Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Regular followers of BcnIn on Twitter or Facebook will have seen this story we flagged recently in the Financial Times. While the whole story of Alex Smith and his entrepreneurial adventure in Catalonia is interesting and worth reading, the section at the end of the article caught our attention.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

At the heart of BcnIn is the idea of networking and collaborating with business partners. Finding a company that complements your own, that shares your ideas and values, is both exciting and mutually beneficial. That’s why we’re pleased to be working with Chorus and Echo.

On May 22 there will be local elections all around Spain. The municipality of Barcelona has been ruled by the socialists (PSC) for more than 30 years but, according to the polls, this time the opposition will take over, lead by Xavier Trias. His party, Convergència i Unió (CiU) prides itself for being business friendly but which message does he have for us foreigners who live here?

As I shared with you in an earlier post, I strongly believe a newsletter is one of the best tools self-employed expats can use to build a solid customer base and grow a sense of community around their business.

This Sunday the Gran Teatre del Liceu opened its doors to the public as part of the European Opera Days season. It was the latest in a series of initiatives designed to increase interest in opera, especially among young people. As the economic crisis bites, public support is more vital than ever.

One thing I’ve noticed in working with self-employed service professionals is many of you are weary of sending out email marketing, such as newsletters.

You’re worried people will think you’re too pushy.  This is true with most business owners, but I suspect it might be especially true when you’re an expat or you are trying to establish yourself in a new community.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

The difference between online social networking and business networking can become blurred. Facebook is still predominantly a personal social network — so it’s probably best to take care that any potential clients don’t see your embarrassing holiday snaps on there! — but many companies still have a significant presence . Twitter is a key tool for communication but business news can get lost in the general chatter on busy days. If you don’t want viral royal wedding or Bin Laden jokes cluttering up your work-related news then the most straightforwardly business-focused social network is undoubtedly LinkedIn.

These days many of us worry about the state of the Spanish economy and quite a few of us have to revise our business ideas or career plans. For advice and inspiration, who could be better to talk to than the economist Edward Hugh who has built himself a solid reputation by catching the opportunities of the web 2.0.