Business Link is pulling out all the punches for this year’s Fighting Fit Conference designed to help businesses across the region achieve growth in the current climate.

Businesses across the North East are being given the opportunity to learn the secrets of successful growth from top entrepreneurs, including Gü Chocolate Puds founder, James Averdieck.

Taking place at The Sage, Gateshead on Wednesday 22 September, Fighting Fit 2010 has been designed to help businesses recognise and seize every opportunity to win new business and grow their organisation.

Offering a full programme of masterclasses, keynote sessions, networking and best practice case studies to help with business growth, Fighting Fit 2010 will also provide businesses with the practical tools to assist with the handling and sustaining of rapid growth once all the hard work pays off.

Julie Spowart, events manager for Business & Enterprise North East (BE-NE) which delivers the Business Link service in the North East says: “Fighting Fit 2010 will focus on the various ways to approach business growth in the current uncertain economic climate. Delegates will be able to explore the options available to them and plan their future development.

“Masterclasses will specifically focus on ways to increase your market share, implement diversification strategies and work successfully with others in partnerships and collaboration.”

A mix of keynote speakers and business people from both national and regional organisations will come together to share their experiences of growing their own businesses and offer their personal advice and guidance to help you to do the same.

Chairing the conference is one of the country’s best-known faces for money news, the BBC business presenter Declan Curry. Providing the keynote speeches are Richard Denny, a business growth specialist who has a diverse career in a cross section of sectors and James Averdieck, founder and managing director of the hugely successful and profitable Gü Chocolate Puds.

Alastair MacColl, chief executive of Business & Enterprise North East will open the conference. He adds: “I’m delighted to have Richard and James attending the conference as they are both inspirational speakers who have achieved so much in their businesses.

“James clearly spotted a gap in a seemingly overcrowded sector and with Gü has taken on deeply entrenched competition and won highly coveted supermarket shelf space. I am sure he will provide a valuable insight into how you can grow your business into a £35million enterprise and realise its full potential.

“The event will provide businesses with a practical and honest account of what it takes to grow, helping them to build an action plan for their own organisation’s future.

“I would encourage any business owner to extend your competitive advantage and join us at the must attend business growth conference of the year.”

Tickets are £25 each (including VAT). Full details of the forthcoming Fighting Fit 2010 conference can be found on www.eventsnortheast.co.uk/kybff or by calling 0191 281 5777.