Invest in Angus

Lunch and Learn: Choosing the right marketing activity for your business
2025-08-01 12:00 - 12:30 UTC
Are you overwhelmed by all the marketing options out there – social media, email campaigns, events, sponsorships, SEO, ads?
Are you unsure where to invest your time and budget? In this 30-minute webinar, Lissa McPhillips cuts through the noise and helps you identify which marketing activities are right for your business, based on your goals, audience and resources. You’ll walk away with a practical framework to make confident, strategic marketing decisions.
Key takeaways from this session:

Clarity on how to match marketing activities with your specific business goals and customer journey
A simple framework to evaluate which marketing channels are worth your time, effort and budget
Confidence to focus on fewer, more effective activities without getting distracted by trends or pressure to do it all

With over 25 years of strategic marketing experience, Lissa is a dynamic force in driving business growth and success. She has previously held senior marketing positions with several Fortune 500 companies, including CIT, Dell and JP Morgan Merchant Services, where she served as VP of marketing for Europe.

Lunch and Learn: What makes a good (or bad) small business strategy
2025-08-04 12:00 - 12:30
Strategy tends to confuse businesses not because it’s complicated, but because it’s often misunderstood, misapplied or miscommunicated.
This session, led by Melissa Wusaty, clarifies what strategy is (and what it isn’t), explores the difference between good and bad strategies and introduces the essential components every business, regardless of size, needs to begin building one with confidence.
Key takeaways from this session:

What strategy is (and isn’t)
What makes a good strategy
How to start building a strategy for your business

Over the past two decades, Melissa has navigated change for businesses and organisations, sought or imposed. Whether building on strengths or forging a new direction, she is often tasked to explore and evaluate possibilities to transform a challenge into an opportunity.

An introduction to business strategy
2025-08-05 10:00 - 12:00
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

Lunch and Learn: What makes a business unforgettable
2025-08-05 12:00 - 12:30
What makes a business unforgettable? It’s not your offer. It’s not your price. It’s not your marketing funnel.
It’s how you make people feel.
In this Lunch and Learn, brand messaging expert and certified ‘unreasonable hospitality coach’ Alex Kakavelakis will show solopreneurs, small businesses and their teams how to apply the moments-that-matter approach, a practical way to turn everyday client interactions into loyalty-building, word-of-mouth-generating experiences.
This session is perfect for small businesses looking to improve client retention, founders tired of constantly chasing new leads and anyone trying to stand out in a sea of AI-generated sameness.
Key takeaways from this session:

Why retention is your most powerful growth strategy
How small, thoughtful gestures can transform your customer experience
The difference between service and hospitality, and why it matters more than ever
A simple, repeatable framework for creating moments that matter in your business

Alex helps founders and teams find the words that make people listen. As a certified StoryBrand guide and ‘unreasonable hospitality coach’, Alex helps you clarify your message, focus your marketing budget and build a strategy that turns customers into loyal fans, through workshops, masterminds or FCMO services.

Using AI tools to create content for your business
2025-08-05 13:00 - 15:00
In this business.connected workshop in partnership with Vodafone Business, we’ll explore how to harness the power of AI to create smarter, more strategic content – without compromising on authenticity.
Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a small business owner or part of a growing team, this session will give you the tools to confidently integrate AI into your content strategy while staying true to your brand voice and values.
Led by Kristian Downer, an expert in digital content and AI applications, the workshop will cover how to use AI tools to generate blogs, video scripts and social media posts efficiently – plus how to make sure your content feels human and trustworthy.
You’ll also learn how to repurpose one idea into a wealth of content across different platforms, and how to use AI-powered analytics to track what’s working, what’s not and where to optimise.
Kristian has over 11 years of experience in digital marketing and specialises in helping business owners and marketing managers cut through the complexity to achieve consistent, profitable growth. From sole traders to large corporates, he’s delivered proven strategies and high-performing campaigns that drive real results.
Now, as a national trainer for Google Digital Garage through Enterprise Nation, he’s equipping businesses across the UK with the skills to navigate the evolving digital landscape – including the opportunities and challenges of AI in marketing.

How to build a digital marketing plan
2025-08-05 14:00 - 16:00
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

How to deliver low-cost, high impact marketing
2025-08-06 10:00 - 12:00
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

Lunch and Learn: Practical AI tips to help your career or small business
2025-08-06 12:00 - 12:30
AI is everywhere, but where do you start if you’re a small business owner, side hustler or simply someone curious about how these tools can help in your everyday work?
In this accessible and hands-on session, Polly Dhaliwal will cut through the noise to share practical ways you can start using AI tools like ChatGPT, Notion AI and more, even if you’re not technical. Whether you’re looking to save time, boost productivity or simply understand what’s possible, this session is for you.
Key takeaways from this session:

How AI is changing how we work and what that means for you
Smart ways to use AI for everyday tasks like planning, writing and research
Time-saving tools and tips anyone can use – no tech background needed
How to approach AI ethically and stay ahead of the curve

As chief operating officer at Enterprise Nation, Polly leads efforts to support over one million small businesses every year. With experience in product development, operations and growing communities, she’s passionate about simplifying journeys for businesses and supporting entrepreneurs to thrive in a competitive landscape.

Growth bites: Get started with CRM
2025-08-06 12:00 - 13:00
Are you looking to better manage your relationships, boost productivity and drive more effective outreach for your business or charity?
Join us for an insightful and practical webinar that will introduce you to the power of customer relationship management (CRM) systems!
This webinar is perfect for anyone looking to move beyond spreadsheets and into a more organised and efficient way of managing their contacts and interactions.
We’ll show you how a CRM can transform the way you operate, helping you build stronger relationships and achieve your goals.

Social media essentials: LinkedIn
2025-08-06 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

A step-by-step guide to building your business plan
2025-08-07 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

Lunch and Learn: How to manage PR for your personal brand & small business
2025-08-07 12:00 - 12:30
Learn why it’s more important than ever for brand owners to ‘own’ their PR
This webinar led by Claire Doherty offers insight and practical steps to raise your profile, build credibility and secure valuable earned media coverage for your business and personal brand.
Key takeaways from this session:

The impact of PR – why you need it and how to control it effectively
Simple steps and strategies to increase media coverage for your brand
How to raise your profile as a brand owner

Claire Doherty is a PR & Comms specialist with more than 25 years of experience, having run award-winning campaigns for brands such as Amazon, eBay and MINI, previously Head of PR for Very and Royal Caribbean.

Organic Beef Systems
2025-08-07 12:00 - 13:30
Are you considering conversion to an organic beef system? Are you a certified herd with some questions? Join us for this Soil Association webinar to discuss practical considerations and opportunities for building organic beef systems.
The focus of this session is practical on farm application, kicking off with an organic beef farmer sharing their experiences, challenges, and advice from home. They’ll be joined by other expert speakers covering key topics including:

How standards translate to on farm practice
Opportunties to maximise forage production
Organic market opportunities

We encourage attendees to bring their questions to the panel through the Q&A, where there will be plenty of time for discussion. Whether you’re an experienced farmer or exploring new approaches, this session offers insights you can take straight back to your system.

How to start a business: The basics
2025-08-07 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

Lunch and Learn: How to pay yourself from your business
2025-08-08 12:00 - 12:30
Running a business is hard work – but how do you make sure you, the business owner, are getting paid too?
This webinar, led by Nathan Pretty gives practical tips to help business owners understand how to pay themselves legally and efficiently, as well as highlighting things to avoid.
Perfect for new business owners who need to start paying themselves and longer standing business owners who may feel scared to take money out of the business for themselves.
Key takeaways from this session:

Different methods of paying yourself
Understanding tax implications of paying yourself for different business structures (sole trader, partnership, limited company)
Common mistakes to avoid when paying yourself from your business

Nathan is a chartered certified accountant with over 10 years of experience in the field. He specialises in helping new businesses get their financial footing.
From bookkeeping to tax planning, Nathan has you covered. His goal is to make the financial side of your business as smooth and stress-free as possible, so you can focus on what you do best.

An introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) for small businesses
2025-08-11 10:00 - 12:00
You’ve heard of Artificial Intelligence, but do you know how it can help you as you run your business? This practical webinar will explore how AI can help improve your business marketing to be more efficient and cost-effective, through the automatic creation of content for all your digital platforms; as well as helping you better understand your customers and business opportunities.
This webinar will cover:

What is Artificial Intelligence
Current AI tools and systems to use right now (including ChatGPT and MidJourney)
Automating digital content for blogs and social media
Using AI for business strategy and customer profiling
The pros and cons of AI for small businesses

This webinar will help you understand how you can integrate AI into your existing marketing, looking at the potential consequences (good and bad) of Artificial Intelligence, and its impact on small businesses and their customers.

Lunch and Learn: Understanding the purpose and benefits of a business plan
2025-08-11 12:00 - 12:30
Do you regularly think to yourself, “I must sit down and write a business plan?” Or have you started to write plans in the past but never seemed to have the time to finish them?
If you fall into one or more of these categories, you’re in very good company. Most businesses (other than those that are “forced” to produce a plan to apply for bank finance), don’t have the motivation, resources, time or knowledge to write a really effective plan.
This session led by Mark Painter of plana will help you understand the purpose and benefits of a business plan and help you to start writing a practical and effective plan today.
Topics covered in this session:

The benefits of a practical business plan
How to approach effective business planning
The format of the plana “4 Step Business Plan”

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 1: On page optimisation
2025-08-11 14:00 - 16:00
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 your brand
2025-08-12 10:00 - 12:00
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

Lunch and Learn: How to manage your business finances
2025-08-12 12:00 - 12:30
Join Rebecca Barker from Artful Accountancy Ltd for a relaxed, jargon-free session designed specifically for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners.
You’ll get practical, stress-free advice on how to manage your business finances, make sense of essential accounting terms, avoid common mistakes and use time-saving tools. Leave with tips you can implement right away, as well as a helpful checklist and a renewed sense of control over your money.
Key takeaways from this session:

Demystify accounting: Get simple explanations of essential bookkeeping terms, so you can feel confident and empowered when it comes to your finances
Avoid costly mistakes: Learn about the main financial mistakes that new businesses often make and how to steer clear of them
Time-saving technology and tools: Discover accounting tools like Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent and how to use them to stay organised and save time

Rebecca is the director of Artful Accountancy Ltd, where she helps creative business owners and entrepreneurs navigate their finances in a practical and stress-free way.
With a focus on simplifying complex accounting terms and using technology to save time, Rebecca empowers clients to manage their financials without feeling overwhelmed.

Introduction to Canva
2025-08-12 13:00 - 15:00
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.

How AI Can Grow Your Business Globally
2025-08-12 13:00 - 16:30 | Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, 50 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6HQ
If you’re interested in how AI tools can support your business goals, this two-part masterclass is for you.
Part one, ‘Unleash the power of Chat GPT & AI to drive international business growth’, will introduce AI tools like Chat GPT and how they can be used by businesses like yours.
Part two, ‘The AI-powered business: how businesses can 10x their productivity’, will build on this by providing insight on the best AI tools for business efficiency.
By the end of the sessions, attendees will have gained an understanding of:

The most popular AI Platforms and the language used within them
The AI tools that can enhance productivity
How AI-powered solutions can optimize multiple business operations
How AI can support international expansion through smarter data insights and decision-making
Real-world examples of eCommerce businesses successfully leveraging AI to scale globally.

If you’re using eCommerce to expand internationally and want to leverage AI to scale faster, reduce costs, and free up time for strategic growth, this masterclass will provide practical insights and tools to accelerate your success.

Bookkeeping essentials
2025-08-13 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

Lunch and Learn: Unlocking the power of AI voice bots
2025-08-13 12:00 - 12:30
Join Pamela Ajogbeje for a practical walkthrough of powerful tools designed to help small business owners simplify operations and scale with confidence.
In this Lunch and Learn, you’ll discover how the Prestige Assistant AI voice bot can handle customer calls, bookings and FAQs 24/7, acting as your always-on receptionist.
Whether you’re looking to improve customer experience, free up your time or turn feedback into income, these tools will help you work smarter, not harder.
Topics covered in this session:

How the Prestige Assistant AI voice bot can manage incoming customer calls, bookings and FAQs automatically
How to turn customer reviews into measurable business growth using the Review to Revenue Management System
How to integrate both tools into your business to save time and increase profitability

AI for Exports - Breaking Into International Markets
2025-08-13 14:00 - 15:30 | Scottish Enterprise, 99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
From market research and customer insights to automated marketing and logistics optimization, AI is transforming how companies scale globally.
If you’re a business using eCommerce to scale internationally, this event is for you.
Led by Ali Shariat, this session will explore how businesses like yours can use AI-powered solutions to scale.
Ali transformed Coconut Merchant from a startup to a £7M powerhouse using Amazon to rival top brands. Capitalizing on this triumph, he secured listings in major UK retailers expanding to 15+ countries. As a co-founder of ThisWayUp, Ali infuses deep technical expertise, benefiting hundreds of brands.
Through the course of this session, Ali will help you gain an understanding of:

The main AI Platforms and the jargon they use
How AI tools can identify and analyse new market opportunities
How to leverage these tools for cost-effective marketing and customer engagement
The AI solutions for streamlining operations, logistics, and customer support across different regions
Real-world examples of businesses successfully using AI to expand internationally.

Amazon and eMarketplaces drop-in clinic
2025-08-13 14:00 - 16:30 | Scottish Enterprise, 99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
Ali Shariat and Zamir Cajee will lead this drop-in session on everything you need to know about the most popular eMarketplaces.
Covering all major online marketplaces including including Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, Faire, and Etsy, the session will offer general information as well as personal advice for your business.

Agritourism Development: A capital project for sustainable rural growth
2025-08-14 10:00 - 15:30 | The Commercial Hotel, 11 Main Street, Balintore, IV20 1UE
This Scotland’s Agritourism Monitor Farms Programme meeting will showcase the progress on the village hotel development by Monitor Farmers, Fiona and John Scott of Fearn Farm.
We will have a walk around the hotel development and hear about the progress to date. We will then convene in the Seaboard Hall for presentations and discussion.
Fiona and John Scott, Monitor Farmers, have been making great progress with the re-development of the hotel and will update us on their business plan, the project timeline and the challenges they have overcome along the way.
Lesley McArthur, Glen Clova Estate Partner, will join us to talk about her experience running a successful rural hotel and restaurant business and will highlight the continuing challenges but also the opportunities for the business. Glen Clova Hotel have recently undertaken a significant developed with a new events space called The Barn which continues their focus on sustainability, local impact with a warm, personal service.

Lunch and Learn: The biggest data mistakes SMEs make and how to avoid them
2025-08-14 12:00 - 12:30
Is your business data helping you grow or holding you back?
In this practical session led by Jane Jawad, you’ll find out how to clear the clutter and focus on what really matters. You’ll learn what to fix, what to build, and what to stop doing so your data starts working for you.
Topics covered in this session:

A simple data plan you can act on immediately
Confidence in using your numbers to guide decisions
Tools that suit your size – no tech team required

How to write funding applications
2025-08-14 12:00 - 14:00
When submitting applications for funding, you need to ensure that the applications are written in such a way that improves your chances of being successful.
There are numerous funders out there and each will have their unique way they wish you to apply, however, in this webinar we’ll explore some key steps you can take to improve your chances of a successful application, including:

Clarifying your need

Demonstrating your needs

Understanding your funder

How to speak their language

Getting the basics right

Overcoming the common mistakes

Answering the questions asked

Lunch and Learn: How generative AI tools work
2025-08-15 12:00 - 12:30
Not sure how to get more done with AI for your business?
In this 30-minute workshop, led by Shimron Walters, you will learn how to get the most out of AI, from better understanding your options to changing the way you prompt and using automated workflows and AI agents. By the end of this session, you will learn how to get more done with less.
Key takeaways from this session:

Learn about the generative AI tools available to you and how they can benefit your business
Learn how to get the most from these generative AI tools to maximise productivity
Learn how you can connect tools to create custom workflows

Shimron is the founder of BitesizedGenius, a social enterprise helping organisations adopt AI and build digital confidence. Shimron brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to his work.
