Argyll and Bute Council’s Business Gateway service provides practical advice and support to both existing businesses and those looking to start up.
The process of starting a business can be daunting, and many people simply don’t know where to begin.
Business Gateway offers free, impartial advice and guidance that has helped many aspiring business owners in the area to start-up and grow.
New start-ups can also access a grant to help with their start-up costs, through the council’s business start-up grant.
A grant of up to £1,000 is available for full-time businesses (35 or more hours per week) and up to £500 for part-time businesses (16-34 hours per week).
For those with a business idea, a sensible first step is using Business Gateway’s online Planning to Start tool at bgateway.com/planning-to-start
Answering a few short questions through the tool, which can be done in 10 minutes, gives instant access to a start-up toolkit, filled with resources and advice.
Individuals can also connect with an experienced local business adviser to discuss their plans one to one and receive tailored advice and support.
In addition, subject experts are available for one-hour specialist advice sessions on a range of topics including digital, HR, marketing, PR, finance, exporting and tendering.
One business that made the most of Business Gateway’s services is the café Craigard Kitchen of Ballygrant, on the Isle of Islay.
“The grant assistance that we received from Business Gateway encouraged us to invest in new equipment that we would otherwise have delayed doing; this has allowed us to grow the business more quickly,” said owner Nicola Fitz-Hardy.
“Along with the grant funding, we have also appreciated the chance to talk through our ideas with our adviser. We would encourage other businesses to make contact with the Business Gateway service”.
To set up an appointment with an adviser or to find out how Business Gateway can help, email business.gateway@argyll-bute.gov.uk or call 01546 604555.
Ready to explore AI for your business?
You’ve heard of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but do you know how it can help your business?
Business Gateway is encouraging small business owners to join its new webinar, free of charge, to discover how AI can be a game changer for effective marketing.
Its ability to generate human-like text enables businesses to create compelling and personalised content for their audience.
Whether it’s crafting engaging social media posts, writing persuasive product descriptions, or generating customer-focused emails, AI streamlines content creation, saving valuable time and effort.
AI also has the ability to analyse vast amounts of data at speed, allowing a business to gain insight into customer behaviour, preferences and trends.
The “How Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help your business marketing” webinar will show small business owners how to start using AI, covering: what is Artificial Intelligence, current AI tools and systems to use right now (including ChatGPT and Dall-E 2), automating digital content for blogs and social media, using AI for business strategy and customer profiling and the pros and cons of AI for small businesses.
The webinar takes place at 6pm on December 11, with other dates coming in the new year.
To book a place, visit www.bgateway.com/events and search for “How Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help your business marketing”.
Digital support and resources
Business Gateway Argyll and Bute also offers one to one advice from a digital expert.
A one-hour surgery is available on request to discuss a particular challenge, answer a specific question, or help you get moving with digital marketing.
As well as tailored individual advice, www.bgateway.com holds a wealth of digital resources, with guides, articles and video tutorials to help with all things digital from web analytics to eCommerce, social media, email marketing and much more.
To discuss the right digital support for your business, contact the local office on business.gateway@argyll-bute.gov.uk or call 01546 604555.