The Golden Goals Challenge has been devised by a group of local entrepreneurs who together have formed ‘The Associates’ to do battle with the “big” corporates to raise money for Young Enterprise - inspired by the TV series, The Apprentice and involves teams of adults from the Humber and neighbouring sub-regions competing in tasks set by  ‘Sir Alan’ aka David Kilburn, Chief Executive of MKM Building Supplies and a former North of England Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’.

Helen Bissett, Director of Budding Futures, explains, “Normally, this challenge is done by teams in large corporate organisations.  I decided that this was a fantastic opportunity to show that a team of committed small business owners could match up to the job.”
The challenge is to launch as many footballs through the Golden Goals target as possible in 1 minute.  It costs just £2 to enter and individuals can enter as many times as they like.  The Golden Goals team will be touring venues in the Hull area until the end of July, offering the chance for the public to pitch their ball skills against the best in the area.

The Golden Goals Challenge has received support from Beerhouse Self Drive Hire, who will be providing transport for the 10 ft goal structure to each venue.  Also, Nuffield Health Club, The Sewell Group, The University of Hull and ARCO are amongst the companies supporting the challenge, by hosting the “Golden Goals” Challenge at their premises during lunch breaks.

All funds raised will enable more young people to experience running a real business through taking part in the Young Enterprise Programme.

An East Yorkshire business networking group is celebrating after setting a number of records.

Its performance has earned the Beverley branch of business network International (BNI) top slot in the organisation’s Yorkshire and Lincolnshire league table. The group has set new records for business referrals, the number of visitors attending events and the number of businesses applying to join.

In the past year, membership has swelled from 19 to 29 and the meeting venue has moved to Beverley racecourse. BNI allows only one person from each trade or profession to join one of its groups. Over the past 6 months, the Beverley group has passed more than 800 business referrals between its members, who are on track to generate more than £300,000 of business for each other this year. he performance has placed the group in the top 10 of BNI groups across the UK.

Helen Bissett, membership co-ordinator, said the group’s success was down to being run like a business, by setting goals and achieving results. She said: “All of our members make a commitment when they join to actively participate in seeking referrals for other members.”

“Each week, members come ready to make a contribution to the meeting in form of a business referral, testimonial or a confirmed visitor.”
  
The group meets every Thursday and is looking for people in trades including painters and decorators, garden landscapers, event management and florists. Jan Chidley, of recognition express in Market Weighton, joined the group in June after launching in May. She said: “The business is going really well, far better than I ever anticipated it would, especially when people keep going on about the credit crunch.”
 

“The BNI has definitely been a huge help to me. From the referrals I have had so far from the other members, I have converted almost all of them to orders. This has been fantastic in helping me build up my customer base.  Everyone has a really positive attitude and we also have fun.  At the end of the day, we are all trying to do our best for each other and it really works.”

A self-employed business and personal development coach, Helen launched her own business, Budding Futures in 2007. The married Mum-of-two, who specialises in business and personal development, offers bespoke in-house training to people across the region, helping them build up their business by equipping them with the skills to move forward.

The demand for her service proving so popular, she has already set up a second office in Lowgate, Hull to complement the one in Beverley she has been working out of since the business launched.  She said "Budding Futures aims to build companies through their individuals. I have just moved into new office space in Hull, as I thought it would be better to have two locations. More people were becoming customers, some of whom were based in Hull, so it just made sense"

Before launching her own business, Helen developed a strong marketing background, working for companies, including Reckit Benckiser and Youngs.

The reason she decided to set up by herself was to achieve a better work-life balance. She said, "I realised I wasn't seeing my children or husband as much as I wanted and thought to myself, ‘What is life about?'  I realised life was all about balance and when I was working in the corporate world, it was completely out of balance."

"Now I don't work any less than I did before.  It is just that I can work around my own terms.  So I can spend time with my family and still do work after the children have gone to bed."

But Helen believes that budding futures would not have grown so dramatically had she not joined the Beverley chapter of B.N.I (Business network International).

The networking group, which has climbed to the top of the BNI league table for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, has helped her to build up contacts successfully in a much smaller time slot than if she did it alone.

She said "I got involved with the BNI while working with a friend and colleague who mentioned it to me. I had said I didn't know how to get my name out there and get on and make good contacts very quickly- it can be difficult having to network after a tiring day's work."

After attending just one meeting, Helen did not hesitate to sign up as a member. She said, "It has definitely helped. BNI can make up to 75% of some companies referrals and has made millionaires out of people. People have started out as a soul trader and within two years have employed 20 or 30 staff."

The Beverley chapter used to meet at a hotel but, as the group grew, it needed a new venue, so members now meet at Beverley racecourse. Helen serves as the group's membership co-ordinator and is also assistant director for BNI's Yorkshire region

But the ‘mumtrepreneur' does not stop there. She also puts time and energy into helping other people, particularly women, set up there own business.  As an ambassador for Yorkshire Forward, she encourages women into Women into enterprise and is an active member of MEET, Women's Enterprise in the Humber and Women in Business.

She said:" Some women might return to work after a break and find the career ladder has been oiled and they cannot climb back up and on it.  I was always very determined to succeed, but I know how difficult it can be and I'm keen to encourage women to consider trying self-employment and to encourage everyone to consider becoming a BNI member."

Hull Daily Mail, 27th August, 2008