'ASK THE EXPERT' SESSIONS WITH DAME ANITA RODDICK
(13 March 2006)

Dame Anita Roddick today announced a series of one-to-one ‘Ask an Expert’ sessions to take place in the British Library’s newly launched Business & IP Centre from 25 April 2006 onwards. Dame Anita’s six-month programme of advice sessions aim to inspire and motivate SMEs, innovators and budding entrepreneurs to pursue and exploit their creative ideas.

During each half-day session, Dame Anita Roddick will meet one-to-one with entrepreneurs and SMEs needing advice on creative areas, such as marketing, new product development and press relations. The sessions are part of a wider programme of workshops where successful business people and professional advisers will give tailored one-to-one advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on a variety of topics.

Dame Anita Roddick is a Non-Executive Director of The Body Shop and a Creative Consultant, which means she can get back to doing what she does best – pushing at the edge of ideas, innovating and infusing the business with her excitement about the possibilities. She is also known for her campaigning work on environmental issues and human rights and is a member of the Demos think tank’s advisory council

Announcing her ‘Ask an Expert’ sessions, she said: “I can’t wait to meet people who are passionate about their new venture and overflowing with great ideas, but need to bounce them off a seasoned entrepreneur. I know from first-hand experience how scary but exciting it can be on the road to starting up your own business. I aim to provide practical advice on specific areas of business development that will enable people to exploit their creative ideas and enterprises.”

Lynne Brindley, British Library Chief Executive, stated: “When the Library launched its enhanced Business & IP centre on 8 March, the audience of over 500 SMEs and entrepreneurs were asked to name their top UK business role model. No one will be surprised to learn that Dame Anita Roddick was up there with Sir Richard Branson as top UK business role models. The support of business celebrities like Dame Anita is enabling us to make a unique contribution to UK economic success by providing a range of information services tailored to the needs of SMEs. This is exactly the kind of innovation that a great library should make and I wish to thank Dame Anita for her commitment.”

On Thursday 9 March, the British Library opened the doors of its enhanced Business & IP Centre. The Centre includes a networking area for entrepreneurs to collaborate and exchange ideas and a suite of workshops rooms where users can attend workshops and clinics – held by the British Library and its partners – on topics such as how to protect their brilliant ideas or inventions and how to develop a business plan and marketing strategy. This trusted service cuts the costs for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and is designed to support entrepreneurs from the initial spark of inspiration through to successfully launching and developing a business.

In May 2005, the Centre was awarded a £1 million capital injection by the London Development Agency to help fund its transformation from a successful pilot project to a permanent national resource.