How student work experience supports small enterprise innovation
Sussex University scholars can support small firms. Many business owners are experiencing difficulties and looking for ways to survive and thrive. A specialist in psychology and business studies was on a fully funded secondment supporting business continuity for small firms in all sectors.
Many firms have found their financial losses uninsured despite having paid for general insurance to cover events outside their control. Insurance companies are now offering insurance with discounts for firms who have a business continuity plan with disaster recovery actions in place. University scholar Heather Suttie provided online education video advice how to create a plan for resilience.
Heather says “Taking this free advice enables owners of all ages and abilities to reduce and prevent future losses from business risks. The extra planning also helps survival in mergers and acquisitions with fellow traders. There are four video tutorials under ten minutes including how to protect intellectual property. Over 50% of small firms fail to check and register their trademark brand ownership and many are at risk of infringing others.”
Heather was on a fully funded secondment with Brighton based Strategic Management Partners, winner of the M and A Today Award for Mergers and Acquisitions. The consultancy has been a strategic innovation partner with Clean Growth UK at the University of Brighton. SMP Director Clive Bonny adds “Heather has been a great support for our own business continuity. More employers should access funded University secondments as we have.”
My summer internship supporting Clive Bonny at Strategic Management Partners with consulting for SMEs. I had the opportunity to gain valuable experience of what it is like to work with a consultancy firm focused around sustainability. During the internship I’ve helped advise SMEs and start-ups on how to seek alternative finance and grant schemes, as well as helping to ensure they had effective IP protection.
In addition to this, I’ve also helped to promote SMP’s educational videos on the importance of business continuity planning, which also led to securing more clients for the business. With the help of zoom, I was able to network with a variety of establishments such as the Chamber of Commerce and Sussex Innovation Centre. I also had the pleasure of representing Clive when talking to potential investors.
With Clive I’ve had the amazing opportunity to help give advice to businesses across Sussex. It’s especially vital for SMEs to engage in business continuity planning in order for them to survive as we moved from a global pandemic to a fragile economic climate.