chairman
East Devon Business Initiative
New Business Advice Section
The EDBI Business and
Advice section focuses on ways to improve your business
and sales growth within the East Devon area. Much of the information
contained within this area has been put together by members
of the EDBI.
The first business area that we have asked our EDBI members
was to come up with Ten
Top Tips relating to their individual businesses. The list
will be added to and updated on a regular basis so please check
back soon if your business
category isn't listed at the moment.
Top Ten Tips - Business Help & Advice
2011 - 2012 Business Speakers & Focus Week Presentations
Winter's
here and there are still challenging times ahead for many businesses.
The January VAT increase has meant that there are few businesses
that will not be effected by this change in VAT.
With this in mind the East Devon Business Initiative
have looked to organise a series of talks and presentations
at our breakfast/networking meetings.
The EDBI actively encourages its members to present their
businesses and services to the group and we are always looking
to attract external speakers to our meetings. Be sure to look
through our forthcoming EDBI events and presentation slots in
the Events Diary.
The
EDBI would like to extend a big THANK YOU to
all our guest presenters for taking the time to attend our breakfast
meetings and deliver some very informative and rewarding presentations.
Don't forget EDBI breakfasts are held each Friday morning
at Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Club, Devon. If you would
like to attend our next breakfast meeting then please contact
Helen or Peter to book your place now.
No Better Time To Join
Looking to join one of the fastest growing networking clubs
in East Devon?
Full Membership Weekly and bi-monthly meetings,
full web site presence, exclusive trade category and full involvement
in all EDBI activities.
At £170 for an Annual Membership it has to be seen
as money well spent.
Invite Yourself Along To Breakfast
You don't have to wait to be invited to one of our breakfast
meetings. If you would like to attend simply email
treasurer@edbi.co.uk