Support service is doing the business for our firms
Paisley firms were among the 44,000 across Scotland that Business Gateway support helped meet their business goals throughout 2018/19.
In the past year, the support organisation provided crucial support that has seen almost 3,000 SMEs to scale up their growing businesses and over 9,000 new businesses successfully start up, with half of those assisted being led by women. Seven per cent of start-ups were from ethnic minorities, nearly double the proportion of people from ethnic minority groups in the population.
Colette Saez, from Business Gateway Renfrewshire, commented: “Our local advisers provide free, face-toface support for businesses of all sizes. Central to helping our customers succeed is our ability to listen to what businesses need, find the pieces they are missing, deliver the right support and make the right connections.
“Key areas of our support include making better use of digital technology, strategic advice, innovation and access to finance. Additionally, the connections we can make with other economic development organisations, such as Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International and Business Loans Scotland, help take businesses to the next level of support.”
One business which has been supported by Business Gateway Renfrewshire is Abergower – a document digitisation and processing specialist founded by Robin Prior.
Over the past five years, Abergower has engaged with Business Gateway’s startup and growth business services. In addition to help with business planning and preparing cash-flow forecasts, the company has accessed training grant assistance, discretionary grants relating to capital expenditure projects and micro loans.
Robin Prior, managing director of Abergower, said: “Our ongoing relationship with Business Gateway has played a vital part in the growth of our business.”
Business Gateway local offices also provide a comprehensive programme of free events and workshops about every aspect of starting, managing and growing a business.
Up c o m i n g events a t Bus ines s Gateway Renfrewshire, all at 27 High St, Paisley, include ‘Business Start- Up: Marketing’ on November 13 at 9.30am; ‘ Marketing Your Retail Business’ on November 26 at 5.30pm and ‘ Profitable Customer Ser vice’ on November 28 at 5.30pm.
To find out how Business Gateway can help your business, contact 0141 530 2406, email renfrewshire@ bgateway.com or visit www. bgateway.com.