Invest in Angus

Business Support – Drop In Sessions (Kirriemuir Library)
2025-03-24 13:00 - 16:00 UTC | 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 improve your Google search rankings - Part 2: Off page optimisation & technical considerations
2025-03-24 14:00 - 16:00
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

Why your business needs a blog
2025-03-24 18:00 - 20:00
This webinar will provide you with the knowledge and understanding you need to create a blog that promotes your business.
We will cover:

What a ‘blog’ is, how to set one up and what it takes to make them work
Other small and medium sized businesses who already blog successfully and what you can learn from them
Options for monetising a blog
How to promote your blog
How your blog can help move your website higher up search engine ranking
Understanding analytics and measuring the impact of your blog

An introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) for small businesses
2025-03-25 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-03 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.

Social media essentials: Facebook
2025-03-25 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

Clean Heat 2025
2025-03-26 09:00 - 19:00 | DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Glasgow Central, 36 Cambridge Street, Glasgow, G2 3HN
The Clean Heat event is dedicated to the delivery of clean, renewable heat to buildings in Scotland. It brings together public, private, and third-sector organisations to share their knowledge and expertise of the sector.
Its purpose is to generate interest in the clean heat supply chain by showcasing the opportunities that exist within it.
The event will also address the barriers to Scotland’s heat decarbonisation targets and look at how we can overcome them.
We’re looking for a broad range of attendees, including:

Small and medium-sized enterprises that are already in, or looking to enter, the clean heat supply chain and are based in Scotland
Local authorities
New-build developers
Key industry organisations
Investors
Academics, innovation centres, and Catapults
Utility providers
First mover organisations – registered social landlords, public sector bodies, private landlords, and social housing organisations

Delivering profit to drive growth
2025-03-26 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

How to deliver low-cost, high impact marketing
2025-03-26 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-04-09 13:00 - 15:00
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

Ready, Steady, Grow: How to Expand Your Business
2025-03-27 10:00 - 12:00
Ready to accelerate your business growth but unsure where to begin?
Look no further than our Ready Steady Grow workshop focused on accelerating business growth. Led by experienced business advisers, this session is designed to help you identify your growth potential and create a roadmap for success.
Through collaborative discussions with like-minded businesses, you’ll gain new insights, tools and knowledge to help support your growth plans. You’ll also walk away with a network of fellow business owners to connect with for ongoing support.

How to build your brand
2025-03-27 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-02 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

The Employee Ownership Transition: A Deep Dive
2025-03-27 10:00 - 12:30
Are you considering employee ownership as a succession plan for your business? Take a 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.

Bookkeeping and Cloud Accounting Basics
2025-03-27 11:30 - 13:00
Join us to learn more about the basics of bookkeeping and what information and records you need to keep in order be compliant.
During this session we’ll walk you through:
* Setting up your business accounts, discussing some of the methods you could use
* Business banking
* Recording transactions and sales
* Income and expenditure
* Keeping receipts and storing data
* Mileage and travel expenses
* What you can and cannot claim
* Types of reports.
* Finding an accountant/bookkeeper or DIY
* Preparing and submitting your own self assessment at the end of the year
There will be plenty of opportunities for you to ask questions during this interaction session which will be led by both Kirsteen Hardie, GrowBiz Finance Manager and Rebecca Mackellar, a GrowBiz client, who is a bookkeeper. Kirsteen and Rebecca support clients to make informed choices about the most suitable way to track their business accounts.
By the end of the session you’ll feel much clearer about what records you need to keep and perhaps you’ll have decided the best way to keep and manage your records which might include the use of Cloud Accounting Software.

Finding, keeping and looking after your staff
2025-03-27 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

Become a CPD-certified Green Champion
2025-03-28 10:00 - 12:30
Rising energy costs, the climate emergency and increasing consumer pressure continue to impact businesses and challenge the way they manage their environmental performance.
The good news is Business Energy Scotland’s Green Champions training course has already helped over 4,000 professionals from organisations across Scotland to prepare for this challenge.
And this is your chance to join them. This webinar will pack the entire Green Champions foundation modules into one session and provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to grow a green, profitable business.

Social media essentials: TikTok and Instagram Reels
2025-03-28 14:00 - 16:00
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

Horizon Europe & International Low Carbon Research & Innovation Funding
2025-03-31 10:00 - 15:30 | Hilton Glasgow, 1 William Street, Glasgow, G3 8HT
Join us at our Glasgow workshop and learn about the range of funding available to support research and innovation in the critical growth areas of energy and low carbon.
We can help you understand the unique benefits that Horizon Europe and other international programmes can offer.
International funding programmes we’ll cover include:

Horizon Europe including low carbon and energy calls and EIC Pathfinder and Accelerator
Clean Energy Transition Partnership
Global Business Innovation Programme
Eureka Eurostars

Our workshop will:

Provide an overview of the unpublished 2025 energy and low carbon funding opportunities in Horizon Europe and give details of other international funding programmes and grants
Offer top tips and shared experiences from previously successful applicants and evaluators
Include a dedicated pitching session so that you can share your project ideas and expertise
Help you find support that’s available to you and your Scottish company
Introduce you to other organisations similar to yours – either those developing applications or in need of a partner

Who should join?
This workshop is of interest to innovative companies, universities, research bodies, and public sector organisations that are planning, supporting or interested in the available funding opportunities for energy and low carbon research and innovation projects.

Innovation, Culture and a Growth Mindset
2025-03-31 14:00 - 15:00
This 60-minute webinar for business leaders could transform the way you approach workplace innovation.
The global operating environment is currently one of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). To remain competitive and thrive in this world, businesses have no option but to prioritise innovation. Not simply in terms of the products or services they offer, but in their culture.
This masterclass will be delivered by the Conference Board. The speaker is John Metselaar Professor ‘Leading and Living Innovation’, Solvay Brussels School of Economics Belgium.
The masterclass will Introduce an integrated framework to organise for this. Introduce a “Generative Leadership” framework to get us (re-)grounded on the fundamentals what leaders DO (or should do).
This covers:
Envisioning (purpose, objectives, goals, strategy),
Enabling to Execute (“execution is the only strategy the consumer ever sees), and
Engaging and Empowering (motivating your people, teams, and organisation toward a desired culture).
As Innovation is a human team sport culture, often is the most difficult element for leaders to get a handle on – as it deals with human emotions. In order to be able to effectively “own” culture (and not just delegate to HR) Generative Leaders need to internalise not only what they do, but also who they ARE (or should be).
Explore applying the trinity of:-
Mind (a Growth Mindset),
Heart (Authenticity behind Vulnerability), and
Gut (through Psychological Safety) to your leadership toolkit.

How to build a digital marketing plan
2025-04-01 10:00 - 12:00
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

An introduction to business websites
2025-04-01 14:00 - 16:00
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.

Social media essentials: LinkedIn
2025-04-03 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

An introduction to business strategy
2025-04-08 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

How to start a business: The basics
2025-04-08 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

Digital Storytelling: Content Driven Commerce
2025-04-09 08:00 - 09:30 | The Circle, Dunhope Castle, Dundee, DD3 6HF
The University of Dundee School of Business has partnered with Scottish Marketers, SB Global Legal and The Circle for our next business breakfast session focused on Digital Storytelling: Content Driven Commerce.
With consumer expectations at an all-time high, the lines between content, commerce, and technology continue to blur.
Join us as we explore how brands can create seamless digital experiences that drive engagement, conversion, and loyalty. Experts from eCommerce, app development, and media will discuss how technology, storytelling, and user experience shape the future of digital commerce.

Bookkeeping essentials
2025-04-09 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

How to create engaging content
2025-04-14 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

How to generate and increase sales
2025-04-15 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

Google Analytics – Understand how your website performs
2025-04-15 14:00 - 16:00
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.
