Scottish Enterprise Clean Heat Strategic Workforce Development Fund
2024-09-18 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
The Clean Heat Strategic Workforce Development Fund offers workplace innovation support to Scottish companies that are working or interested in the clean heat market.
This practical support helps businesses improve their processes by making better use of staff skills, experience and creativity to carry out everyday tasks.
The fund also provides financial support to help companies develop their:

Workforce Capability and Culture
Workplace Practices
Leadership and Management

The grants can be used to cover third party training or consultancy costs, as well as provide some support for internal training costs.
Find out more about the fund by joining this webinar and visit our website for a more information about the fund.

Canva for Business
2024-09-18 10:00 - 13:00
This course covers editing pictures, designing cover photos and collages, and making professional-looking images without needing a designer.
You’ll pick up quick Canva tips, shortcuts, and best practices for free, understand the importance of good graphic design for building your brand, and discover how to create quality graphics. The goal is to help you quickly and effectively produce engaging content, saving time and effort.

Unplugged Montrose
2024-09-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Montrose Museum, Panmure Place, Montrose, DD10 8HF
What is it?
Open to everyone, CodeBase Unplugged is a networking and information session for those involved with or interested in tech startups. It will be a great opportunity to meet others in the local tech and business community and hear about the support for building tech startups offered by CodeBase through the Scottish Government’s Techscaler programme. We hope to see you there!
What can I expect?
This event will consist of casual networking with other attendees and CodeBase staff, as well as a short presentation about Techscaler and the support it offers for those wanting to build tech startups in Scotland. Feel free to come along whenever you’re able between 16:00 and 18:00, and we’ll aim to give the presentation when most attendees have arrived.
We’ll have tea, coffee and light catering available throughout the event.
When and where is it?
We’ll be running this event from 16:00 – 18:00 on Wednesday the 18th of September. It will be hosted by Montrose Museum, located on Panmure Place, Montrose, Angus, DD10 8HF.
The event will be running the gallery space at the back of the museum but a member of staff will be at the front desk by the main entrance to welcome you.
What is Techscaler?
Techscaler is a Scottish Government funded programme, delivered by CodeBase, and offers tailored support for everyone in Scotland who wants to build a startup, whether they are considering a career in startups or are developing, building and scaling an idea.
We offer Community and Member access to world-class education, a peer-led online and offline community, and flexible workspaces.
Techscaler membership is for any prospective or current startup founder, startup employees, or more broadly anyone who is involved in the Scottish tech ecosystem. Membership offers tailored support depending on your goals. When someone applies to become a Techscaler member, our team can direct applicants to the most suitable Techscaler support.
To find out more, watch this video on YouTube: What is Techscaler? And what does it mean for me and my region?
What is CodeBase?
CodeBase is a tech incubator, making startups accessible to everyone. Through building culture, community and education, we promote and support tech innovation.
We offer flexible and affordable hotdesking and office space, education programmes delivered by expert industry operators, and an offline and digital community where startup founders and staff can connect and help each other.
We are CodeBase. We believe in startups for everyone and the power of community.
We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our culture – from our spaces and events, to our education programmes and community. In whatever way you interact with the CodeBase community, we require you to treat everyone with respect, regardless of background or personal beliefs.

The Employee Ownership Transition: A Deep Dive
2024-09-19 10:00 - 12:30
Are you considering employee ownership as a succession plan for your business? Join us on our deep dive into the process of selling to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
Aimed at business owners considering employee ownership as a succession option, this interactive online workshop will cover topics that are fundamental to every employee ownership transition.
The workshop will include a presentation and a breakout session.
The presentation will cover:

How a transaction or sale of shares to an EOT works
Valuation, purchase price and repayments
Seller protections and the role of the exiting owners
Governance structure of the business post transition
The role of the board and the trust and their relationship with each other
Employee engagement and employee incentives (bonuses and share schemes)

The breakout sessions will be on:

The transition process and legal implementation – led by Louise Fisher, Baxendale Employee Ownership
The importance of employee engagement – led by Hannah Welch, Baxendale Employee Ownership

Timings:
10:00 Introductions – Glen Dott, Scottish Enterprise
10:10 Presentation – Louise Fisher and Hannah Welch, Baxendale Employee Ownership
11:10 Facilitated breakout sessions (attendees participate in each session)
12:00 Q&A and learning outcomes
12:30 Close
Attend this interactive workshop to learn more about the EOT process when considering a transition to employee ownership.

A step-by-step guide to building your business plan
2024-09-19 14:00 - 16:00
New and established businesses will require a business plan for getting a loan, grant or just to consider the direction they wish to go in. This webinar will teach you what you need to include and how. We will walk you through what should be included within a business plan, how a business plan is used to improve your prospects for a loan or a grant, and how you can develop a business plan to meet your needs.
We will:

Provide a structure for a business plan
Review each section of what should be included within the business plan
Explain when and how to use a business plan
Explore the connections (and importance) between the words and the numbers
Look at how to identify and manage cashflow within the business planning process

Create videos with YouTube
2024-09-19 14:30 - 15:30
With 2 billion users logging in every month, YouTube provides an exciting way of increasing your brand’s exposure through video.
This session will cover:

how to understand your brand and target audience’s behaviours
how to write, storyboard and film engaging videos
how to market your content to users and measure your success

You will also learn:

how to identify your niche
top tips for creating engaging content
ways to increase your video’s discoverability

This session is run using YouTube and is 60 minutes long. The course assumes no prior knowledge or experience so there is no pre-reading necessary. There will be the opportunity to ask questions during the session.

Bookkeeping essentials
2024-09-23 10:00 - 12:00
This webinar is for those who are entering business for the first time or require an understanding of what is involved in financially managing a business, including basic bookkeeping, and creating a profit and loss account. You will also get an understanding of what expenses the business can claim and then how to fund your business. At the end of the session, you will receive a workbook on excel to help you manage and monitor costs and sales.
At the end of this session, you will be able to:

Implement basic bookkeeping skills across your business
Create a profit and loss account
Understand what expenses can and cannot be claimed
Use financial management to increase revenues and profits
Understand capital and revenue costs and how they are treated

Cookery Schools, an opportunity for Agritourism?
2024-09-23 10:00 - 15:30 | Westerton Farmers, Laurencekirk, AB30 1RT
Westerton Farm is investigating setting up a cookery school as part of being one of the Agritourism Monitor Farmers.
Fiona Smith and Caroline Millar are travelling to Ireland mid September to visit Ballymalloe Cookery School. Ballymaloe is one of the most famous Cookery Schools in Europe and is also a working farm providing real ‘farm to fork’ cookery experiences.
Fiona will present feedback on the visit to Ballymalloe and her first hand experience of the two and a half day farm to fork experience. Fiona will also update those attending on where Westerton are with their own plans for a cookery school.
Please arrive at 10.00am for an 10.30am start with a 3.30pm finish.
Tea and coffee provided. For lunch, you will be able to purchase a takeaway lunch from the Farm to Table Shop onsite or if you prefer you can bring a packed lunch with you.
The meeting itself is free to attend and all agritourism, rural tourism and rural food and drink businesses are welcome as well as farmers and crofters considering agritourism.

Business Support – Drop In Sessions
2024-09-23 13:00 - 16:00 | Kirriemuir Library, 28 Reform Street, Kirriemuir, DD8 4BS
The Business Gateway team will be at Kirriemuir Library to offer expert advice and support for all your business questions.
Drop in and speak to us, or use the book now button and a member of the team will be in touch to book an appointment.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow business, our advisers are here for you every step of the way.

How to generate and increase sales
2024-09-23 18:30 - 20:30, 2024-09-26 10:00 - 12:00
Sales are the lifeblood of every business. This webinar focuses on a pragmatic approach to sales strategy and delivery and is designed to fit with the needs of small businesses in both B2C and B2B environments.
We will cover:

Why a clear understanding of what an ideal customer looks like, and a good understanding of their problems, needs and wants is key to sales success
How to develop your sales platform using digital tools, platforms, and techniques
The different motivations potential customers may have and how to identify which ‘buttons’ your business needs to press
The key phases in prospecting, qualifying, and converting sales prospects
The value of a ‘sales funnel’ and how it can be used to help plan and achieve sales
Why keeping the customers you already have is the best sales strategy of all
The importance of appropriate customer service in retaining customers

Social media essentials: Instagram
2024-09-24 10:00 - 12:00
Thinking about using Instagram to communicate with existing and potential customers? Want to showcase your products or services using it? During this webinar we will cover:

Getting the setup right and benefitting from the available business tools
Best practice profiles, and some strategies to help your business stand out from the crowd
The types of audience you can reach via this platform and the factors and analytics such as cost and timing of posting images and how that can maximise impact
The various types of content you can post to Instagram, from regular posts to Stories and Reels

Disability Inclusion Framework
2024-09-24 12:30 - 13:30
The Disability Inclusion Framework is a unique template created by Purple Tuesday to support organisations in taking a snapshot of core activities. It provides an “at a glance” review of any gaps which can help with any decisions on next steps to take. The framework focuses on three pillars which are:

place: the built and digital environment
people: your organisation’s employees and customers
policy and process: how your organisation operates

This interactive session will show you how you should use the framework to gather information and identify your current or existing disability inclusion practices and set your plans for future developments.

How to start a business: The basics
2024-09-24 14:00 - 16:00
Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, we are here to support you and help you decide if this is the right path for you.
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

Delivering profit to drive growth
2024-09-25 10:00 - 12:00
The course covers financial analysis, strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and the role of innovation and scalability in leveraging profit for long-term success.
We will cover:

Getting to know your financials
Controlling growth
Improving decision making
Opportunities
Cash is king
Controlling change
Pricing strategies for maximum profit
Measuring profit

Finding, keeping and looking after your staff
2024-09-25 13:00 - 15:00
One of the most daunting challenges a business can face is the process of hiring employees, 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 look after your team.
We’ll cover:

Finding, keeping and looking after your staff
Attracting and recruiting the best people for your business
Your obligations as employers
How to retain staff members
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

Social media essentials: TikTok and Instagram Reels
2024-09-26 10:00 - 12:00
TikTok and Instagram Reels aren’t just for dance trends and lip-synching videos, they can also be a fantastic opportunity to engage with your customers and increase the reach of your business online. Learn how to create bitesize video content for more effective business communication on two of the most popular social platforms.
We will cover:

How to optimise your TikTok and Instagram accounts for the best results with video
How to discover the latest trends on each platform and leverage this to create popular videos for your business
Ideas for creating content to entertain, inspire or educate your audience (with lots of examples from a variety of relevant TikTok and Reels accounts)
How to increase engagement and reach by paying attention to your videos’ structure, duration, titles and understanding hashtags and algorithms
The best kit, apps and workflow to create bitesize vertical videos for both platforms

Business Finance Viability
2024-09-26 10:00 - 12:00
Led by experienced advisers, this webinar takes the fear out of finances, providing practical tools and guidance to help you confidently manage your business’s budgeting and forecasting. You’ll learn how to identify the hidden costs of running your business, including the cost of hiring staff, maintaining stock levels, and other crucial expenses.
Through a series of engaging exercises, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your business’s financial viability, helping you make informed decisions about its future growth and success. Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or have been in business for a couple of years, this webinar is tailored to your needs, providing you with the knowledge and skills to take your business to the next level.
Don’t let financial worries hold you back from realizing your business’s full potential. Sign up for the Business Finance Viability webinar today and discover how to confidently manage your business’s financial health!

Agri Innovation & Insights Event – James Hutton Institute
2024-09-26 10:00 - 15:00 | James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, DD2 5DA
Welcome to the Agri – Innovation & Insights Event hosted by the James Hutton Institute (JHI). Join us for a day filled with exciting discussions, innovative ideas, and insightful presentations.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with like-minded individuals. Come be a part of this unique event that aims to explore the latest trends and advancements in agriculture.
The Tay Cities Clean Growth Initiative, in partnership with The James Hutton Institute, are delighted to offer businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to stay informed on the latest advancements, techniques and innovation in Scotland’s International Barley Hub and Advanced Plant Growth Centre.
This informal free event is being held on Thursday 26 September 2024, from 10am to 3pm, at The James Hutton Institute’s Invergowrie Campus.
The day will include hearing from a range of speakers on a broad range of emerging trends across the Agri sector including technology, innovation and finance.
Following lunch, the visit will include a tour of Scotland’s world-class facilities at the newly opened James Hutton Institute International Barley Hub, Advanced Plant Growth Centre and Intelligent Growth Solutions’ vertical farm.
This is a day filled with inspiration, insight and knowledge to help businesses consider opportunities around:

Cutting-Edge Research
Networking Opportunities
Debt Funding Insights
Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Capital
Value Chain Integration

Perthshire Talks Responsible Tourism: climate action planning
2024-09-26 11:00 - 12:00
Understand how your business can reduce emissions with our simple climate impact guide that includes VisitScotland’s easy-to-use, free climate action workbook.
Our new guide has been designed to help tourism businesses starting out on their climate action journey. Businesses further along in their climate action journey may still find it useful to incorporate elements of this guide into their current plans by developing more advanced actions.
Taking responsibility for your business emissions and activities is a big first step on the road to net zero.
The session will look at why taking climate action is important and cover our new beginner workbook and calculator along with six quick actions to get you started in your first 12 months.

Introduction to Safe and Local Suppliers Approval (SALSA)
2024-09-26 13:00 - 16:30 | Arbroath Football Club, Gayfield Park, Arbroath, DD11 1QJ
The Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA) scheme ensures that small and micro businesses in the food industry meet robust and comprehensive standards.
This masterclass provides participants with an introduction to and understanding of SALSA requirements, processes, and the benefits of certification. Our expert speakers will cover everything you need to know, including preparation tips and strategies for a successful audit.
This interactive session also features a Q&A with our speakers, as well as group discussions and problem-solving exercises.

How to deliver low-cost, high impact marketing
2024-09-26 18:30 - 20:30
When budgets are tight, it can be difficult to find the funds for marketing. This webinar will offer marketing tips and advice that you can then use across your business – without bursting the bank.
We will look at:

How marketing extends way beyond what most businesses consider it to be and how it provides opportunities for businesses to make transformational change with little or minimal extra spend
Identifying marketing priorities and using these to reshape your business
The marketing mix as a tool for reviewing how your business plans and delivers its marketing activity
How your marketing activity is delivered successfully and effectively in your business
A series of top tips including the importance of understanding your customers, the core components of a brand, the value of strong and consistent branding, the value of a clear focus and the power of creativity
The many options available with traditional advertising and promotion as a way a company communicates what it does and what it can offer customers, but also looking how this has changed in a world where marketing has moved online
The foundations of effective marketing in a digital age, looking at how your business can grasp new ways of marketing such as social media, web and digital PR

Doing tourism differently: sustainability in travel
2024-09-27 09:30 - 16:00 | The Bruntsfield Hotel, 69-74 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh, EH10 4HH
This event is designed for travel and tourism professionals and experts, or simply anyone interested in sustainability and impact in travel.
The purpose of the day is to discuss how you can create impact through travel, how communities can get involved and / or benefit from the development of tourism as a sector, or how they can be involved in the design of activities, products, etc.
The day includes presentations on different themes with speakers from Geotourist, VisitScotland and LeithForth. There will also be discussion panels and workshops, with breaks in between for hot drinks and food. Refreshments and lunch (vegetarian) will be provided.

Cashflow Management Skills Webinar
2024-09-27 13:00 - 16:00
Who is this bootcamp for?
This bootcamp has been designed for small business owners, in order to help them with their short-term cash preservation and cashflow, as well as helping to prepare your business for the future.
Overview:
You’ll learn about managing your short-term cashflow and preparing your business for the future, with effective cashflow forecasting and planning to put your business in the best position possible.

Cyber Security for your small business
2024-09-30 11:00 - 12:00
To attend this webinar, there are no prerequisites or prior experience needed. It is aimed at start-up businesses and those who are interested in creating a start-up.
It would also be beneficial for more established businesses who are looking at security as a business differentiator and learn how it can be used to win new business.
Your host Jim Wright will introduce security, how it can benefit businesses and allow you to seize opportunities while minimising risk. Jim will also discuss common frameworks and fundamental principles that business leaders should be aware of from the start of their business venture.
By the end of this webinar, attendees will:
1) Understand security risks
2) Understand the benefits of security
3) Have an awareness of threat actors
4) Have an awareness of threat vectors
5) Have an awareness of the services that can be offered to support start-ups
6) Understand the regulatory environment in which they work
7) Understand the common frameworks relating to security

How to build your brand
2024-09-30 14:00 - 16:00
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

Creating an effective email marketing strategy
2024-10-01 10:00 - 12:00
Customers buy from businesses that they know, like and trust. Email marketing is powerful and affordable tool in your digital marketing toolkit to build these relationships. Most businesses send monthly newsletters to stay in touch with their audience, but your results will improve with a structured plan and the best practices that will be explored in this webinar. Whether you’re new to email marketing or you’re looking to optimise your email strategy, this webinar enables you to:

Adopt email marketing into your wider marketing strategy and gain insight into your target audience
Understand the key stages of an effective marketing strategy
Segment your audiences and to target and position your offering to them effectively
Create a value-driven and customer-focussed content for email marketing whilst measuring and testing it’s effectiveness
Identify the most suitable platforms and tools for email marketing campaigns, including different paid-for account levels
Optimise the different components of a successful email campaign
Use reporting and key metrics to make sure your campaigns are successful
Be compliant with legal requirements relating to email communications and use best practices for escaping the spam folder

Google Analytics – Understand how your website performs
2024-10-02 10:00 - 12:00
Google Analytics 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.

Build your Business Confidence in Tourism
2024-10-02 10:00 - 13:00 | Strathmore Rugby Club, Inchmacoble Park, Forfar, DD8 1RL
Do you already have a business in the tourism industry?
Are there aspects of the business that you are not so confident about?
Could professional input help your business grow?

If the answer to these questions is ‘yes’ then our ‘Build your Business Confidence in Tourism’ course has been designed for people just like you. It’s a short course, held over 3 sessions, recognising that time away from your business is valuable but also vital.
We will help you to audit your business and identify the key areas to focus your attention on to maximise potential. Plus, there will be the opportunity to up skill in best practice, and time to network with peers.

Perthshire Talks Responsible Tourism: accessibility information to promote your business
2024-10-02 11:00 - 12:00
Do you have accessibility facilities, such as accessible bedroom(s) or a quiet space, or has your venue been designed to cater for wheelchair users or visitors with hearing or sight impairments?
Do these facilities appeal to your current customer base? Do you provide detailed information about these facilities on your website?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, this session will be of interest to you.
This webinar will provide practical advice, top tips and guidance on how to use detailed access guides to market your business to new customers.
We’ll be joined by industry experts including Marina Di Duca, VisitScotland Inclusive Tourism Manager, Carrie-Ann Lightley, Head of Marketing at AccessAble, an accessibility guide specialist and Pippa Stacey, an award-winning writer, speaker and charity sector communication consultant.
