Social media essentials: Instagram
2025-10-22 18:00 - 20:00 UTC
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

Thorntons Webinar - Data Records, Retention & Secure Disposal
2025-10-23 09:30 - 10:30
The ICO’s recent £18000 penalty against Birthlink, a Scottish charity, in relation to destruction of a large volume of personal records highlighted the importance of ensuring compliance with the basic principles of good data governance, clear retention timeframes and secure disposal.
It serves as a reminder that a personal data breach is broadly interpreted and includes destroying personal data when it ought not to have been. Organisations must have in place clear processes and procedures to manage records and personal data in them to avoid personal data breaches as well as the human impact mismanagement can have.
Join Morgan O’Neill and Loretta Maxfield to explore the requirements and benefits associated with record keeping, retention and secure disposal methods and a practical outlook of how organisations may wish to implement these.

Employing staff, introducing a manager and building your team
2025-10-23 10:00 - 16:00 | Bowmuir Farm Holidays, Bowmuir Farm, Biggar, ML11 8LX
Join Scotland’s Agritourism Monitor Farms Programme for a talk from Core Community Group members Tom and Sarah Parker as they share their real-world experience of successfully introducing a new manager into their business. Discover what worked, what they learned, and how they made the transition seamless for their staff and customers.
Whether you’re considering hiring your first manager or looking to strengthen your leadership structure, this session offers practical tips on how to employ the right people and build a strong, capable team.

Lunch and Learn: Understanding your pension ahead of Budget day
2025-10-23 12:00 - 12:30
Understand your pension now – be ready for Budget day.
The Autumn Budget often reshapes pensions, tax and investments. Knowing exactly what you have today means you can prepare calmly, without reacting irrationally to headlines or fear.
Topics covered in this session:

How pensions really work
How much you will need for a comfortable retirement
The smartest ways to save using a limited company
The role of cash flow modelling in long-term planning

How to start a business: The basics
2025-10-23 18:00 - 20:00
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

Guided by HR: Drop-In Sessions on the Employment Rights Bill
2025-10-24 10:00 - 16:00
The UK Government released its official roadmap for implementing the Employment Rights Bill, these are the biggest set of workplace reforms in decades.
Do you know what’s changing, when it’s happening, and how it could affect your business? Or would you just like an informal chat about your people challenges?
Book a relaxed one-to-one session with our HR adviser and chat through what the upcoming changes could mean for your business, including:

Day 1 Rights: what it means for unfair dismissal, parental leave and probation
Zero Hours Contracts: new rules and obligations for employers
The Fair Work Agency: their remit and how they’ll enforce compliance
Practical HR impacts: policies, contracts, handbooks and compliance checks
Your questions: any people-related issues you’re facing right now

Why come along?

Understand the reforms in plain English
Get tailored, practical advice for your business
Stay compliant and protect your workforce
Opportunity to raise your own HR or people-related concerns

Building soil monitoring into policy
2025-10-24 10:30 - 12:00
Part of the “Envisioning the future of soil health monitoring” series for AI 4 Soil Health (AI4SH), hosted by Soil Association.
What data do policymakers need to protect soils, and how will the new EU Soil Monitoring Law help deliver it? How can projects like AI4SH support member states in turning the Soil Monitoring Law into effective monitoring systems on the ground? What lessons can we learn from Denmark’s approach to integrating soil monitoring into its national environmental monitoring programme?
Sign up to this free webinar to join leading experts to discuss these topics and learn more about how soil science is being used to develop European policies.
In this webinar we are joined by AI 4 Soil Health project partners and policy experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing the new Soil Monitoring Law across Europe. The panel will explore how robust soil data can bridge the gap between science and policy, what practical steps are needed to embed monitoring into national programmes, and how collaborative projects can accelerate progress towards healthier soils across the EU.

Lunch and Learn: How to get the best out of working with a journalist
2025-10-24 12:00 - 12:30
In this 30-minute session led by Fiona Scott, you’ll learn what makes journalists happy, what you shouldn’t do when interacting with a journalist and why third-party validation from journalists is more important than ever.
Topics covered in this session:

What journalists are not looking for
What they are looking for
How getting validation from an independent third party can have a positive impact on your small business

Social media essentials: Facebook
2025-10-27 10:00 - 12:00
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

UNITE Digital Health Scottish Matchmaking Event
2025-10-27 10:00 - 14:00 | Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, 50 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6HQ
This free in-person event aims to foster collaborative project opportunities by connecting Scottish stakeholders with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in digital health.
It provides an opportunity to showcase digital health projects with the potential to be developed under the UNITE initiative and to identify suitable Scottish partners for collaboration.
In addition to supporting UNITE-specific opportunities, the event will also encourage broader knowledge exchange and cross-sector collaboration within Scotland’s digital and health ecosystems, helping to spark connections that may lead to future initiatives.

Lunch and Learn: Five ways to get customers without spending money
2025-10-27 12:00 - 12:30
Ready to get noticed by the tools you already use, land high-value deals without ad spend and turn your Instagram into a 24/7 sales engine?
In this high-impact webinar with entrepreneur Timothy Armoo, you’ll uncover unconventional, proven strategies for getting in front of the right audiences without spending money.
Topics covered in this session:

How to get featured by the software tools you use daily
How to hijack viral posts and land huge deals
The secret to turning your Instagram highlights into an always-on sales funnel
How to partner with leaders in your industry without paying them

Social media essentials: LinkedIn
2025-10-27 14:00 - 16:00
No longer just an online CV, LinkedIn can be an incredibly powerful – and profitable – business tool.
During this webinar, you will:

Learn how to create a LinkedIn strategy to boost your business reputation via marketing and brand promotion initiatives
Learn the difference between personal and company profiles and how to optimise them for both maximum visibility and brand awareness
Understand that content is king on LinkedIn, and we’ll show you how to plan and produce captivating content that enriches your brand

EOI - Learning Journey: Visit to Amazon Fulfilment Centre, Dublin
2025-10-28 09:00 - 17:00
Join this visit to Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dublin and learn more about the eCommerce market in the Republic of If you’re a Scottish-based SME looking to expand your reach into the Republic of Ireland, this learning journey is for you.
With expert-led sessions and a behind-the-scenes tour of Amazon’s Dublin fulfilment centre, this two-day event is a unique opportunity to learn how to sell effectively across Ireland and the EU.
Over the course of the event, you’ll:

Learn practical strategies to boost your eCommerce sales in Ireland and the EU
Network with industry experts and fellow ambitious Scottish SMEs
Get actionable insights tailored to your business needs

Through a series of tailored sessions and workshops, you’ll learn:

ECommerce regulations and logistics in the Republic of Ireland and the EU
Strategies for using Amazon and other online marketplaces
Insights on cross-border trade, customs, and VAT compliance
How SMEs can use technology and streamlined processes to deliver products quickly and efficiently across Ireland and Europe

Well-Being for Small Businesses
2025-10-28 11:00 - 12:30
Join us for this engaging session tailored for rural Scottish small business owners, where we’ll explore ways to enhance well-being and build resilience. This session will be presented by GrowBiz Mentoring Coordinator Shareon Gordon who also runs her own business in health and wellbeing.
We’ll dive into:

Identifying Limiting Beliefs: Understand what’s holding you back and how to overcome it.
Supporting Yourself: Discover practical strategies to sustain your well-being, even when things don’t go as planned, and learn how to reset when needed.
The Wheel of Life: Gain insights into your current balance across key areas of life and business.
Setting Goals: Craft three wishes and a guiding “star” to support you in your business, then conclude with a powerful declaration of intent to see you through the up and coming winter months.

You will walk away with clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose which will support you for the rest of the year and beyond.

Lunch and Learn: Cutting through information overload with AI
2025-10-28 12:00 - 12:30
In this Lunch and Learn Q&A, Dropbox’s Andy Wilson will demonstrate how small businesses can cut through information overload and make AI work for them.
Many AI tools offer generic intelligence, but the real advantage comes from solutions that understand a business’s own content and workflows. AI that understands a team’s work can help them take action faster, make better decisions and work with confidence.
Andy will also explain how Dropbox Dash can make it easier to find relevant information quickly, connect pieces of content across a team and turn existing knowledge into actionable insights, all without starting from scratch.
Topics covered in this session:

How small businesses can leverage AI in ways that are specific to their workflows and content
How AI can accelerate execution and support confident decision-making
How Dropbox Dash enables teams to search naturally, surface relevant information instantly, and build on existing content to get work done faster

A step-by-step guide to building your business plan
2025-10-29 10:00 - 12:00
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

How to go global without the headaches
2025-10-29 12:00 - 12:30
Thinking about international expansion, or just curious about what it takes?
We know this can often feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. This session, led by our expert speaker Mike Wilson, is designed to help founders and small business owners explore new markets with confidence and without the stress and complexity that often comes with it.
From testing demand to managing cross-border payments and logistics, Mike will break down the practical steps to understand what’s involved in expanding internationally and how to do it efficiently.
You’ll also learn how Airwallex helps SMEs expand faster by simplifying cross-border payments, helping you set up quickly in new markets and offering better FX rates through multi-currency accounts and local payouts – all in one platform.
Topics covered in this session:

How to explore new markets with minimal upfront investment
Managing multiple currencies and payments seamlessly
Ket logistics, compliance, and partner considerations
How Airwallex simplifies global operations for SMEs

Building a business set-up that's ready for AI
2025-10-29 12:00 - 12:30
Running a small business means wearing many hats, but managing your tech shouldn’t be the one that takes up your time. In this online event, we’ll dive into the world of building a resilient, AI-ready technology “stack”.
In this half-hour session, experts from Dell and Intel will show you how the latest tools can simplify device management, boost productivity and give you peace of mind.
You’ll discover how Dell Pro Premium and Intel vPro® make setting up, securing and running devices effortless, and see how features like Autopilot and Lunar Lake can cut down admin and help your team stay connected.
Whether you’re ordering your first business laptops or scaling a growing team, this webinar will give you practical tips to save time, reduce stress and make technology work harder for you.
Join us for a focused chat and walk away with actionable steps to reimagine the way you work.

Tay Country Travel Trade Ready: Insights & Action
2025-10-29 13:30 - 18:30
Welcome to Tay Country Travel Trade Ready: Insights & Action event!
Come join us at Malmaison on October 29, 2025 at 13:30pm for an opportunity to gain valuable insights and take actionable steps to enhance your travel trade readiness.
Thank you to everyone who recently completed our survey on how your business is currently engaging with the travel trade, the opportunities you’re looking to explore, and the challenges we can support you with. Your feedback is shaping how we move forward together.
This free-to-attend event is designed to provide practical insights, inspiration, and networking opportunities to help your business strengthen its trade relationships and grow international reach. Spaces are limited, so early registration is encouraged.
Outline Agenda
13:30 – 14:00 | Arrival & Networking
Refreshments and informal networking
14:00 – 14:10 | Welcome from Tay Country – Jemma
Introduction & key insights from our recent business survey
14:10 – 14:25 | International Markets – VisitScotland – Lynette McLennan
Opportunities, demand shifts, and how to engage with markets
14:25 – 14:35 | What Happens at Trade Shows – Yvonne Wagoun
Maximising opportunities and preparing effectively
14:35 – 14:45 | Responsible & Sustainable Tourism – VisitScotland – Lynette McLennan
What businesses should be considering now – Quick wins for businesses
14:45 – 14:55 | How an Operator Works – Guest Operator
Insights into what makes businesses “bookable”
14:55 – 15:00 | Package Travel Regulations – VisitScotland / Travlaw – Lynette McLennan
Essentials, do’s & don’ts, and upcoming changes
15:00 – 15:05 | Group Travel Toolkit Launch – Tay Country – Jemma
Overview of the new toolkit
15:05 – 15:20 | Pricing & Commission – Yvonne Wagoun
Commission-ready pricing and operator expectations
15:20 – 15:55 | Practical Takeaway Workshop
Guided exercise: businesses choose one priority action (e.g., adjust pricing with commission, add a sustainability element, or prepare for a trade show)

Speakers circulate to provide tips and answer questions
Each business leaves with a short action to implement straight away

15:55 – 16:00 | Wrap-up & Next Steps
16:00 – 18.30 | Drinks Reception & Dundee Experience Preview

Lunch and Learn: How to use AI in marketing ethically and responsibly
2025-10-30 12:00 - 12:30
Want to create high-quality content faster without losing your brand’s voice or accuracy?
Join expert marketer Martin Wilde for a fast, hands-on session for organisations on using AI across your marketing and comms.
From website content and email marketing to social posts and promotional materials, learn how to ideate, draft, localise and repurpose quickly without the risk of creating generic content, losing accuracy and your unique tone of voice.
Leave with a pre-publish checklist, challenge prompts and a process that keeps content accurate.
Topics covered in this session:

A practical, end-to-end workflow, from idea to publication, with clear approval steps that protect accuracy, tone and reduce bias
A copy-and-paste prompt pack to ideate, outline, draft and publish repurpose across web, email and social
Ethical guardrails and quick tests (cite-or-strike, five-second clarity, bias scan)

VisitScotland bitesize webinars: creating added value experiences
2025-10-30 14:00 - 14:30
Explore how thoughtful enhancements can generate greater returns through travel distribution.
Unpack what added value really means, highlight ways to elevate your existing product, and show how to present experiences that appeal to partners and high-yield visitors.

Navigating the 2025 festive season: Strategies for small businesses
2025-10-30 14:00 - 14:30
The festive season is a crucial time for small businesses. In this session, Constant Contact’s Dave Charest will share some of the latest trends, challenges and actionable strategies from his organisation’s most recent survey, The Small Business Holiday Outlook 2025.
You’ll hear more about the festive season being a make-or-break time for small businesses in that it generates a substantial portion of their yearly revenue.
Whether you’re hands-on with your marketing or just trying to keep up, this session is designed to give you the most valuable insights and practical tips to help your business thrive through the busy season.
Topics covered in this session:

Why the festive season is absolutely vital
How social media and discounts drive sales
The economic challenges and consumer behaviour that affects business and shopping habits

Lunch and Learn: How to franchise your business
2025-10-31 12:00 - 12:30
Franchising is one of the fastest ways to scale in the UK–- but only if your business is ready.
In this webinar, business growth consultant Julie Clabby will tell you how to turn your successful business into a franchise model that works.
Topics covered in this session:

What franchising really is and how it works
Why you need a proven pilot business, not just an idea
How to make sure your numbers stack up for both you and your franchisees
Why documenting your systems is crucial to success
How to map territories so every franchisee makes the most of their potential

Introduction to Canva
2025-11-03 09:30 - 11:30
Canva is an all-in-one online design tool that makes it simple to create graphics, edit photos/videos and write content.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to navigate Canva with confidence, starting with a broad overview of what you can create and do with Canva including a live demonstration of the Canva Editor.
We’ll then explore how to:

Design professional printed marketing materials and edit photos with ease.
Create engaging social media content, including videos and images for posts and ads.
Write creative blog content and make stunning presentations.

We’ll finish this beginner’s guide to Canva by looking at some clever strategies for improving how you market your business with your new suite of creative marketing materials.
As a result of attending this webinar, you will gain practical knowledge of the basics of Canva and learn how to save time when marketing your business online. We’ll be focusing on the free features of Canva for this webinar but some paid ‘Canva Pro’ features will be demonstrated also.

Lunch and Learn: How to save cash and carbon
2025-11-03 12:00 - 12:30
Join us for a practical session with small business energy expert Jon Perks on how to save your business cash and carbon from the outset.
The energy market today is fast-moving and finding the right tariff isn’t just about cutting costs – it’s about gaining a real competitive advantage.
In this Lunch and Learn, Jon will explain how to choose the most suitable energy tariff for your small business.
You’ll learn how to interpret your energy consumption (with the help of your smart meter) to make small, simple changes that add up to big savings on both cash and carbon.
You’ll leave with actionable tips on saving time, reducing your bills and shrinking your carbon footprint – all while keeping your business ahead of the curve through the power of data.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn how smarter energy choices can help your business save cash and carbon, and grow.
Topics covered in this session:

How to pick the right tariff for your business: Why having the right tariff and shifting consumption can save the earth – in more ways than one
Your energy insights: How to use data from your smart meter to quickly identify where you can cut costs and reduce your carbon footprint, without taking up valuable time
Actionable tips to save cash and carbon: Walk away with practical, easy-to-implement tips that will help your business save money and time, and stay competitive in today’s market

ASSC Regional Gathering: “Green is the New Gold”
2025-11-03 13:00 - 17:00 | Albert Halls, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2QL
Are you a self-catering operator, industry professional, or associated business in Scotland’s tourism sector? Don’t miss this essential afternoon of networking, knowledge-sharing, and sector-focused exhibitors – tailored specifically for Scotland’s self-catering community.
Hosted by Fiona Campbell MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC), the Gathering will bring together operators, partners, and policy experts to explore practical, actionable ways to build resilience, embrace responsibility, and shape the future of Scottish tourism.
Expect thought-provoking panels, interactive discussion, and meaningful connections with peers across the sector – all designed to leave you inspired, informed, and ready to take your business forward.
Why Attend?

Understand the policies and regulations shaping Scottish tourism.
Discover actionable steps to become a more responsible and competitive self-catering operator.
Build stronger networks with peers, sector leaders, and suppliers.
Leave with clear, practical takeaways to strengthen your business and prepare for the future.

How to create engaging content
2025-11-03 14:00 - 16:00
Producing quality content is an excellent way of helping your customers develop a meaningful relationship with your brand, services and products. In this webinar we will show you how to source and develop a variety of content for your website and social channels.
This session is ideal for businesses that already have a business website or use social media and now want to take it a step further, and develop the skills to show your audience that you are a trusted operator in your field.
We will help you:

Understand what kind of content your customers are looking for
Source, write and deliver that content
Amplify your brand and message and boost engagement online

Work Lean, Grow Fast. Automation for the New Era of Food & Drink
2025-11-04 09:00 - 13:30 | ONE SeedPod, Walton Road, Bucksburn, AB21 9TT
The Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) is committed to helping food and drink businesses boost productivity through Lean techniques and smart capital investment.
In partnership with Opportunity North East, Aberdeenshire Council, and Scottish Enterprise, this event brings together practical insights and live demonstrations. As well as this, attendees will receive a tour of ONE Seedpod, Scotland’s food and drink innovation hub
Whether you’re a small artisan producer or a large-scale manufacturer, this event will show you how Lean and automation can help you scale efficiently, reduce waste, and stay competitive.
Collaborative Robot Demonstration – See automation in action and explore how robotics can be integrated into your production line.
Automation Possibilities for Your Business – Hear directly from Scottish Enterprise’s automation expert on how new technologies can be tailored to your needs.
Interactive Lean Session – Discover how Lean principles – like line balancing and layout optimisation – can prepare your business for automation.
Explore ONE Seedpod – Learn about the kitchen offerings, in-house expertise, hotdesking and meeting room offerings that make ONE SeedPod the home of innovation for the food and drink industry in Scotland.
Industry Networking – Connect with other producers over lunch and hear how they’ve overcome common challenges in scaling and modernising operations.
Scotland’s food and drink sector faces growing pressures – from rising costs to labour shortages. Historically, automation was only accessible to high-volume producers. But today’s solutions are more flexible, affordable, and scalable than ever before.
Lean techniques offer low-cost, high-impact ways to improve productivity. In fact, deploying Lean is often the first step toward successful automation.
This event will help you:

implement basic improvements through engagement and layout design
understand how automation can fit your scale and budget access support from ONE, SMAS, and Scottish Enterprise
understand how the facilities and in house expertise at ONE SeedPod can help your business grow

Spaces are limited. Priority will be given to Food and Drink Manufacturers. Book now to secure your spot!

How to write funding applications
2025-11-04 10:00 - 12:00
Securing funding can be a game-changer — but writing a strong application takes more than just filling out forms.
This webinar will offer tools and insights to help improve your chances of a successful application, including:

Clarifying and communicating your funding need
Building a persuasive business case with clear objectives and costings
Understanding your funder’s priorities and tailoring your language
Presenting evidence that demonstrates impact and credibility
Avoiding common mistakes that lead to rejection
Structuring your application for clarity and relevance

THRIVE+ : Food & Drink Manufacturing for SMEs
2025-11-04 10:30 - 12:00
Session 1: Tuesday 4 November

Session 2: Tuesday 11 November
This event is part of a series of THRIVE+ skills development events delivered by experienced industry trainers.
This 2-session training package will cover the following key topics:
SELF-MANUFACTURING

Areas to think about when setting up food and drink manufacturing
Environmental Health Officer (EHOs) will provide an overview of what EHOs require
Advantages and challenges of manufacturing yourself

CO-MANUFACTURING

Considers before approaching a co-manufacturer
What securities to have in place with a co-manufacturer
Checklist of what to ask a co-manufacturer
How to find co-manufacturers
Hear from a guest speaker who has used a co-manufacturer

This package is aimed at food and drink entrepreneurs and professionals looking to set up manufacturing facilities or build a co-manufacturing relationship. These webinars will also compare the two options and highlight advantages and challenges.
There will be a Q&A section at the end of each session.
