Business Gateway support helps firms
Scotland’s entrepreneurial spirit is booming in the face of economic and political challenges, with more than 365,500 private sector businesses currently operating in the country – the highest level since 2000 – 99.3 per cent of which are SMEs.
As Scotland’s national business advice service, Business Gateway helps thousands of customers to meet their business goals every year.
From July to September 2019, Business Gateway provided crucial support that helped 7,990 SMEs to scale up their growing operations and more than 2,350 new businesses successfully start up, with more than half of these new start-ups being female-led.
Business Gateway’s network of 53 offices, managed and delivered by local authorities as part of its wider business support, play a crucial role in driving growth, skills, regeneration and employment across Scotland.
In 2019, Argyll and Bute Council’s Business Gateway helped 130 new businesses to start, with a projected combined turnover of £4.2 million, as well as assisting more than 140 existing businesses.
Councillor Jim Anderson, Argyll and Bute Council’s depute policy lead for economic growth, said: ‘Our advisers provide valuable support for businesses of all sizes, including one-to-one support sessions, extensive online resources and signposting expert help on topics including innovation, exporting, finance and new markets.
‘Last year our advisers completed more than 400 advice sessions with Argyll and Bute businesses. All our support is provided free and in confidence.
‘We work in close collaboration with wide variety of partners, including Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise, to help identify growth opportunities and provide the best advice and support to local businesses.
‘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.’
Business Gateway local offices also provide a comprehensive programme of free events and workshops about starting, managing and growing a business.
This year, 2020, sees the introduction of webinars for Argyll and Bute Business Gateway, in addition to workshops.
The first webinar topic is SEO and Improving Google Ranking. This one-hour webinar will take place from 11am on January 30 and explain the concepts of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – how to get a business higher up the Google rankings, and driving more people to a website.
Upcoming Business Gateway workshops include the one-and-a-half-day Business Start-Up workshop in Dunoon on January 29 and 30 and Lochgilphead on February 4 and 5; Build Your Own Business Website in Rothesay on January 29; the marketing workshop Know Your Customer in Oban on January 31; Creating Killer Graphics with Canva on February 6 in Lochgilphead; and Book-keeping in Helensburgh on February 6.
To find out how Business Gateway can help any business, or to book a workshop or webinar, contact the Argyll and Bute office on 01546 808363 or visit www.bgateway.com.
In 2019, Argyll and Bute’s Business Gateway helped 130 new businesses to start