The Showing Off Academy of Business was launched at last night's ONE Event in Kendal.

Over 50 businesses witnessed the launch of an exciting new Academy yesterday. Launched at Cumbria's ONE networking event, the new business school has almost filled its first annual programme already.

The Showing Off Academy will run annual training courses for business owners and senior managers from across the North West. Their twelve trainers are all business owners and specialists in their own field. The programme incorporates some of the region's leading speakers on generating a constant stream of sales enquiries, managing your money, cost-effective marketing, and much more.

The brainchild of Joanne Allday (Managing Director of Showing Off Ltd); the Academy fulfils a need for high quality business training, delivered by people who are experienced in running their own business.

Joanne comments "When I first set up Showing Off four years ago, I attended a Basic Business Start Up Course. Within the first hour, I was told I didn't need a company name and that I could trade off my own name, as none of us would be doing any business outside of our home town anyway."

"Being Cumbrian, I was furious with such a lack of ambition. I knew local businesses deserved much more. From that day, I knew I would help Cumbrian business owners fulfil their potential, by giving them the skills they need to grow, recruit and create sustainable, profitable companies."

"Over the past four years, I've been fortunate to work and train alongside some of the best business brains in the North West. And I've managed to pull many of them together to create the Academy programme. It's like nothing Cumbria has ever seen before and I'm really excited that we can make a difference to the area's businesses and also to the local economy."

Showing Off Academy runs a business programme consisting of eight full training days, plus four masterclasses and four conference calls. Each programme is for just twelve delegates and teaches people how to take their business to the next level.

Joanne adds "This programme is for the most proactive business owners in the region. People who know they have a great idea and want to build a serious business that will generate a constant income stream for them, their employees and their families."

"It will teach people how to move from creating a job for themselves to building a business that will run without them. And it will also develop them as people; giving them the skills needed to motivate and lead others, to communicate effectively and to master public speaking."

"Jim Rohn says "Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune." That's something our trainers live by and it's something we're now ready to share with the rest of the North West's businesses."

The Showing Off Academy of Business is now recruiting for their second programme. For further information, call 01229 580220 or visit www.showingoffacademy.co.uk.