WHERE do the business advisors helping small organisations to become the big names of tomorrow get their information?

While they may be extremely knowledgeable, advisors still need to check their facts. One organisation making a name for itself in the world of business information supply is Cobweb Information, at the Metro Riverside Park, Gateshead.

It is not a name many will have heard of in this region, as most of Cobweb's clients are in the South, but the company plans to change that.

Cobweb's managing director is Colin Weatherspoon, a former marketing consultant with Project North-East (PNE).

It was in that role that he provided business information to PNE's advisors, making sure clients got the best advice available.

Before that, he worked in marketing at Integrated Micro Products (IMP) in Consett, County Durham. That company was started by entrepreneur Mark I'Anson, who sold the business to Sun Microsystems for £64m in 1996.

While Mr I'Anson is currently looking for new projects, Mr Weatherspoon has gone on to lead Cobweb to success.

He said: "I started Cobweb in 1998 as a spin-out from Project North-East with six staff. The business grew very quickly, and I soon realised that it could thrive in the private sector, so I led a management buy-out from PNE, taking the original six staff along with me.

"We now employ 25 full-time and eight part-time staff, plus around ten freelance writers who work as and when needed.

"The number of full-time staff is currently increasing, following a recent recruitment campaign, and a move into Europe, with the opening of an operation in Slovakia.

"The Slovakian organisation uses the model we have pioneered in the UK to help small businesses succeed in their markets."

Cobweb is even considering opening an office in South Africa, operated by a former employee who is a native of that country.

Mr Weatherspoon said: "The small business sector is a growing one all over the world. Wherever they are based, small businesses need up-to-date information.

"In my opinion, Cobweb is an ideal company to provide such information as it is a small business itself.

"The ultimate beneficiaries of the information we supply are the budding start-ups, entrepreneurs, or owner/managers of small business, who probably get the information through intermediaries."

Cobweb's information comes in a variety of online and off-line formats, and is provided to public and private sector organisations that provide services to their own start-up and small business clients and business or professional communities.

"We are currently used by Business Links around the country, banks and other development agencies," said Mr Weatherspoon.

The organisation helps clients identify new ideas and opportunities, understand the more difficult aspects of business start-up, find customers and markets and overcome regulations to become more competitive.

Information provided by Cobweb ranges from market and sector-specific details to financial and regulatory information.

"We are an independent researcher and publisher of factsheets, guides, reports, news bulletins and directories for entrepreneurs, business communities and their advisors," said Mr Weatherspoon.

"Our objective is to provide the broadest range of easy-to-understand information to the widest possible audience in the start-up and small business field."

Cobweb's information covers thousands of subjects and sectors, and can be quickly customised for just about any business community or sector.

It also provides a list of off-the-shelf publications, including more than 500 business start-up guides, about 400 factsheets and guides to trends and performance in more than 60 UK market sectors.

Mr Weatherspoon said: "First and foremost, we are a comprehensive and unique source of relevant business information that has been developed and written specifically for the benefit of a small business audience.

"We produce everything in-house, using our own team who work on all aspects of our research, authoring, editing, and e-publishing services."

Cobweb's list of blue-chip clients is impressive. It includes Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, LloydsTSB, and HSBC, alongside BT OpenWorld, the Small Business Service, Scottish Enterprise, the Welsh Development Agency and Bloomsbury Publishing.

Mr Weatherspoon said: "While we are not a name that is currently well known in this region, we expect that to change over time.

"We are hoping to encourage more small business owners, and budding entrepreneurs to come direct to source for their information in the future."