I am delighted to announce that WinWeb.com have established a partnership with the IOEE, The Institute Of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs, who have received approval from the Federation of Small Businesses for their work helping enterprise in the UK. The aim of this partnership is to reduce the UK’s small business mortality rate by enabling WinWeb’s customers to have access to a business mentor to support then as they start out in business, whilst providing online training and support to those who need it.
The ability to be able to offer this has been achieved by collaborating with the IOEE (Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs), the UK’s first entrepreneurs learning Institute. The Institute explicitly recognises and rewards the enterprise skills and know how gained by people who successfully start and run their own enterprise.
As part of its activities, the IOEE is building a community of business mentors who have been recognised according to the informal or formal learning they have achieved. The IOEE mentoring service has national backing and has been set out as a key recommendation in the FSB’s white paper, ‘Vision for a National Mentoring Scheme’.
WinWeb’s software has been developed with a real understanding of the needs of small and medium sized business, providing support for every aspect of running a business. Our collaboration with the IOEE will add even further value by connecting people with others that have been in their shoes. The small business mortality rate in the UK currently stands at 60% – something has to change and I believe WinWeb.com and the IOEE can facilitate that change.
WinWeb’s software also enables mentees to give their mentors access to some of their business planning data so that they can support on real information such as business goals, objectives, cashflow or growth forecasts.
The IOEE has been very supportive of WinWeb’s approach, Nat Hardwick, CEO of IOEE, says; “there was a natural partnership with IOEE and WinWeb, the software enables business owners to consider every aspect of their business to mitigate risk and those business owners with mentors are 25% more likely to succeed”.
The newly launched IOEE is powered by SFEDI, the UK expert and accreditation body which has for fifteen years researched and identified best practice in enterprise skills and support.
Tony Robinson OBE, SFEDI Founder says,
“We all know how vital enterprise is to the economy, society and especially as the main creator of new jobs but we’re not that good in the UK at recognising the people who are their own bosses.
Recognition of IOEE members will encourage more people to start and run their own business as they realise that this is a professional and worthwhile career option, at any age, which requires specific skills and know how to succeed. It’s just that you don’t learn these skills and know how in a classroom.”
To cement the relationship between the two organisations, WinWeb is giving all IOEE members free access to their business planning software and the IOEE is recognising the learning and development that using the WinWeb system provides by giving WinWeb users eligibility to join and a reduced cost membership.
Nathan Hardwick, IOEE CEO says, “we’re delighted with the collaboration, it’s a great opportunity for IOEE members to access a development tool which we believe is really in tune with the needs of small businesses and it enables a whole new community of business owners to access business mentors”.
And we here at WInWeb.com are also delighted with the partnership and see it as a great way for us to rally the cause of small businesses and offer the support that they surely need.
