Franchise Focus Business News…

The government has announced plans to encourage individuals to start their own business. The “New Industry, New Jobs” scheme announced on Monday included £250 million to invest in low carbon business opportunities and innovation. This will include initiatives on low carbon vehicles, as well as the nuclear and renewable energy
industries. Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, said “Backing green, low carbon businesses and technologies will be a priority for the new fund. Ed Miliband and I are determined British business should be world leaders in the technologies and services the world will need as we use energy more efficiently and combat climate change.”

Green businesses are growing at an enormous rate, and Franchise Direct features a directory of green franchise opportunities. Why not start your own lucrative business providing energy saving heating systems, refilling ink cartridges or an automotive remapping business, whilst caring for the environment at the same time. It’s a win/win situation for your career and the environment.

Watch this week’s episode of Franchise Update to find out about innovative and enterprise awards as well as business funding available to you today.

Download Franchise Update UK: 28/04/09, or view in the player below

The 2009 winners of The Queen’s Enterprise Awards have been announced and Franchise Direct is delighted to announce the success of one of the franchise opportunities featured on our site - EnviroVent. EnviroVent won an award for Innovation for their filterless energy saving extractor fan. Well done EnviroVent!

Government representatives are encouraging small business owners to avail of business funding schemes in order to keep their businesses going throught the recession. At a seminar in Swindon, Business Minister Pat McFadden said that the Government is increasing the lending available from the banks and easing cash flow pressures by allowing businesses to delay payment of taxes and business rates. Visit the Business Link website for more details.

Franchise Direct has started a news video podcast series featuring the latest news from the franchise and entrepreneur community.

The Franchise Update series aims to provide users to the site with short news pieces on developments in the entrepreneur community as well as updates on franchise opportunities available today.

Download Franchise Update: 21/04/09, or view in the player below
 

In this first episode of Franchise Update, Franchise Direct’s Lillie Burroughs covers the development of social networking phenomenon – Twitter and looks at how it is being introduced in the franchise community. Franchise Direct now tweets about new franchise opportunities, and Domino’s Pizza franchisees are using the online networking tool to keep in touch with their customers.

Keep Watching!

Coinciding with Obama’s revelations that the US economy is gradually starting to recover, Barclaycard has published a report on the Easter weekend which shows a decrease in hotel and airfare sales; but an increase in sales at department and DIY stores and garden centres.

Sales in department stores are up an impressive 26 per cent in the four weeks coming up to Easter break. DIY and gardening sales also rose 18 per cent for the same period; while airlines, car rental and hotel sales were down during this period, when compared with last year (a fall of 25%, 17% and 8% respectively). It seems that more and more people are turning to DIY, and doing their own home repairs and improvements in an effort to reduce their expenditure.

Stewart Roberts, Business Development Director at Barclaycard said: “What we have seen this Easter is people spending their hard earned money on the comforts of home. Whether it be house improvements, planning their gardens or just enjoying a meal at home with the family, the reduction in travel spending affirms that consumers are staying closer to home in these turbulent times.”

Franchise Direct feature a number of retail franchise opportunities specializing in the home improvements industry, including window blinds retail franchise: Apollo Blinds; door, kitchen and bedroom supplier: Dream Doors and kitchen specialists: In-toto.

Franchise Direct has started to tweet! As a company which is always interested in the latest online developments, Franchise Direct has joined online social network – Twitter. Franchise Direct will be using its Twitter account to tweet about franchise news, new franchise opportunities on Franchise Direct and developments in the franchise community. Follow us now on Twitter and receive regular updates on the franchise community. This is also a great and convenient way to follow other entrepreneurs and industry representatives. Simply add other Twitter users using the “follow” feature and your home page will automatically display all their profile updates – it couldn’t be easier to stay informed! Twitter is the fastest moving online network, for example with the announcement of further income levy increases and a draconian second budget for the Irish economy, the term originally coined by RTE Radio broadcaster – Marian Finucane; “bludget” became the fastest growing term used on Twitter – all within days of the broadcaster accidentally coining the phrase last weekend and hours since the deliverance of the supplementary budget. This means that Twitter is one of the fastest moving online networks, so to keep up with the fast moving franchise community – get tweeting!
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