Business Editor Laura Knowlson takes a look at what lies in store for the sixth York Business Week.

THE stage has been set for York Business Week as the five-day event returns this month for its sixth year.

In two weeks entrepreneurialism will once again take centre stage with a festival of more than 14 events aimed at delivering impactful, meaningful and exciting session that will bring together business skills, inspiration and insight for the delegates attending.

Business Week 2015 launches on Monday, November 16 with its first event of the morning - a ‘SUPER’ networking event hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in partnership with Ian Walker & Co and Begbies Traynor.

Unlike previous years City of York Council is not hosting an anchor event in the form of York Business Conference, which last year featured former Marks & Spencer boss Lord Stuart Rose. However the authority's marketing company for the city Make it York, is hosting a number of workshops.

Emma Smailes, director of York Business Week Engagement Group, said: "In its five-year history York Business Week grew and grew, engaging at all levels, locally, regionally and internationally.

"Tens of thousands of businesses, students, start-ups and established businesses attended the various events over the five years, and in turn throughout the five years more than 75 Global Entrepreneurship Week High Impact Awards were won.

"As a non-executive director of the York Business Week Community Interest Company, it has been great to see a group of businesses and organisations from across the city come back together, again working cross organisationally, to successfully deliver the 6th York Business Week.

"Our aspiration is that the this year the business and business organisations within the city will deliver a range of impactful, meaningful and exciting events that will bring together business skills, inspiration and insight for the delegates attending."

Programme of Events-

Monday, November 16:

- SUPERNetworking Event, hosted by Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors, FSB York, Ian Walker & Co, Begbies Traynor. From 8.30am to 1pm at Novotel, York, followed by a networking lunch hosted by The Novotel Hotel York from 1pm to 2.15pm, with guest speaker David Kerfoot MBE.

This event provides the opportunity to chat with more than 40 local businesses in its ‘Business Market Place’, attend one of the free networking talks taking place by Colin Tweedie and book a free 1-2-1 advice session with any of the four event host businesses to get business questions answered.

- Make It Happen, hosted by Yorkshire Women in Business. From 10am to 4pm at Betty & Flo’s Café, in Huntington. A day of exploration and discovery of what entrepreneurs want and, more importantly, how to make it happen. This event explores the questions "who and what is running your business and personal life" in a bid to learn the foundations of success.

Tuesday, November 17:

- York Means Business: Driving Sustainable Profitable Growth hosted by Make it York. From 8am to 12pm at Best Western York Pavilion Country Hotel. Make It York has teamed up with KPMG Enterprises to make sure entrepreneurs have the right tools to make difference in their business. A number of expert advisors will be on hand to discuss the challenges faced by SME’s in driving growth in their business.

- Yorkshire WiRE Conference hosted jointly by the Scarborough and York WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) Network Groups. From 9.30am to 2pm at Askam Bryan College. This event features a packed agenda including a mini workshop hosted by Lynn Gregory, and guest speaker Julie Dodsworth. There will be opportunities to talk to and learn from local business women, find out what business support is available, meet new contacts and learn about the WiRE network.

- York Means Business: Secrets of Marketing Success hosted by Make it York. From 1pm to 4pm at Best Western York Pavilion Country Hotel. A workshop being run in partnership with Intandem Communications focussing on how to think about marketing so that it works, how to make customers love you and attract more, top tips to improve your website and digital marketing and using social media to engage customers and get results.

Wednesday, November 18:

- Pure Networking hosted by York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. From 7.30am to 9am at Betty’s Café Tea Rooms. The format of the event allows you to begin networking as soon as you arrive, and then take part in formal table networking. After a table shuffle you will participate in another round of table networking, ensuring you are able to move around the room effectively.

- How to be Completely Debt Free in 7 years hosted by Hunter Gee Holroyd Chartered Accountants. From 8am to 9.30am at Middlethorpe Hall. Find out about the background to debt and what it really means, including how we get into debt, the things we shouldn’t do and the real cost of your debt.

- York Popup Business Advice Cafe hosted by York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership. From 8am to 12pm at Your Bike Shed, Micklegate. At the Popup there will be local expertise waiting to give practical answers to business questions on a range of topics. Totally informal, entrepreneurs can turn up when they like, leave when they like, and come back again when they feel like it. It’s a café, not a conference.

- University of York Leadership Taster Sessions hosted by the University's Continuous Professional Development Unit, which will be giving delegates a snap shot of The York Strategic Leadership programme. With 45-minute sessions running from 9am to 12.30pm, event topics include Principles of Leadership and Inspiring Creativity.

Thursday, November 19:

- Next Generation Workforce hosted by 3aaa at its York office from 7.30am to 9am. This breakfast forum aims to offer an introduction to the range of opportunities in York to reach the future workforce. This seminar is aimed at employers who are interested in recruiting young people, but who have not taken the leap so far.

- Accounting in the Cloud hosted by Garbutt + Elliott Accountants. From 9.30am to 11.30am at the firm's York office Arabesque House, in Monks Cross. A seminar on how working in the cloud and using Xero is making a real difference to the accountancy world.

- International Trade Taster Session hosted by York College in conjunction with Go International. From 10am to 11.30am at York College. This interactive workshop is designed to help any business that wants to learn how to export and to trade internationally.

- Apprenticeship Graduation and Awards Ceremony from 7.30pm to 8.45pm. The York Apprenticeship Graduation & Awards Ceremony, is an annual event usually held at York Minster to celebrate the apprentices who have successfully completed their Apprenticeship. This year it is being held at The Royal York Hotel.

- The Press Business Awards, from 6.30pm at York Racecourse. A longstanding social pinnacle of York Business Week, the Press Businesses awards this year celebrate 25 years of highlighting and rewarding the success of businesses across York and North Yorkshire.

Friday, November 20:

- Suits & Vinyl hosted by Simon Palmer of Garbutt + Elliott Mat Lazenby of LazenbyBrown. From 4pm to 8pm at Sotano York. Suits and Vinyl is now in its 4th successful year but appearing in York at the amazing Sotano for the very first time. For those who have never been the idea is simple. You simply turn up clutching your favorite vinyl and it will be played by a professional DJ whilst you chat with other business owners and professionals all united by a common love of music. The suit is optional.

For more information on all events, and how to book visit www.yorkbusinessweek.co.uk