Working in a cluster can bring enormous benefits to creative businesses; what’s the best way to get the most from them?

All the Videos… click on the text to view.

MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Entrepreneurship – Business experts including “Dragon” Doug Richard share their thoughts on being an entrepreneur in the creative industries.
• Content Distribution – The best product or content won’t thrive without effective distribution. Watch tips from the industry experts.
• Structuring Your Company – Business people from the creative industries share their advice on how to structure a company.
• Starting A Creative Business – Creative industry business leaders share their thoughts on how to start a business.
• Physical Meets Digital – Jeff Coghlan shares how his company Matmi combined physical and digital experiences in innovative ways.
• Tapping into Trends – How much attention should creative industries pay to trends in society, culture and products?
• PR and Marketing – SMEs sometimes neglect PR and marketing but experts give their view on a vital part of business.
• Selling – The best creative business won’t succeed unless it can sell its content. Experts share their tips.
• Staying Positive – Every creative business will go through tough times, so how do you stay positive and resilient?
• Networking and Relationships – Creating connections between people and organisations is key to thriving as a business. Experts share their tips.
• Intellectual Property – What does IP mean for the creative industries and how can you best protect and exploit it?
• Customers and Audiences – A common mistake in business is forgetting your customer. Industry figures share their advice.
• Branding – Industry experts give their tips on branding for SMEs in the creative industries.
• Branded Content – Creatives share their experiences of creating Branded Content in a crowded market.
• Risk-Taking – Being an entrepreneur always entails some element of risk; working in an industry that requires innovation requires you to take creative risks. How can you learn to live with risk?
• Collaboration – For many SMEs collaboration is a route to success. How should you approach it?
• International Collaboration – Creative industry experts share the challenges and rewards of international collaborations.
• The Film Business – Industry experts including Nativity writer/director Debbie Isitt share their tips on making it in the film business.
• Data and Meta Data – Data and meta data associated with content is becoming increasingly important – experts share their tips on how to use it.

FINANCE

• Doing The Deals – Entrepreneurs need to be business savvy as well as creative if they are to survive. Experts share their tips.
• Money: The Investors’ View – How do creative businesses access different types of finance? Investors share their advice.
  
• Funding – The most challenging part of starting a business is funding: what are the options?
• Growing A Company – Most companies aspire to grow, but what impact will this have on the business, its staff and culture?
• Crowd Funding – Crowd funding can be an effective route to finance in the creative industries, but how should you best approach it?
• Film Finance – Film business experts explain how finance works in the film industry.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

• New Business Models – Creative industries require an innovative approach to the business. Experts share their experience of creating business models fit for purpose.
• Clusters and Co-Working – SMEs can often benefit from co-working but how does it work in practice? Experts share their experiences.
• Managing Change – Businesses need to evolve to survive but how can leaders help their teams to embrace change rather than fear it?
• Common Business Mistakes – All businesses make mistakes. Experts give tips on how to learn from them and suggest which ones can be avoided!
• Nurturing Your Creativity – How best can companies nurture creativity in a competitive environment? Business leaders share their tips.
• Knowledge Exchange – The transfer of knowledge between creative industries and Universities can be productive for everyone. Experts share their experiences.
• Convergence in Practice – Dick Penny of Watershed in Bristol shares his thoughts on collaboration and convergence in practice.
• Business Plans – Creative industry experts give their views on creating – and using – an effective business plan.
• Pitching – A pitch can make or break a commission, so what are the secrets of the perfect pitch?
• Managing Workflow – As companies grow, workflow management can become complex. Industry experts share their experiences.
• Leadership and Managing People – In business, people are your most valuable asset. How can you lead most effectively?
• Staying Sane – Working in the creative industries can bring reward – but also stress. How can you achieve a work-life balance?
• Attracting & Nurturing Talent – Finding, developing and retaining the right talent is key to a successful business, but how can you be sure to get it right every time?
• Transferable Skills – How can skills in the creative industries be transferred across platforms?
• Coping With Rejection – Rejection is inevitable in a pitching environment. How can you manage it?

BUSINESS INSIGHT FROM GERMAN ENTREPRENEURS IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

• Stephan Beier & Robin Hartmann – Travian Games explain how they adapt their products for different regions.
• Heinrich Luehrsen – Hendrik Luehrsen shares his experiences of online advertising.
• Peter Brandl – Peter Brandl shares the secret of selling in creative industries.
• Carsten Rudolph – Carsten Rudolph shares strategies for startups and SMEs.
• Tanja Kufner – Tanja Kufner shares her tips on tech startups and how they can grow and thrive.
• Nikolai Onken – Nikolai Onken discusses the best ways to grow a business.
• Andre Panne – Business founder Andrew Panne gives his tips for launching a new venture.
• Oliver Gajek – Oliver Gajek shares his experiences of running a hi-tech venture.
• Martin Toth – Martin Toth gives tips on working in apps for the business world.
• Markus Kaiser – Markus Kaiser discusses connectivity across different media.