FOLLOW UP: Bob Spence Visit

Over the last week we had the pleasure to host Mr. Bob Spence from Get Spence International for a visit in Stara Zagora, WebIT and Sofia. The visit was organised by the British Embassy in Sofia, BBBA and Deyan Blagoev, BBBA Regional Ambassador to Stara Zagora. Special thanks to Deyan for all the hard work over the week. 

Mr. Spence met with local business representatives of the Stara Zagora region for a workshop on How to sell in the UK, as well as with Stara Zagora Economic Development Agency, Invest Stara Zagora Agency and Trakia University. 

In Sofia Mr. Spence held two workshops on the topic of How to sell in the UK- one for manufacturing companies and one for the IT sector. Special thanks to the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotional Agency for hosting the morning session for manufacturing companies, and thanks to Sofia Tech Park for hosting the IT workshop. 

We would also like to thank all the guests for attending the events. We will soon send follow up of the sessions. 

Last but not least we would like to thank Bob Spence for sharing his insightful presentation and knowledge with us. It was a pleasure to have him here and we look forward to future cooperation. 

About our Lecturer

Bob Spence is a business development specialist from the UK working as a consultant, trainer, coach, writer and speaker on the subject of creating and making sales. Author of the only accredited training in the UK on the subject of building professional and sales relationships – the ILM qualification: the Executive Programme in Professional & Business Networking.

His career includes extensive sales experience in financial services, legal and SaaS. This experience includes: sales management, sales modelling, sales cycle analysis and channel building.

You can connect with on Linkedin here.

Last week the BBBA Board of Directors and the Team gathered together for a strategy brainstorming discussion. We had the pleasure to discuss the future scope of activities and initiatives for the BBBA, along with our priorities for the second half of 2023.  We also had the chance to talk about the challenges that our members are facing and the needs they have and how we can best help and improve at the services we offer. 

Special thanks to our Board of Directors for sharing their valuable opinion and advice and for their ongoing support for the BBBA team. 

Special thanks to Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko for the professionalism and for the warm hospitality.  

BCC Director General, Shevaun Haviland, will use an appearance at a key Climate Change debate today to call for Government to set out a clear pathway for business on Net Zero.

She will be appearing at the Climate Innovation Forum 2023 to debate the UK’s response to the US Inflation Reduction Act and how the economy reorientates towards Net Zero.

Among the key arguments she will put forward are:

• All major Government spending and policy decisions should be viewed through a green lens to check they help deliver the UK’s Net Zero aim.
• A partnership between Government and business is vital to meeting this commitment.
• Action must be taken now, if UK business is to remain competitive in a global race for investment.
• Reaching Net Zero means action beyond energy production – including upgrading our transport systems, homes, businesses, and land use.
  
• There must be a step change in the way we move people and goods, how we heat our buildings and what we produce and consume.

The recommendations are based on a report, by the Advisory Business Group, which has been sent to the Government’s independent statutory Climate Change Committee (CCC) for consideration.

The group, which is chaired by Shevaun, was formed last November by the CCC to provide solutions from the business community to keep the UK’s Net Zero commitment on track.

Ahead of today’s debate, Shevaun said:

“We are already seeing the devastating impact of climate change on our planet, there is no way to sit this out.The damage it will cause to our economy will also be devastating. At the same time this is a huge opportunity for UK Plc. The US, the EU and China all know this – that’s why they are investing £100bns in sustainable and low-carbon technology. We don’t have that kind of money, but it is possible for the UK to remain competitive and seize a potential £1trn boost to our economy. The UK has great strengths – renewable energy, green finance, engineering, professional services, cutting edge manufacturing and R&D. What we need to see from Government is a deeper policy understanding of the issues and how it plans to steer the economy towards Net Zero by 2050. Businesses wants greater certainty about the new technologies, systems and services that will form the foundations of Net Zero. If Government works more closely with us on this, it could set off a chain reaction that will unlock investment, promote innovation and ultimately set the UK on a course to becoming a global leader in this sector.”

Dear BBBA Members,

As many of you might already know, important digitalization reforms in the Employment legislation are currently underway.

Bill of Amendment of the Labour Code has already been adopted on second ballot. The Bill introduces entirely new approach to the labor data, which was up to this moment subject to entry in a hardcopy labour card.

We must say that it is a major leap towards the digitization of employment relations. The new regime provides that labor data, related to the employee, which was to this moment entered into the labor card, shall now be registered into the Central Electronic Data System maintained by the NRA.

The entry of data into the System will be regulated by Ordinance of the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Labor and Social Policy, and the Minister of e-Government. The Ordinance is expected to be issued by 1st of January 2024.

The employers will have to submit electronic copies of all labour cards to NRA by 1st of September 2026.

As of 1st of September 2026:

• the employees will not be obliged to present a hardcopy labour card before the employer when the employment relation is entered as well as it is ended;

• the employers will not be obliged to enter into the hardcopy labour card the relevant circumstances about the employment relation.

Should any additional questions arise, please, do not hesitate to contact us.

Respectfully:

Angel Buzalov, attorney-at-law

Managing partner

Buzalov & Chanova Law Office

+359 88 32 77 758

a.buzalov@buzalovchanova.bg

www.buzalovchanova.bg

ZaUtre, a growing web development company specializing in Salesforce Commerce Cloud solutions, proudly announces its partnership with the Samsoe Samsoe fashion brand, revolutionizing their online presence and customer experience.

Through a series of innovative implementations, ZaUtre has enhanced the e-commerce platform of Samsoe Samsoe, ensuring seamless transactions and elevating customer satisfaction. Key enhancements include:

Adyen Cartridge Update and New Payment Methods: ZaUtre has integrated the latest Adyen cartridge, enabling Samsoe Samsoe to offer a wide range of secure and convenient payment options to their customers.

Order Data Enhancement: By extending the logic to save shipment data on order level and exporting them to the Order Management System (OMS), ZaUtre has streamlined the order fulfillment process, improving operational efficiency for Samsoe Samsoe.

Product Material Display: ZaUtre has implemented a fix that accurately displays product materials, enabling customers to make informed purchasing decisions based on comprehensive product information.

Enhanced User Experience: ZaUtre has addressed issues with empty product tiles in carousels, ensuring a visually appealing and engaging shopping experience for customers on Samsoe Samsoe’s website.

Adyen and OMS Integration: Through extensive modifications and extensions, ZaUtre has ensured seamless communication between Adyen and the OMS, allowing for efficient order processing and inventory management.

Google reCAPTCHA Integration: ZaUtre has integrated Google reCAPTCHA backend validation, safeguarding Samsoe Samsoe’s website from spam and ensuring a secure browsing experience for customers.

Newsletter Functionality Improvement: ZaUtre has fixed issues with the newsletter functionality, ensuring successful subscription and seamless delivery of updates and promotions to Samsoe Samsoe’s subscribers.

Dynamic Values for Newsletters: ZaUtre has enhanced the newsletter system by sending dynamic values instead of hardcoded ones, enabling personalized and relevant content for each subscriber.

“At ZaUtre we are committed to delivering cutting-edge ecommerce solutions, and our partners at Samsoe Samsoe are now enjoying a competitive edge in the dynamic fashion industry”, says Dimitar Peev, CTO of ZaUtre.

Dear BBBA members,
The BBBA committees have been working actively in the past years to help us grow our network and activities. Many new ideas for transforming services and events have come from these groups.
We would like to open the committee meetings for new participants who would add their energy and expertise.

Join us for the meeting as follows:

• July 4th, 4 p.m. – BBBA Green Committee Meeting

If you’d like to participate, please e-mail us at office@bbba.bg. 

We are pleased to announce that TerraLex launched a cross-border guide to ESG & Sustainable Finance, a useful digital resource for key ESG regulations and trends, which covers more than 25 jurisdictions. DGKV’s Partner Gergana Monovska and associates Anna-Maria Atanasova and Irina Mihaylova contributed the chapter on Bulgaria in the TerraLex’s new Cross-Border Guide to ESG & Sustainable Finance.

The digital publication of a Cross-Border Guide to ESG & Sustainable Finance, destined to become a go-to reference for ESG regulations and trends across the world, addresses a variety of issues, including: 

• Key statutory disclosure obligations

• Analogous regulations or regulatory initiatives in the absence of formal rules

• Shareholders/investors’ rights and liability around ESG compliance

• Potential ESG prohibitions or restrictions within the statutory framework

• Tax and other benefits related to integrating ESG factors into investment decisions

• Special measures against greenwashing and any related enforcement action

• Emerging legislative and regulatory developments related to ESG

You may access the TerraLex ESG & Sustainable Finance Guide by following this link: 

https://www.terralex.org/insights-cross-border-guides/cross-border-guide-to-esg-and-sustainable-finance/bulgaria-esg-and-sustainable-finance 

You can access the publication here:

https://dgkv.com/news/dgkv-contributed-the-chapter-on-bulgaria-in-the-terra-lex-esg-sustainable-finance-guide 

The British Bulgarian Business Association is a dynamic professional network promoting business relations between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria and has up to date over 240 members from all aspects of British and Bulgarian business. BBBA aims to provide a professional environment for business people and individuals who make up the British-Bulgarian business community, and the needs and interests of our members are at the core of everything we do.

As we are rapidly expanding, we are looking for a student with excellent communication skills to join our team on the position of Events and Communications Trainee.

If you are motivated and result-oriented, excellent communicator and fast-learner, and you are looking for an internship in a dynamic international business community, maybe you are the right person for this position. This internship is payed.

Your responsibilities will include:

– Updating on a daily basis the BBBA website and social media

– Preparing the BBBA Newsletter

– Administrating member and partner databases

– Supporting the BBBA management in office administration and member relations

– Supporting the organisation of events from start to finish, including venue, catering, speakers, guests, media, etc.

Requirements:

– Fluent written and spoken English

– Excellent communication skills

– Excellent knowledge of MS Office

– Experience with social media and web communications

– Ability to meet deadlines

– University degree, preferably in business, philology, journalism, economics, management or marketing is desirable

What we offer:

– Work in a dynamic professional network

– Flexible schedule and work hours

– Opportunities for growth and development

– Central office location

– This internship is paid 

If you are interested to join our team, please send your CV and motivation letter by July 7 at office@bbba.bg.

Have you ever considered exhibiting yourbusiness? Whether this thought has never occurred to you or you’re on the fenceabout it, this article will demonstrate the ever-growing success that can begained from exhibiting at trade shows.

Following on from an infographic posted onour Instagram page @thebusinessshowuk,we found a range of sources and statistics that will take you through the hugebenefits of exhibiting your business…

TheStatistics:

●      64% of exhibitors plan toexhibit at more shows in 2023 than compared to 2022 (Sоurсе: Display WizardTrade Show Exhibitor Report 2022)

●      70% of businesses exhibiting attrade shows generated brand awareness and new leads in 2022. (As above).

●      65% of businesses agreed thatin-person exhibitions were a very valuable part of their marketing strategies.(Source: Display Wizard Covid 19 Trade Show Report 2022).

●      75% of exhibitors predicted apositive future for business shows. This includes better lead generation, brandawareness, and a greater ROI. (Display Wizard Exhibitor Survey).

●      81% оf those attending abusiness exhibition hаvе buуіng аuthоrіtу. (CEIR: Thе Sреnd Dесіѕіоn: AnаlуzіngHоw Exhіbіtѕ Fіt Into the Ovеrаll Marketing).

●      There is also a greater benefitto employees of an exhibiting company. 58% of businesses said that their staffdeveloped their knowledge of the products and resources they offer at anexhibition. (Display Wizard Trade Show Exhibitor Report 2022).

●      On average it takes 4.5 salescalls to close a sale, but with a lead from an exhibition it only takes 3.5.(CEIR: ‘The Cost effectiveness of Exhibition Participation: Part II).

●      Face-to-face networking works!71% of SMEs generated business from this method. Exhibitions are great placesfor growing your contact list. (Display Wizard SME survey).

This speaks to how invaluable it can be toexhibit at a business exhibition. Sometimes the more traditional face-to-facemethods of a trade show win out over modern digital marketing methods.

After the stormy pandemic, it’s good toremind ourselves that business in-person is still a core part of the worldwideeconomy.

If you’re interested in learning more abouthow you can get involved with our show, The Business Show, reach out at enquiries@thebusinessshow.co.uk or call us on 01174579911.

Take your first steps into parametric 3D modelling with the popular CAD (computer-aided design) software, Fusion 360! 

With this course: 

• You will be introduced to the basic terms and concepts of 3D modeling 
• You will become familiar with the 3D environment of Fusion 360 
• You will acquire the basic skills to create a three-dimensional object in the two-dimensional environment
• Model complex objects consisting of several interconnected elements yourself
• You will work closely with an experienced tutor in a small group (up to 8 people) 

£455* / £585 (incl. VAT)

*early enrolment (until 30 June 2023)

Enrolment deadline: 7 July 2023

Course start date: 10 July 2023

Includes 4 sessions of 3 hours each. 

Details

Welcome to the world of parametric 3D modeling with Autodesk Fusion 360.  If you have no previous experience in computer modelling but have always wanted to create exciting 3D models and learn professional techniques, then this is the perfect course for you. It will give you a solid foundation in working with one of the most popular professional 3D-modelling software to build on later.  

During the course we will immerse you in the amazing world of 3D modelling with Autodesk Fusion 360. We’ll start from the basics and teach you the most effective approaches to successfully create 3D-models. You’ll be introduced to the basic tools and techniques of Fusion 360 that will help you create complex and realistic models.

You’ll learn the basic principles of working with 3D structure design and how to apply them to your workflow.

You will be introduced to a variety of modelling techniques, in the form of real hands-on exercises and individual assignments, which will help you develop your skills in real-world scenarios.

You will learn how to navigate the 3D environment of Fusion 360 – where the different menus of the program are located and how they work, and how to use them effectively, ensuring your comfort while working.

You’ll start by creating a 2D sketch and transforming it into a 3D model.

After creating a basic 3D model, you’ll learn how to modify it by creating holes, recesses, protrusions, carvings, adding additional shapes, and more using the variety of tools Fusion 360 offers.

You’ll learn how to use your model’s change history bar, which gives you a chronological view of all your actions and changes, allowing you to review or modify them at any time, as well as easily troubleshoot problems with your design.

Upon completion of the course, you will have the confidence to create impressive 3D models with Fusion 360. This is your key to the world of 3D-modeling that will open up new possibilities for you to create product designs in various fields such as engineering, architecture, manufacturing, art and much more. 

Enroll today and discover the magic of 3D-modeling with Fusion 360!