Data Skills Bootcamp for Women Returners
2023-08-22 09:30 - 2023-08-24 16:00 UTC
Are you curious about acquiring data skills but unsure of where to begin? In the 21st Century, data skills have become as essential as reading and writing were in the 20th Century. With data skills being in demand across almost every job sector, from healthcare to astronomy, Scotland is in need of more people with these skills. By developing foundational data skills, you can prepare yourself for a career or pursue advanced learning opportunities in this dynamic field.
This 3-day Bootcamp is free of charge to women living or working in the Tay Cities Region and is designed to help you adapt to the demands of increasingly digitalised, automated and data-driven workplaces.
The Tay Cities Region consists of the following areas:

North East Fife
Dundee
Angus
Perth & Kinross

The Bootcamp runs from 22-24 August 2023 from 9.30am until 4.30pm and you will study online from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a laptop/computer and internet access.

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 1: On page optimisation
2023-08-22 14:00 - 16:00
The first of 2 webinars designed specifically to help get your business website higher up the search engine rankings, increasing visibility, web traffic, and sales.
Join us to look at how Google and other search engines decide the order in which they list their search results. We will show you how to maximise your chances of appearing towards the top of the search rankings, ensuring you understand what key words and phrases your potential customers are using when searching online, and how to optimise your website as a result.
We will cover:

How search engines work, and the ‘on-page’ factors used to rank your site
Understanding customer search behaviour
Keyword research tools and how to benefit from them
Optimising your website content for search engines

How to build a digital marketing plan
2023-08-22 18:00 - 20:00
This webinar will guide you through the steps needed to create an effective digital marketing strategy, ensuring you focus on the right tactics to meet your business objectives and goals.
We will cover:

The importance of planning your digital marketing activities
Building your plan around a simple framework
Conducting a situational analysis (and understanding Customers and Competitors)
Developing your brand and tone of voice
Planning your Content strategy
Prioritising digital channels
Evaluating your Digital Marketing efforts

Parents Go Network
2023-08-23 09:30 - 11:30 | The Montrose Playhouse, The Mall, Montrose, DD10 8NN
It can often be a lonely experience being self-employed, especially if you have young kids. The Business Gateway team are delighted to be hosting a Parents Go Network session where self-employed parents can connect with others in the same situation, grow their network and meet like-minded people, all whilst the children are entertained.
This interactive session will encourage attendees to move around the room, learning more about the other businesses present and share your aspirations for 2023.

Innovation Funding: Heating & Cooling, Built Environment and Geothermal
2023-08-23 15:00 - 16:30
Join the Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC), Scottish Enterprise Innovation Collaboration and Funding Team and Innovate UK to discover the latest innovation funding opportunities for heating and cooling, built environment and geothermal projects.
This webinar will provide an overview of current and future opportunities in these areas, ranging from grants and support designed for single SMEs all the way up to large-scale international collaborative projects. It will be of interest to businesses, researchers and those in the public sector who support the development of innovative products and services.
The presentations will discuss:
Innovate UK funding programmes, including IUK SMART, Innovate UK loans and IUK investor partnerships.

Collaborative funding, including the £5 million Clean Energy Transition Partnership, Eureka Eurostars and Horizon Europe.
The Scottish Green Heat Innovation Support Programme.

You will also have the opportunity to find out more about:

Support available to Scottish organisations interested in applying to these funds.
Top tips for partner searches and creating eye-catching profiles.

Confirmed speakers include:

Karen Fraser, European Programme Manager, Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC)

SEGEC helps companies access European funding in Scotland in the critical growth areas of energy and low carbon by supporting businesses and key stakeholders. This includes leading on the delivery of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership Programme and promotion and support for the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.

Conall McGinley, Horizon Europe UK National Contact Point for Energy and Global Innovation Lead for Energy, Innovate UK

Innovate UK is the UK’s national innovation agency supporting business-led innovation. They provide free and impartial help and support to all organisations innovating in the energy sector to help them access funding for European and international collaborative projects.

Jane Watters, Innovation Collaboration and Funding, Scottish Enterprise

This team delivers Innovate UK EDGE services to ambitious Scottish companies, helping them to grow through innovation, internationalisation and investment. This includes helping companies navigate and secure innovation funding, international market opportunities and partners through extensive international networks.

Shaping the future of tourism in Angus
2023-08-23 16:00 - 18:00 | Forbes of Kingennie, DD5 3RD
Join us at Forbes of Kingennie Country Resort on Wednesday 23 August 2023, where we will be reviewing what has been delivered through the Angus Tourism Framework over the last year, and looking at current challenges and priorities to help shape action plans for the year ahead.
This workshop is open to anyone connected to tourism in Angus, including businesses, community groups and volunteers.
See Eventbrite for more details and to register.

Community Development Programme of Support - Good Governance
2023-08-23 18:00 - 20:00
Angus Council Vibrant Communities, in collaboration with Angus Rural Partnership, have commissioned a programme of events for community groups and organisations.
The new programme of workshops will help local groups and organisations:

successfully form a sustainable group
plan their projects
apply for funding
deliver their aspirations

Workshop One:
Developing a sustainable organisation that can secure funding and continue to meet the needs of its community requires solid foundations which start with the right structure and robust governance.
This session will cover the basics of:
– Choosing the right structure.
– Good Governance & Responsibilities, including risk assessment and dealing with conflicts of interest
– Reporting Requirements and Annual Accounts

Providing Work Experience in Angus to Young People
2023-08-24 11:00 - 12:00
Are you an employer in Angus looking to offer work experience to young people in your local community but not sure what is involved or the next steps, well this event is for you!
DYW Tay Cities and the Angus Skills for Work Coordinator, David Millar, are partnering together to host two online information sessions on delivering work experience to young people in Angus. Employers are invited to attend either or of the sessions, the same content will be delivered in both of the sessions.
During the session David will talk though the pre-placement process, what needs to be in place for a young person in a successful placement and so much more. We also might be joined by a young person who is currently undertaking some work experience with Angus Council.
Offering work experience placements to young people has many benefits not only to those individuals undertaking the work experience but also to your business. Benefits to your business include:
1. Developing the skills of your staff
2. Engaging with your local community
3. Raising your profile
4. Promoting opportunities in your industry or profession
5. Enjoying the energy and perspective of young people
6. Identifying potential future employees

Continuous Improvement Activity Workshop
2023-08-24 14:00 - 17:00 | V&A Museum, 3 Greenmarket, Dundee, DD1 4QB
Improve productivity in your business to reduce production costs and become a more competitive business. You can add value through lean techniques which will lead to improved quality, cost and delivery performance, and more capacity.
This interactive event will simulate how businesses are run. It highlights some of the daily challenges that we all experience and demonstrates a different way of looking at your business. By applying the ‘Lean Thinking Principles’, you can start to think and act differently to improve your business efficiency.
This workshop will focus on three themes:

The basics of improvement based on Lean principles
The power of team working
The benefit of having timely data to make informed decisions

Through the manufacturing simulation provided, you’ll gain an understanding of lean wastes and how they impact process performance.
This workshop will give you the opportunity to step back from current operations. You’ll get a chance to learn a new way of thinking about operational processes and how to improve them as a way forward for your organisation.
Agenda

2pm to 2:30pm: arrive and meet the other delegates (tea, coffee and pastries will be available)
2:30 pm to 3pm: introductions, team challenge and introduction to Lean Thinking
3pm to 4:45pm: interactive manufacturing simulation with continuous improvement techniques applied
4:45pm to 5pm: wrap up and questions
5pm: workshop ends

How to start a business: The basics
2023-08-24 18:00 - 20:00
Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, Business Gateway is here to support you and help you decide if this is the right path for you. Helping you consider your plans from exploring your potential customers to looking at the key activities and costs involved.
We will cover:

Personal finance planning – how much do you need to earn?
Researching your market – who your customers are, understanding your competition and what the trends are within your chosen field
Business structure – what are the core business structures? How to decide which is right for you and how to register as a business
Creating your start-up action plan – an outline
Marketing
Pricing
Naming the business
Basic bookkeeping
Forecasting
Financing, banking, insurance, and VAT
Tax

Developing your Start-Up Action Plan
2023-08-24 18:00 - 21:00
This webinar will give you the information needed to build a start up action plan. The plan will enable you to consider which actions are relevant to your plan, start building a set of SMART Goals, give thought to business skills development and provide a clear path for steps to launch your business.
You will also learn about the key considerations when starting a business and what steps you will need to take from legal, financial and strategic standpoints.
By the end of the webinar, you will have the information required to start building an action plan and be confident about understanding the next steps.

Email marketing for business
2023-08-25 09:00 - 11:00, 2023-09-01 09:00 - 11:00
Connecting with your audience through effective email marketing campaigns is a great way to improve your marketing strategy and boost sales. In this webinar, we’ll explore what makes an email campaign effective and ensure you are able to:

Segment your audiences and target them effectively
Create a quality marketing email and measure its effectiveness
Identify the most suitable platforms and tools for email marketing campaigns, including different paid-for account levels
Identify the different components of a successful email campaign, including design, HTML v text and other formats
Use reporting and key metrics to make sure your campaigns are successful
Be compliant with legal requirements relating to email communications

Build your brand and promotional graphics
2023-08-25 12:00 - 14:00
This webinar will define what a brand is (and is not) and explain how it is more than just creating a logo. We will explore how a business can use their brand to show its identity, purpose, personality, message, and values in order to stand out from competitors, build a loyal customer base and make more sales.
This session will:

Provide you with a clear understanding of the difference between brands and branding
Help you understand what a brand is
Show you why branding is important
Look at your brand strategy, brand identity and action
Help you learn how to develop your brand’s positioning, character, and purpose to differentiate your business from its competitors
Demonstrate how to set up a brand kit and style guide to ensure consistency across websites, social media, business cards, posters etc.
Teach you how to create simple promotional graphics using a variety of tools including Canva
Highlight a variety of free tools including Google Drive, Hubspot and Mailchimp that can save time and simplify marketing tasks

Shopify Success: Empowering E-Commerce Excellence
2023-08-28 09:00 - 12:30 | Forbes of Kingennie, DD5 3RD
Whether you’re in the process of establishing your online business, evaluating your current content management system, or already a part of the Shopify community, our event is tailor-made for you.
Get ready to engage with live insights from the renowned experts at Shopify, TrustPilot, Segmentify, and DLR Media. Our objective is to empower you to enhance sales performance and broaden your digital footprint within the dynamic e-commerce sphere.
Take part in invaluable sessions by leading speakers and industry experts, as they unravel the tools of mastering Shopify’s sales techniques, getting more customers, and boosting your revenue. Hear about the latest updates, how big brands grow with Shopify, the newest marketing trends and how to elevate your online presence while building a loyal customer base.
Connect with others, ask questions to seasoned Shopify professionals and get personalised advice. Join us to elevate your Shopify journey through firsthand insights and networking opportunities that are second to none.

Photography for online business
2023-08-28 10:00 - 12:00
During this webinar you will:

Discover the basic ‘dos and don’ts’ of taking your own pictures, editing them and uploading them onto digital platforms.
See some real-life examples of posts that demonstrate good, bad and indifferent use for businesses.

An introduction to business websites & what you need to consider
2023-08-29 10:00 - 12:00
This webinar will take you through all the steps required to design, build and host a business website. You will learn about:

The need to determine website objectives
The importance of knowing who your audience is and measuring results
Setting clear calls to action and creating engaging content
Creating your brand’s visual identity online, your site’s blueprint and how you can structure your site map
What’s involved in registering your domain, maintaining your site content, and options for hosting it

This webinar will also offer guidance on when and how to outsource your website development. Covering topics such as choosing a suitable content management system, what to organise first and costing for the work.

Offshore Wind opportunities in India
2023-08-29 10:30 - 11:30
India will invite seabed allocation bids for 37 GW offshore wind capacity by 2030. With more than £64 billion spend forecast over the next 10-15 years, this is an exciting opportunity for the Scottish supply chain.
Join this webinar to find out how Scottish Development International can help you be part of this opportunity.

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 2: Off page optimisation & technical considerations
2023-08-29 14:00 - 16:00
The second of 2 webinars designed specifically to help get your business website higher up the search engine rankings, increasing visibility, web traffic, and sales.
Join us as we take a further, more detailed look at how the Google search engines indexes and ranks websites based on a number of external (off-page) and technical factors. Implementing this learning will increase your chances of customers discovering your business through Google – the world’s leading research tool.
We will cover:

How to block or control what websites are allowed to ‘index’
The importance of a fast loading mobile website
How security and usability influence Google
What “off-page” optimisation means, and tactics to generate back-links
The importance of Local SEO, and why a “Google Business Profile” is vital

Google Analytics – Understand how your website performs
2023-08-30 10:00 - 12:00
Google Analytics (Universal and GA4) is a powerful tool that helps you understand how your website is performing. It helps answer lots of questions, including:

Which marketing channels drive traffic to your site?
What pages are users looking at the most?
What impact does mobile have on your potential customers?

During this webinar, we’ll help you understand how Google Analytics is set up and give you an overview of key reports. We’ll also look at other web analytics tools to help you online.

Find your marketing motivation with Niki Hutchison
2023-08-30 13:00 - 14:00
This workshop aims to help founders and entrepreneurs to be able to enjoy marketing and leverage its benefits for their businesses.
Marketing is frequently overlooked by entrepreneurs owing to its delayed results or a lack of understanding of how to approach it.
However, by introducing fun and exciting techniques for integrating marketing, it can become a prominent aspect of any business owner’s agenda for fostering business growth.

Community Development Programme of Support - Business Planning
2023-08-30 18:00 - 20:00
Angus Council Vibrant Communities, in collaboration with Angus Rural Partnership, have commissioned a programme of events for community groups and organisations.
The new programme of workshops will help local groups and organisations:

successfully form a sustainable group
plan their projects
apply for funding
deliver their aspirations

Workshop Two:
A good business plan will provide a practical road map for an organisation to secure funding and manage projects and activities effectively. There will always be changes, but it gives a framework to support that change and turn ideas into reality on the ground.
This session will think about each of the elements that build up into a robust business plan.

Access to Funding Roadshow
2023-08-31 11:00 - 12:30 | Scottish Enterprise, 99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
If your business is considering a fundraising campaign, join this event to get advice about the funding options available, the benefits of debt and equity and how to get Funder ready.
Our guest panellists from Scottish Enterprise, Bank of Scotland, Henderson Loggie and more will explore all these subjects and more in an interactive session.
Event agenda
11:00 – Intro Gary Torbett, Scottish Enterprise
11:05- How to get founder ready – Rod Mathers, Henderson Loggie
11:15 – Equity – Scottish Enterprise, Gary Torbett
11:22 – Debt Funding and Bank Products – Alison Scott, Scottish Enterprise and Craig Pollock, Bank Of Scotland
11:42- Grants – Alan Dick, Scottish Enterprise
11:52 – Q&A
12:30 – Close

HR – Recruiting, managing, and retaining staff
2023-08-31 13:00 - 15:00
One of the scariest things you can do as a business is take on staff – from hiring, interviewing, payroll, pensions, contracts, remote working and more, it is a minefield for the business owner.
This webinar will allow you to have the key information in your possession to take on staff and manage your team.
Topics covered:

Recruiting, managing, and retaining staff
Attracting and recruiting the best and right people for our business
Our obligations as employers
Managing people to stay with us
Moving on
Dismissal
Restructure/Redundancy

We will also look at:

How in the current climate you can manage staff and teams in a remote environment, considering their productivity, efficiency, and the issues of home working
How you can best manage staff to ensure productivity is kept and mental health is supported
The impact of companies who may be considering restructuring and therefore redundancy for the first time and how that can be managed

e-Commerce with Shopify
2023-09-04 09:00 - 11:00
Shopify is a powerful all-in-one e-Commerce website builder that makes setting up an online store simple and straightforward. In this webinar, we will explore Shopify’s features and pull together the building blocks for your first e-Commerce website.
By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

Understand the essential features that a website needs to have to sell physical and digital products online
Understand what Shopify is and how to use the features it offers to build a secure and powerful e-Commerce website
Use the Shopify page builder and work with free themes to get the design and style of your website on-brand
Understand how to manage orders and deliver great customer service
Understand how to launch your new e-Commerce website and ensure all essential building blocks are in place using a pre-launch checklist

Build an effective strategy to grow your business
2023-09-04 15:00 - 17:00
This webinar is practical, outcome driven, and designed to fit with the needs of small businesses in both B2C and B2B environments. It will help you develop a strategically led approach that can turbo charge business growth, identify the core growth strategy(ies) that are right for your business, and develop an action plan.
We will look at:

Your business today – identifying your strengths and areas for development
The key pillars of a business and why balancing all areas is essential for success
Personal and business ambitions and using these to guide strategy development
Ansoff’s Matrix as a tool for identifying core growth strategies
The core components of your business delivery
How to develop a methodical, strategic approach to developing your business for future success

After the webinar, you will understand:

How to undertake a balanced review of where your business is that helps identify areas for development
Ansoff’s Matrix and how to use it as a core strategic planning tool
How to create a strategic plan for growing your business

Offshore Europe 23
2023-09-05 08:00 - 2023-09-08 17:00 | P&J Live, East Burn Road, Aberdeen, AB21 9FX, United Kingdom
Offshore Europe 2023 is an excellent platform for collaboration, progress and results, not just for Scotland, but key overseas markets too. This year marks the 50th anniversary and the focus will be on continuous innovation which mirrors the evolution of North Sea energy, mapping the journey to a sustainable and better energy future.
OE23 will help the offshore energy value chain to accelerate the transition to a better energy future by uniting the power of expertise, knowledge and innovative technology to drive progress.

The Basics of Starting a Business
2023-09-05 09:30 - 11:30

Build a customer focused business
2023-09-05 10:00 - 12:00
Did you know that a returning customer will typically spend more than two thirds more with your business than a brand new one?
Did you know that retaining just 5% of your customer base can give an increase of over 20% in profits for your business?
Having an effective strategy in place for your business to deliver great customer service is critical for your business.
We will cover:

Why good customer service is critical for business growth
What are the essentials of delivering great customer service and how should this be delivered?
How to effectively manage different types of customers and their expectations
How, why, and when you should measure the service a business delivers
How to use the service provided to promote a business and enable growth

Facebook for business
2023-09-05 14:00 - 16:00
Get to grips with Facebook – the world’s most popular social networking platform.
In this webinar you will:

Learn how to get the most out of Facebook and how it could fit into your business’s digital marketing strategy.
Better understand the algorithm behind Facebook, and how to create great content that achieves a bigger reach and impact.
Learn from the stats and data you can get from the system and discover who your most interested customers/clients are.
Understand the power of Facebook advertising, and other selling options available to you.
Discover other business opportunities presented by Facebook, including how to promote and sell products and services.
Be introduced to ‘Business Suite’ – a free Facebook dashboard to manage all your business activity.
