Last week, you may have seen the exciting news on Twitter that CoCo Loves made a trip to No. 10 Downing Street. This was a huge milestone for our business and one that we’ve been itching to tell you about! So without further ado, let us explain why we were at the government’s headquarters, and what we achieved during our visit…

A Spotlight on the West Midlands

The West Midlands economy has taken off in recent years, as the new wave of entrepreneurs and start-ups inject a pioneering spirit into the region. As a Birmingham-based small business and a member of Enterprise Nation, CoCo Loves is proud to be involved in a movement that is fast gathering pace.

However, despite the huge growth of the local economy, the West Midlands is largely overlooked by the government where growth initiatives and business schemes are concerned. This made the invitation of regional representatives to No. 10 Downing Street an important opportunity to get the county’s voice heard.

Representing the Region

Led by Debbie Assinder, who has long been a champion of businesses throughout the West Midlands, CoCo Loves was invited to London along with a diverse range of business owners and entrepreneurs:

Carrie Bates, Little Coffee Bag Co
Henry Deakin, Deakin and Francis
Drew Roper, Yamination Studios
Brian Donnelly, Synapse
Imandeep Kaur, Birmingham Impact Hub
Rosie Ginday, Miss Macaroon
Timothy Andrews, HollyWood Monster
Matthew Dredger, Borroclub
Robert Hallmark, Gruhme
Robert Bloxham, Orb
Debra Whitehead, Debra Hepburn
Matthew Fowell, Five Rivers
Wade Lynn, Island Delight
Siobhan Harper Nunes Shakti Women
Ben Cook, JC Social Media and Clever Tykes
Mike Bandar, Turn Partners
Oojal Singh Jhutti, iWazat
Chris Brown, Barques PR

On the 9th of February, our delegation descended on Downing Street to meet Daniel Korski – Deputy Head of Policy to the Prime Minister, to discuss the issues affecting small businesses in the region, and suggest ways in which the government could support entrepreneurs and business owners.

Giving Small Businesses a Voice

It didn’t take long for the discussion to get underway, with everything from dividend tax reforms to regional spending raised by our delegates. Amongst other ideas, CoCo Loves suggested the government hold a weekly competition that would give small businesses an opportunity to pitch their ideas to the government.

Hosted by social media companies, the competition could be conducted with minimum expense. Three winners would be selected each week, with an awards dinner held once a year to celebrate. The concept gained widespread approval in the meeting, and we hope the government will consider piloting the scheme in the near future.

The meeting was scheduled for an hour, but Mr Korski was so interested in the views, suggestions and comments of the group that he delayed his next meeting by half an hour – a move we were later told was unprecedented! It was a pleasure to meet him, and we left a business card to ensure he doesn’t forget to buy a bespoke gift and card in time for Mother’s Day!

We’re thrilled to have been given the opportunity to visit No.10 and share our ideas; it was a fruitful meeting and one that we hope will generate government interest in small businesses, in the West Midlands and beyond.

To learn more about the issues and topics discussed, visit Enterprise Nation.