Access to Business Finance, 29th April, Inverness

Business Gateway in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses is hosting an Access to Business Finance event at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium on the 29th April 2013.

• Do you have a business idea but don't know where or how to raise the finance to get it off the ground?  
   
• Do you want to expand or develop your existing business but haven't got the cash to do it?
   
• Or maybe you are treading water in this tight economy and need help to consolidate and plan for future growth?

Open to all small businesses, the day will bring together representatives from the major banks, alternative providers of business funding, accountants and lawyers and will be based on a series of talks, workshops and one-to-one conversations.

The event should be of interest to professionals who support small businesses and will be an excellent opportunity to network and influence funding bodies.

For the full programme and booking information, follow this link:

Business Gateway Workshops in Sutherland

Here's a list of Business Gateway workshops being held in Sutherland over the next few months:

2 Day Business Start-Up	Tues 23rd – Wed 24th October	9.30am – 4pm	Community Learning Centre, Brora
Marketing & Selling	Thursday 13th December	9.30am – 4pm	Community Learning Centre, Brora
Record Keeping	Friday 14th December	9.30am – 4pm	Community Learning Centre, Brora

 
You can download workshop details here (Google Docs PDF Files):
1. Business Start
2. Marketing & Selling/Record Keeping


For more information about Business Gateway courses in other areas, visit our Events Calendar:
To book a place, contact Lesley Allan on 01463 713889 or lesley.allan@highland-opportunity.com

Business Gateway - Specialist Teams

In Business Gateway Highland & Moray we've just formed a few specialist teams from within our ranks looking at key sectors to the Highland econonomy.  I'm on the "Creative Industries" and (unsurprisingly, some might say) the "Food & Drink" teams.

The aim is not to substitute for any of our hard-working partner organisations but just to find a way of finding out what's going on in each of these sectors, identify the key players and then passing this information on to our colleagues and clients. Similarly, each team can pass on details of Business Gateway activities to the relevant suppoprt agencies; hopefully avoiding duplication and gaps.

The Creative Industries group had brief meeting yesterday and we were pleased to welcome Gordon Brown of "Brown's Gallery" who gave us some pointers about existing support provision, his own concerns and his work with North Highland Connections.

If anyone out there connected with the Creative Industries (or Food & Drink sector) wants to make any comments about how Business Gateway can help or just wants to keep us posted on any events and activities, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Job Vacancies with Business Gateway (Part 2)

Business Gateway Regional Development Officer (Moray) 

Permanent position Location - Elgin 

"We are seeking an experienced business adviser to join the team in our successful Moray Business Gateway office in Elgin. The successful candidate will work with business start-up clients and existing businesses to help them develop their potential,. 

Applicants should have proven experience in a business advice role, knowledge of the local economy and business sectors. A good understanding of the pressures facing business and the success factors for growth is essential. A business advice qualification and experience in delivering training is an advantage. Strong interpersonal skills are vital.."

For more information, follow this link

Job Vacancies with Business Gateway (Part 1)

Business Gateway Information Officer (Graduate Opportunity)

12 month Fixed Contract

"Highland Opportunity Ltd is the Enterprise Trust for the Highlands providing a range of business support and economic growth services. We are contracted by the local authorities to deliver the Business Gateway service in Highland and Moray and currently have an exciting opportunity to offer a graduate with the right aptitude, energy and enthusiasm.

You will be based in the busy Business Gateway Office in Inverness and respond to business client enquiries as well as managing information on behalf of the Highland and Moray Business Gateway team.

You will have excellent communication and IT skills, strong research and organisation skills and possess a degree in a business, economics or a related discipline."

For more info, follow this link

Welcome, Marianne

I'm very pleased to announce that Marianne Ross has officially joined the Business Gateway team as a  Recruitment Adviser, based in this Bonar Bridge office, supporting employers in Sutherland, Caithness and Ross-shire throughout the recruitment process.

Marianne will, over the next few months, be contacting members of the business community, training providers and employment agencies to promote this new service and other employment initiatives - including the Highland Council's Employment Grant.

Business owners who are planning to recruit, or who are simply investigating the available options, can contact Marianne by email

Business Gateway Recruitment Advisers

 
Business Gateway Highland has launched a service to help create new jobs in some of the region’s most remote, rural areas.

The service will target more than 300 businesses in Caithness, Sutherland, Wester Ross, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and Strathspey to help them better understand the process of recruiting staff for the first time.

Two recruitment advisers, based in Fort William and Bonar Bridge, have been taken on to give businesses help on issues including employment legislation, identifying the right people for interview and employment contracts.

Marianne Ross, the new recruitment adviser in Bonar Bridge says: “Business Gateway’s recruitment service sets out to help businesses by providing an integrated package of information, advice and practical support.

This service is highly personal, specialist and designed to help create jobs in some of this region’s most fragile areas by helping give businesses greater confidence and knowledge about the recruitment process.”

Marianne, from Migdale, will be based in the Key Commercial Services offices in Bonar Bridge and can be contacted on 07867 394346 or marianne.ross@highland-opportunity.com

Business Gateway National Campaign 2012

Here's a taster of Business Gateway's new Press Campaign...

 For more info, visit www.yourbusinessgateway.co.uk

Business Gateway E-Newsletter

The January edition of the Business Gateway E-zine is now available and contains loads of information about new initiatives, client case studies and useful tips and advice.

Follow this link to see the newsletter: Link

Reports on Business Support

For those of an analytical bent, here are a couple of recent reports reagrding business support activity in Scotland:

A Federation of Small Business survey on Business Support Requirements: Download
An EKOS Report on Business Gateway performance across Scotland:  Download

Enjoy!

Business Gateway - Newsletter for Existing Businesses

The Business Gateway newsletter, aimed at existing businesses, can now be found online. It contains case studies and  information on support options for developing your business, including training, advice, mentoring and funding.   Please follow this link

Business Gateway in Sutherland - Vital Statistics 2010/2011

As part of our review of the last Financial Year ending 31st March 2011, I thought that I'd provide some indication of Business Gateway's performance in Sutherland:

We had 89 registered clients - these are those we meet and who have been on Gateway workshops or received in-depth business advice.

46 businesses were created in this period, with the largest sector being the creative industries (12 businesses), followed by Food & Drink (7 businesses)

As far as we can tell, 3 businesses ceased trading during this period.

25 businesses received (the now discontinued) start-up or marketing grants totalling £28,900

10 Sutherland businesses received development assistance from our special advisers.

35% of the Start-ups are owned by women, 50% by men, the remainder by groups & partnerships

As for locations, the 46 business starts came from:

East Sutherland:                      19 Starts

West Sutherland                       8 Starts

North Coast:                            4 Starts

Mid-Central Sutherland:          12 Starts

Outwith Sutherland:                  3 Starts

For any further information about Business Gateway activities in Sutherland, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Business Gateway Products & Services - Rural Development Grant

Following a review of budgets, there will be significant changes in the funding support available through Business Gateway.

The Business Gateway Rural Development/Start Grant will cease as of 10th February 2011.  This small grant (averaging £1200 in Sutherland) helped to create some 30 businesses in this County in 2010 and will be missed.  It was, however,  always a temporary measure; much appreciated in the rural areas of the Highland Region.

Applications in the pipeline will be honoured.



Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust support remains unchanged but Highland Opportunity loans will be "rationed" according to the availability of funds.


This is the first of several changes to our portfolio which will occur over the next few weeks and reflects the current pressure on local authority budgets.

Business Start-Up Guide

The brand new Business Gateway Highland Start Up Guide is hot off the press and is available to download (201k) here.  It sets out the support available for business starts in the region and is full of useful contacts for anyone planning a new venture (or developing an existing business).