York Business Week is back, and it means business

Returning for its seventh year, York Business Week (YBW) has been crucial in the creation and promotion of thousands of local businesses, from fledgling start-ups to ever-growing giants of industry. But just because they’ve been around the block doesn’t mean the great minds behind YBW are ready for the quiet life, as 2018 promises to be their best yet.

This year Make It York, the city’s official destination management organisation have taken the helm, and are pushing the boat out, Viking style, with the aspiration to expand and excel. Aiming to create the model for years to come by building on the foundation of inspiration. Which, this year will include a variety of exciting events merging business, creativity and forward thinking.

Networking

Perhaps York Business Week’s greatest asset is its reputable conference that combines a friendly environment with great ideas. Kicking the week off on Tuesday 13^th November at the acclaimed York Racecourse, offering businesses of all shapes and sizes, both big and small, the opportunity to learn, grow and most importantly network.

York is lucky enough to be home to some game changing organisations, who are making an international impact, which is this year’s theme, ‘World Class York’. YBW will showcase this indigenous expertise, knowledge and insight through a collection of speakers all with a direct connection to York. The line up includes William Derby, Chief executive and Clerk of York Race Course, Lee Statham, Global Innovation Lead Confectionery R&D, Nestlé and James Browne Managing Director, Hiscox Direct UK and hosted by Jon Hammond, former BBC journalist and Governor at York St John University.

Open days

But it’s not all champagne and canapés, sorry I mean “networking”. A collective of York’s biggest businesses will be opening the gates and lifting the draw bridge. With open days offering insight into the daily routine of the city’s most interesting and successful companies. Gifting the opportunity to see the inner workings of businesses like First York, Portakabin and Langleys solicitors from the factory floor to the boardroom and learning the company’s culture from the ground up and meeting staff from all levels.

TEDx

This year will also see more than the typical shirt, tie and business card affair as the city will play host to a series of TEDx talks, a programme created by the international idea machine and non-profit organisation, Ted Talks. Whose core belief is to spread positive and new ways of thinking, with the aim of creating a world where everyone profits.

TEDx, is an initiative in which communities organise and self produce a localised version of Ted Talks, by taking the same big bold ideas but catering, editing and naturalising them to fit in with local issues and assets. York’s TEDx talks will be held at the Everyman Theatre on Friday 16^th November, and will be in a three stage format which includes; The Relationship between Tech and Truth, Blurred Realities and Enhanced Realities. Each format will include open conversations held by experts from across technology and business sectors, asking crucial questions on how we can all move forward together.

This years York Business Week promises to push boundaries, build relationships and push forward break through thinking but more importantly it aims to help. Help business in York grow and expand because we are all in it together, success breeds success, others gain from other’s gains.

York business week’s mantra is simple ‘York is what WE make it’. And we are York.