Business Gateway – Page 2 – The NEN

Small Business Saturday: Edinburgh residents encouraged to shop local

Small Business Saturday returns this weekend (2 December) for its eleventh year in the UK.

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign which highlights small business success and encourages us to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in our communities. It takes place each year on the first weekend in December.

Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Councillor Jane Meagher, has been out visiting small businesses and enterprises around Leith and the Shore to mark the occasion and celebrate the area’s recent recognition as ‘the best neighbourhood in the UK and Ireland’ at the 2023 Urbanism Awards.

Clockwise Serviced Offices – Located in what was originally a bonded warehouse, Commercial Quay, the building has been converted to create open-plan office space to suit any business.

Shore Deli – Recently opened under new management, The Shore Deli serves breakfast rolls, sandwiches and salads with a wide variety of coffees and cakes.

Destined for Home – An independently run interior and gift studio which places emphasis on high quality, individuality and purpose.

The ‘great neighbourhood’ award is one of five given out each year by The Academy of Urbanism, a network of built environment experts from across Europe. They recognise Britain and Ireland’s best place, street, neighbourhood and town and are based on several factors, including commercial success.

Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to showcase the great mix of independent shops that make Leith, and the rest of the city, such a special place to live, work and visit.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “It was a pleasure to visit some brilliant local businesses in Leith as Small Business Saturday kicks off. The small businesses in and around Leith and the Shore form a huge part of what makes the area so special, and the recent award is testament to this.

“Edinburgh is home to a number of fantastic small businesses that form the backbone of our high streets. They play a key role in our communities, creating vital job opportunities and contributing to the economy.

“As we continue to feel the effects of uncertain economic times, this year more than ever we need to make sure we support small enterprises and contribute everything we can to their success. I would encourage everyone to shop local, not only this Small Business Saturday but all year round.”

Support your local shops this Small Business Saturday

Small Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake urges everyone to support their local small businesses

Targeted government intervention is addressing gaps in accessing finance from traditional lenders to help them scale up and grow

Small Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake has urged everyone to go out and support their local small businesses this Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is an initiative which encourages consumers to shop locally and support small businesses in their communities and it falls on the first Saturday of December.

In a call to action the Minister said: “I urge everyone to join me in supporting our local small businesses this Small Business Saturday. The best support we can give them is to shop local this festive season.

“Every penny spent at your local small business is an investment in your community.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed small businesses, charities and local communities to Downing Street for a Christmas Market Festive Showcase on Thursday 30th November ahead of Small Business Saturday, and Minister Hollinrake was able to meet with some of the businesses beforehand.

Engagement with Small Businesses is a government priority, and Minister Hollinrake was able to discuss the important topics of accessing finance as an SME, as well as the issue of late payments, which some of the businesses reported had improved since the Department of Business and Trade published the Prompt Payment and Cash Flow Review, signalling clear government intent to back small businesses in this issue.

Supporting small businesses to scale up and grow is a clear government priority. The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement had a clear focus on growth, creating a favourable business environment that keeps more money in consumer’s pockets and reduces costs for businesses, creating the right environment for businesses to start and scale up. The increase to the National Living Wage to £11.44 an hour, as well as cutting taxes for 29 million workers, increases consumer’ spending power, whilst businesses are supported by a £4.3 billion business rates package.

The government backed British Business Bank is supporting £12.4 billion of finance to over 90,000 businesses across the UK, of which 86% are outside London. The Bank is delivering a £1.6 billion programme of Nations and Regions Investment Funds, to support growing businesses outside London and South East.

Funds covering the South West, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have launched earlier this year, with more to follow. It has issued over 100,000 Start Up Loans since 2012 providing over £1 billion for entrepreneurs at the start of their growth journey, 40% of whom are women and 21% from an ethnic minority background.

UK Export Finance, the government’s export credit agency also provides government backed guarantees on financial products through banking partners. It was recently announced at their customer conference that it is introducing more flexible, fast-track financing for small businesses – making it easier than ever for UK firms to sell in international markets.

Scottish artisan chocolatiers spotlighted this Small Business Saturday

Business Gateway is celebrating the stories of the small business community in Scotland, including Edinburgh-based Quirky Chocolate.

The business creates and sells unique collections of artisan chocolate from a small workshop close to Arthur’s Seat. Founded in 2008 by designer, Sandra Colamartino, who was also the first captain of the Scottish women’s rugby team, the business combines her two favourite things: beautiful design and delicious chocolate.

Sandra began working with a chocolatier to create personalised chocolate bars with unique packaging, which has all been created using plastic-free packaging. Quirky Chocolate is also Fairtrade Cocoa certified, ensuring that the farmers who produce the cocoa that goes into their products are paid a fair price.

Sandra first connected with Business Gateway as she was launching the business, when her local adviser connected her with an accountant.

Having built up an established customer base, Sandra went on to create hand-rolled milk chocolate brussels sprouts in 2014, which became Not on The High Street’s best-selling product for three years in a row. The product resulted in a £1m turnover for the business alone.

Buoyed by these impressive sales, Sandra started to work on products that would sell all year long, and designed and produced the tartan collection, which includes a range of Scottish flavours such as cranachan and millionaire’s shortbread.

Sandra Colamartino, owner, Quirky Chocolate, said: “Our chocolate brussels sprouts were so well received, and generated more sales than we ever could have imagined. We needed to come up with new and exciting products to ensure this steady stream of sales continued.”

Having largely sold to a consumer audience, Sandra and the team began to move into business-to-business (B2B) sales, with a growing portfolio of top hotels in Scotland now stocking Quirky Chocolate products.

Sandra said: “It’s been healthy to have a balance of consumer, wholesale, and business-to-business. If you think of your business as a table, it makes sense that each leg symbolises a different avenue of potential income. If the table only has one leg, and something goes wrong, you’re completely out of the game.”

“The biggest challenge, no matter what field you’re in, is the multitasking element. You must become an expert at everything, whether that be working out insurance policies, how to pay an invoice, or developing a website.

“People tend to use the word ‘resilience’ when talking about setting up a new business, and I totally understand why.”

Since launching, Quirky Chocolate has grown to a team of 16, made up of chocolatiers, production staff, designers and tech gurus. The business has very recently become a living wage employer and plans to grow at a steady speed while taking their employees and freelance illustrators and artists on the journey with them.

Sandra continued: “As the business has matured, I’ve realised that there is so much support on offer from Business Gateway, which isn’t limited to start-up support.

“We’ve recently had a referral from Business Gateway and are looking forward to a member of the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) speaking to our team about where we can make improvements.”

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, commented: “Small businesses are the backbone of Scotland’s economy. However, recent years have posed various challenges to the sector, which has contributed to Business Gateway receiving over 25,000 enquiries this year. It remains critical that we provide the necessary support.

“We know that business confidence is low in light of recent global circumstances, so it is important we take opportunities such as Small Business Saturday to highlight businesses like Quirky Chocolate, which produces some really beautiful and uniquely Scottish products.

“Our resources, workshops, webinars and network of local advisers at Business Gateway all play a vital role in guiding small business owners through every step of their journey, making sure they have the knowledge and resources needed to thrive.”

To find out more about Business Gateway, visit: https://www.bgateway.com/.

Scottish plumbing supplier on track for £7 million turnover with the support of Business Gateway

A Scottish heating, plumbing and bathroom supplier with branches located in Loanhead, Falkirk, Rosyth and Macmerry is now one of Scotland’s largest suppliers of plumbing, heating and bathroom products, after its owners received HR support and signposting to grant funding from Business Gateway.

Launched in 2018, Heating, Plumbing & Parts (HPP) is a now a well-established heating and plumbing supplier and the go-to place for the everyday tradesman in Scotland. The business supplies and distributes everything relating to plumbing and heating, as well as specialising in bathrooms, underfloor heating and renewable energy products, selling to both trade and the public.

Founders of the business, Craig Campbell, Commercial Director and Alan McConville, Operations Director had accumulated a wealth of knowledge in the industry through their work for large manufacturing merchants in senior roles for over three decades. Together, they identified a gap in the market to strengthen the relationship between merchant suppliers and the everyday tradesman, who they believed to be neglected in the industry.

On a mission to drive change in the sector, Craig and Alan were in search of expert guidance to help turn their business plan into a reality and approached Business Gateway for support in 2018.

Business Gateway was instrumental in providing support in the early stages, with both Craig and Alan attending start-up advice workshops. These also included HR support, which helped the duo create staff contracts. Additionally, Craig and Alan spent time with a strategy expert who helped them map out a five-year plan which they still follow today.

Through Business Gateway, Alan and Craig also benefitted from digital support to help build and develop a user-friendly website, which now includes an online brochure, and provides direct access to the brand’s social channels.

Motivated by the ongoing demand from their customers to have a showroom that could display the bathroom products on sale, Alan and Craig worked with Business Gateway to secure a 2023 Falkirk Council Resilience grant fund award for expansion. This £10,000 grant allowed HPP to build a new showroom at its Falkirk branch.

Since 2018, HPP has gone from strength to strength, starting with their first branch in Loanhead and later expanding its premises to Falkirk, Rosyth and Macmerry, with more branches to follow.

Alan and Craig have also expanded their staff, and now have a team of 28 colleagues, who have over 300 years of experience and product knowledge between them. The business is now on track to turnover £7 million this year.

Craig Campbell, Commercial Director, HPP, said: “After working in the heating and plumbing industry for several years, I’d acquired an abundance of industry knowledge. However, starting your own business in the sector can be daunting and knowing where to start can be the hardest part.

“Our journey would have been much harder and longer without Business Gateway’s ongoing support.”

Andrea Bradley-Priest, Business Gateway adviser, said: “We have been able to support HPP with a range of Business Gateway’s services.

“It has been fantastic to watch the business expand and develop in the way that both Alan and Craig wished for in their five-year plan. I look forward to watching them continue to grow in the future.”

To find out how Business Gateway can help your business, visit:

https://bgateway.com.

Edinburgh brewery on track for £5m global turnover following support from Business Gateway

An Edinburgh-based independent craft brewery, which began as a home-brewing project in its co-founder’s spare bedroom, is now shipping internationally after receiving support and signposting to funding from Business Gateway.

Vault City was launched to modernise traditional brewing styles with its own take on fruited sours beers.

The beers, which are more aligned to cocktails and fruit ciders than IPAs or pale ales, are loaded with real fruit ingredients to develop flavours ranging from Raspberry Rocky Road and Strawberry Sundae to Cloudy Lemonade and Blackcurrant Choc Chip Waffle.

On a mission to convert non-beer and traditional beer drinkers, the brewery introduces new flavours every two weeks.

Co-founder Steven Smith-Hay, who describes himself as an “obsessed homebrewer”, had experimented with different sour and fruit beers while working in IT, and, with encouragement from his friends and family, took the plunge to set up Vault City in 2018.

Having never run a business before, he approached Business Gateway in search of expert guidance to develop the skills necessary for turning his vision for modern craft beer into a reality.

Steven’s local business adviser helped him to establish a business plan and identify routes for growth, as well as providing practical advice on how to manage cashflow.

Through Business Gateway, Steven learned about the requirements needed to set up an alcohol business online and received specialist support to develop a website, which established Vault City’s digital presence, increasing brand awareness and generating sales as a result.

Business Gateway was also instrumental in signposting Vault City to £100,000 of grant funding from Scottish Enterprise, which went towards the purchase of a decanter centrifuge.

This new piece of equipment helped the business increase its yield and decrease its waste by 30%, in turn reducing its environmental impact. Within five years of launching, Vault City has landed deals with the country’s biggest retailers, including Tesco, Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

More recently, following advice from Business Gateway the business, which has grown to a team of almost 30, now exports to over 20 countries globally, including Singapore, Sweden and Thailand. Vault City is continuing to focus on exporting in 2023, with plans to break into the Chinese market.

Steven Smith-Hay, Co-founder, Vault City Brewing, said: “I spotted an opportunity to carve a niche in the craft beer industry, but I needed guidance to make it happen.

“Having one-to-one support from Business Gateway has been excellent. My adviser was a safe pair of hands throughout the process and really helped me to unpack all the obstacles that come with starting your own business.

“I’m really proud to say that four in every five sour beers sold in the UK comes from Vault City and can’t speak highly enough about the ongoing support I’ve received from Business Gateway since launching.”

Lindsey Sibbald, Business Gateway adviser, said: “Over the years, we have been able to support Vault City with a range of Business Gateway’s services.

“It has been fantastic to watch the business’ stratospheric growth since launching, which is testament to Steven and the team’s dedication. I look forward to watching them continue to grow and to find out what flavour is next on the cards.”

To find out how Business Gateway can help your business, visit:

https://bgateway.com.

Business Gateway partners with the UK’s first ‘Dr of Social Media’ to uncover the power of social listening for businesses

Business Gateway has announced a free online DigitalBoost event with Dr Jillian Ney, the UK’s first ‘Dr of Social Media’, which will equip Scottish businesses with the knowledge to harness their internet data.

Taking place on Monday, 27th February at 1pm, the hour-long webinar ‘Social Media Listening with Dr Jillian Ney’ will explore social listening – defining what it is, how it can benefit business owners, and offer tips on how to achieve impact in cost-effective ways.

Award-winning digital anthropologist Dr Jillian Ney is the founder of Glasgow-based The Social Intelligence Lab, a global community for professionals working with social and internet data.

She has worked in the industry for over a decade as a researcher, consultant, spokesperson, and author. She has been voted as one of the most influential women under 30 in digital marketing, has given two TED Talks: “Connectedness and the Digital Self” and “Social Media: The Value Lies in the Data”, and has presented her work at SXSW, Social Media Week, NATO, and 10 Downing Street.

Dr Ney began her PhD in social media and consumer behaviour in 2007 at the University of Strathclyde.

She discovered that by analysing how people present themselves and interact online, you can gather valuable insights about their behaviour in the real world. Since then, she has been creating methodologies to help businesses understand what is driving customer behaviour by applying behavioural science to social data and other online data sources.

‘Social Media Listening with Dr Jillian Ney’ will be hosted as a Q&A with Business Gateway’s Chief Officer, Hugh Lightbody. Dr Ney will offer expert guidance on how businesses can use online data to identify insights on their target audience and stay competitive, as well as explore the changing impact of the internet on the business landscape.

Dr Jillian Ney said: “Social listening is a powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes gain a deeper understanding of their audience and stay ahead of their competition, but it is easy to get swept up in the hype of what the technology and data can offer.

“During the webinar, I will demystify this hype to help businesses concentrate on what’s important. I’m delighted to partner with Business Gateway on this session, hopefully encouraging more businesses to discover the untapped potential that lies in their social data.”

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, added: “We are thrilled to have Dr Jillian Ney join us for this webinar.

“She has led the field in social and internet data and her insights on how technology is changing people’s behaviour online and offline will help equip businesses with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

“Digital know-how is a fundamental skillset for business owners, as the opportunities the online world presents are huge. We hope this webinar, delivered as part of our DigitalBoost programme, provides a valuable resource as businesses navigate the ever-changing digital landscape.”

For further information and to book a place on the webinar, visit:

www.bgateway.com/events/social-media-listening-with-dr-jillian-ney-25615

Business Gateway is Scotland’s national business advisory service, offering free advice and support to anyone starting a new business, as well as to thousands of existing businesses with the ambition and potential to grow. Its DigitalBoost programme focuses on digital upskilling through free online resources and webinars from expert consultants.

For further information, visit: https://www.bgateway.com/

Time to Talk: Business Gateway announces new training with SAMH

Ahead of Time to Talk Day (tomorrow, 2^nd February), Business Gateway has announced the launch of a new training programme for its local advisers in association with SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health.

With guidance from experts at Scotland’s national mental health charity, business advisers across Scotland will participate in webinars to help equip them with the skills to encourage more open conversations about mental wellbeing amongst Scottish small business owners.

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, commented: “We have a network of local advisers who manage relationships with Scotland’s most inspiring and innovative small business owners, however, many of these business owners operate alone and are under increased pressure because of the ongoing economic challenges.

“Business Gateway is already supporting SMEs through several business start-up and growth support programmes, but we are becoming acutely aware of the need to offer additional wellbeing support, which could be as simple as asking someone if they are doing okay, or that they are taking time for themselves.

“The training delivered by SAMH will focus on helping our business advisers to identify and support individuals who may be struggling, and will also provide advice on how to signpost them to appropriate resources and support services.”

Emma Mamo, Assistant Director of Workplace & Business Development at SAMH, added: “Every year, one in four of us in Scotland will experience a mental health problem, so it’s important to empower as many people as possible with the necessary confidence and skills to support others who may be going through a tough time.

“This training will be a vital addition to Business Gateway’s offering and we’re looking forward to helping its team make a positive impact among the business community.”

Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation.

Taking place annually, it encourages friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives.

To find out more on how Business Gateway can help your business, visit:

https://www.bgateway.com/

National Computer Security Day: Business Gateway partners with Scottish Business Resilience Centre to tackle cyber threats

Ahead of National Computer Security Day tomorrow (November 30^th), Business Gateway has announced a new webinar with Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC), to empower business owners to be cyber-aware and take control of their online security.

Taking place virtually on Wednesday, 30^th November at 1pm, the webinar will be hosted by Sarah Johnson, Director at Scottish growth marketing company, IndigoLeap. She will be joined by SBRC experts Mike Smith, Cyber Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager and Kristie Steele, Cyber Community Lead.

The hour-long session will offer insights on the security landscape in Scotland, outlining how to recognise potential threats and what to do to ensure businesses are secure. The panel will explore the most common threats currently online, the impact of being victim to an attack and top tips for monitoring digital channels.

They will be joined by small business owner, Michael Cairns, who founded Celsius Plumbing in 2007 and was victim to a cyber hack earlier this year.

He approached Business Gateway in spring 2022 for help with search engine optimisation (SEO), after identifying a drop in website traffic and enquiries. He received 1:1 support from an expert consultant via Business Gateway’s Digital Boost programme, where it was discovered that the Celsius website had been hacked.

Although there was no breach in data, the website, which had previously hosted approximately 40 pages, now had over 10,000 pages on the website URL, meaning Google deemed it untrustworthy reducing its visibility to potential customers.

In addition to the webinar, Business Gateway also offers cyber resilience toolkits and an online tutorial which provides the basics to cyber security, building business resilience, and signposts tips on how to avoid data breaches.

Mike Smith, Cyber Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager, SBRC, said: “For many small businesses across Scotland, protecting their business from cyber-attacks may not be a priority due to expertise or resource.

“However, being cyber aware is crucial for all businesses, and it is important that steps are taken to safeguard all types of data against loss.”

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, added: “We recognise now more than ever that businesses are stretched, focusing on operations as they continue to bounce back post-pandemic and amid the cost of living crisis.

“We hope that this webinar provides a valuable platform to understand how cyber-attacks can occur, and why it is so important for businesses to protect their business in the current climate.”

Michael Cairns, Director at Celsius Plumbing, said: “After operating without a website for a number of years, we spent the last two years building our digital channels and could not understand why we were experiencing issues.

“We had worked with Business Gateway in the past, so it was our first port of call. Our DigitalBoost consultant, John Taylor, went above and beyond for us in identifying our issue and in helping us rectify it.

“We had placed a lot of trust in our web developers, but John helped us access our website and helped us understand the importance of Google Search Console, which we now know is vitally important to our online presence as it identifies vulnerabilities to our website.

“We are still slowly recovering our online presence; it has been a very long process and I would urge any business owner to familiarise themselves with online security to reduce their chances of becoming victims themselves.”

Business Gateway also works closely with Police Scotland’s Cybercrime Harm Prevention team, ensuring its service and advice reflect expert insights.

The following tips and strategies have been identified by Gordy Macdonald, Cybercrime Protection, Incident Support and Training Officer at Police Scotland, as a checklist for Scottish businesses this National Computer Security Day.

Five practical tips to avoid a cyber attack:

Equip your staff with knowledge on how to identify Phishing attacks. Ensure staff are able to identify suspicious emails and are empowered to deal with these situations.
Ensure your software is up to date. Allsoftware must be up-to-date, and all devices must be protected with the most up-to-date operating version from its iSP.
Apply for Cyber Essentials certification. This Government back scheme will help protect your business against a range of cyber attacks.
Install authentication methods to all systems and devices. Utilise2sv or Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) for all devices and online accounts to provide protection from unwarranted access.
Frequently Back up your Data. Ransomware is the most prolific means used by Cyber criminals, by backing up data systems can be reset and resume more easily.

To find out more on how Business Gateway can help your business, visit:

https://www.bgateway.com/

Or to book your place on the upcoming webinar ‘How to stay secure online’ visit:

https://www.bgateway.com/events/how-to-stay-secure-online

Wright Violins hit all the right notes

A business that specialises in matching players to the right musical instrument has increased sales by 400% after receiving support from DigitalBoost, Scotland’s national digital upskilling programme, delivered by Business Gateway.

Founded by Tim and Helen Wright, former professional musicians, in December 2015, Tim Wright Fine Violins is an independent violin dealership based in Edinburgh, selling violins, violas, cellos and their bows.

Helen approached Business Gateway for advice during the pandemic when she and Tim decided to adapt the business. Lockdown had presented challenges for customers who were unable to trial their instruments in person, a fundamental process when it came to purchasing their products.

Working closely with Business Gateway, Helen conducted a strategic review of the business and accessed specialist digital support through DigitalBoost. This helped her to develop their website into an online shop, enabling clients to ‘get to know’ the instruments before playing them for a trial period.

The business also accessed regular 1:1 support from a dedicated business adviser, as part of Business Gateway’s Growth Service, as well as advice on marketing practises.

This has resulted in significant growth for the business, and business enquiries have increased by 700%. They have also expanded their overall market reach to new clients across Scotland, beyond the Edinburgh market, with customers coming from the USA, Japan, Africa, and across Europe.

Tim Wright, Founder, Tim Wright Fine Violins said: “We were already thinking about ways to grow the business. When the pandemic hit, this became more important, so we approached Business Gateway for advice as about how we could find ways to raise the profile of our service and share our expertise and knowledge of our products virtually.

“Thanks to the support from our DigitalBoost consultant, our website has grown into a digital shop-front, which has not only seen us through the pandemic but also allowed us to grow and reach the global marketplace for fine string instruments.

“Working with Business Gateway has helped us to develop processes for making action plans and sticking to them. Our business was based around our love of violins as opposed to any more formal business planning, we needed support to learn how to make decisions for business growth. We had reached a point where success felt intimidating, we now feel as though we have a secure, manageable plan for our growth.”

Al Bryce, adviser, Business Gateway said: “Tim and Helen have a unique business and, with the support of Business Gateway specialists, they adapted their services to work for an online platform. In doing so, they reached a much wider market, achieving significant growth and success throughout the pandemic and beyond.

“Tim Wright Violins is a fantastic example the success that can be achieved by adapting your service and getting your business online. We would encourage all businesses to make use of the free DigitalBoost service if there are areas where support is needed.”

First Class! Student-driven media agency graduates to next level with support from Business Gateway

An Edinburgh media agency focused on connecting independent businesses with social media savvy students has expanded its presence in the UK and Africa thanks to support from Business Gateway.

Today Agency is a student-driven media agency based in Edinburgh. Launched in 2017, the agency assists independent businesses with creative content creation and social media management, while offering students the opportunity to gain essential practical and paid for industry experience.

Founder Jack Allan started the business whilst at university and, during the 2020 Covid lockdown, completed Business Gateway’s five-week programme ‘Gateway to Investment’ designed specifically to help start-ups grow and secure investment.

The programme provided him with advice on securing funding, covering aspects such as investor research, financial readiness and pitch presentation training.

Through this course, Jack identified funding routes which included securing over £20,000 in grants in 2021 and £40,000 investment ‘in-kind’ which covered operational expenses and enabled the business to grow internationally.

Today Agency has since opened offices in Manchester and Newcastle, with clients across five UK cities and secured a partnership with The Challenges Group, opening offices in Kampala and Accra with plans to open three more throughout Africa.

Jack also accessed regular 1:1 support from his dedicated business adviser as part of Business Gateway’s Growth Service. He received a strategic review of the business plan to identify new opportunities and priorities, advice on PR and marketing, as well as specialist support in international expansion.

Jack Allan, founder of Today Agency, said: “Business Gateway gave me, as a leader, the opportunity to speak to mentors and think critically about the business. This helped greatly in assessing our next steps and has provided us a platform to successfully expand our business operations worldwide.

“There is a significant opportunity for our business to grow internationally over the coming years. Across Africa, we’re seeing dynamic ideas originating from the likes of Rwanda, Ghana and Uganda which is exciting. Businesses and young people across the UK and further afield are ambitious and we want to work with them.

“We have our sights set on becoming the world’s first global student-driven media agency and thanks to the clear advice and direction given by our Business Gateway adviser, we were able to develop our business and are well on our way.”

Lindsey Sibbald, adviser, Business Gateway, said: “It is wonderful to see how Today Agency has taken such an innovative concept and scaled it up with offices not only in the UK, but across the world.

“It is rewarding to see how Jack has achieved his goals, despite the pandemic, reaching a new market in which they are thriving by working with our team. We would encourage all businesses to get in touch and make use of the services we have at Business Gateway, if there are areas where support is needed.”

To find out how Business Gateway can help your business, visit: 

www.bgateway.com.   

Business Gateway ensures ‘pane-free’ launch for world-first form of secondary glazing

A former economist has successfully launched a business making a world-first type of secondary glazing to high demand after working with Business Gateway, receiving orders for over 1,000 panes since he began trading at the end of 2020.

Gareth Claase invented and patented ‘Gecko Panes’ and is the founder of Gecko Glazing, a business based in Edinburgh which specialises easy to install secondary glazing which helps home-owners insulate their properties and save on energy costs.

Gareth approached Business Gateway in 2020 after developing his idea for secondary glazing, 10 years after he first recognised there was a gap in the market for a more affordable, sustainable, and less disruptive way to cut heat loss from old windows.

Gareth said, “Most of the options available to upgrade old windows were too expensive, too invasive, or both, which is why I wanted to try and find a better solution. Ultimately, my goal is to help with the problem of greenhouse gas emissions from homes and other buildings, addressing the problem that most existing energy saving measures are disruptive and high-cost.”

Through his product, customers can fit a clear acrylic sheet on an ultra-small profile aluminium frame which fits inside existing window frames, converting single glazing into double glazing and double glazing into triple. Each pane can be installed in minutes, with no tools required. They are up to 90% less costly than conventional double glazing and cut heat loss and emissions by up to 50%. Unlike any other system, they don’t impede or obstruct existing windows.

Gareth made extensive use of Business Gateway as he set about launching his business. This included 1:1 support from a business adviser, help on his business plan and advice about funding, premises, and marketing.

Business Gateway also facilitated several introductions letting Gareth meet experts in their field as he looked to upskill and get to grips with starting his business.

“After many years perfecting my design, I decided to take the plunge and start my own business, but I honestly had no idea what was involved. However, Business Gateway were an invaluable partner and helped me understand all the different aspects involved, ensuring I was able to quickly start trading.

“It’s fair to say that Gecko Glazing might not even be here were it not for their support and advice.”

Gareth was also able to access support through DigitalBoost, Scotland’s national digital upskilling programme delivered by Business Gateway. This included 1:1 support with an expert adviser where he learnt about search engine optimisation, website design and digital marketing. Through this service, Gareth was able to move to a more effective e-commerce platform and implement analytics so he could measure sales and customer engagement.

A specialist marketing consultant provided further extensive 1:1 support, helping Gareth upskill and identify how to market his product effectively.

Gecko Glazing has since gone from strength to strength since it began trading at the end of 2020, and recently received formal accreditation of thermal performance.

He has since won the prestigious Scottish Edge competition for promising early-stage Scottish firms and signed an agreement with a third-party supplier to offer professional installation for customers.

He is now exploring opportunities to scale up his offering through further investment and is hoping to expand into the US market in 2022.

Alison Lynch, Business Gateway adviser, said: “It was fantastic working with Gareth and learning about his unique business which identified a major gap in the market for eco-friendly and cost-effective secondary glazing windows.

“He maximised his time with Business Gateway, and made progress after every session, from devising a branding wheel with strong core values and developing a comprehensive marketing strategy, to fine tune his USP and elevator pitch.

“For anyone looking to start-up on their own, Business Gateway boasts a range of services specifically designed to help you get on your way, giving you the skills and tools required for a successful launch.”

For more information about Business Gateway start-up services, please visit:

https://www.bgateway.com/our-services

Spotlight on Edinburgh as Business Gateway launch television campaign

Business Gateway, Scotland’s national business support service, is putting the spotlight on rural and urban businesses as part of its new TV campaign which features businesses from both Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders.

The campaign will highlight Business Gateway’s extensive programme of support to help business owners, including those getting ready to reopen as restrictions ease.

This support includes the chance for businesses to put their questions directly to industry partners such as the Federation of Scottish Businesses, VisitScotland and the Scottish Retail Consortium through a series of panel webinars. These are designed to help businesses get to grips with the guidance and requirements they will need to follow as they look ahead to reopening safely.

Alongside these, a new series of national webinars covering key topics like HR, business strategy, marketing on a budget, mental health and wellbeing, and more will also launch this month. And business owners are also encouraged to reach out to their local Business Gateway office online where virtual, specialist 1:1 support from an adviser remains available.

To promote the campaign, Business Gateway is showcasing businesses that have benefited from Business Gateway support during the crisis.

Alex Feechan, founder and CEO of FINDRA Clothing, received start-upsupport from Business Gateway when she first launched her business.

Through the Business Gateway team, she was signposted to South of Scotland Enterprise and was able to access a grant through DigitalBoost, Business Gateway’s digital upskilling programme. This grant has enabled Alex to revise FINDRA’s ordering and CRM system.

Alex said: “I worked with Business Gateway when I first launched my business and they were a fantastic source of support, so I knew who to turn to when I decided to overhaul and update my business’s website.

“This investment was only possible through the DigitalBoost programme. Thanks to the grant, I am confident that FINDRA customers can now really enjoy the best online ordering experience when they purchase our products.”

Through DigitalBoost, businesses can access a variety of free support and resources including includes webinars, a digital health check, 1:1 support from a digital expert, online tutorials, and practical guides on topics including social media, cyber resilience, data analytics, digital marketing strategy and e-commerce.

Edinburgh based business, eteaket, is also featured as they prepare to reopen.

Founder Erica Moore said: “The whole team at eteaket are excited to get back to delighting customers in our tearoom and tea shop. We can’t wait to catch up with our regulars and to see our wholesale tea business ramp up.

“We have lots of exciting new ideas planned for this year which are all based around our Tea in Mind system which lets customers choose teas based on how they are feeling. Freeing your mind while your tea brews is the perfect way to unwind. Come and join in the fun!”

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, said: “As lockdown restrictions begin to lift, businesses will be focused on how they can adapt and strengthen their operations. Our campaign is designed to help them do this, ensuring they are aware of the variety of local and online support available to them, no matter their size, location or sector.”

The television advert is set to air from 3^rd May.

For more information about how Business Gateway can help you and your business, please visit: https://www.bgateway.com/ 