West Lothian Council

We are excited to share that our Women in Entrepreneurship Programme is back! 🎉 This 4-part programme, delivered by the brilliant Michelle Brown, is a fantastic opportunity for local business owners that are ready to refresh their businesses and take them to the next level. The sessions will be taking place from 9:30am – 12:30pm on Wednesday, the 8th, Tuesday, the 14th, Wednesday, the 22nd, and Tuesday, the 28th of January 2025. You may recall that we hosted the same programme during the Summer – we asked the participants what they enjoyed about the programme. Swipe through to read their answers! Learn more and book your free spot here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eDSF-Nng #WestLothian #WomenInEntrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth

We know that it can be difficult to find the time needed to focus on starting your business in December, with the Christmas shopping, catching up with family, and never-ending pile of presents waiting to be wrapped! 😅 Our Planning to Start tool is a great option for anyone that is keen to get started, but is struggling for time. All you have to do is answer some simple questions about your business (it takes approximately 10 minutes) to gain instant access to a toolkit filled with helpful advice and resources. You will also be automatically connected to one of our friendly advisers, who can schedule an appointment for you in the New Year. You can try it here ⬇ www.planningtostart.com #WestLothian #Entrepreneur #StartUp

Can you believe it’s time for our final newsletter of the year?! 😲 That’s right, the December edition of the Invest in West Lothian newsletter is here and this month we’re celebrating how training and upskilling support has helped local business Grease Monkey empower its team and achieve its growth goals. You can also catch up on our New Funding Webinar 2024 recording to hear our advisers highlight some of our exciting funding opportunities. Finally, we’re sharing some exciting events that you can look forward to in 2025! Read it below 🗞 #WestLothian #Funding #Events

Carrying out an accurate financial forecast allows you to predict how well your business will perform, identify potential pitfalls, and plan accordingly 💰 Unfortunately, it is something that many business owners struggle with and, in some cases, prevents them from starting their dream business. However, it doesn’t have to be stressful! We can connect you with one of our friendly advisers, who can guide you through the process and provide a free template that you can tailor to your business. This support is free for West Lothian businesses, confidential, and delivered on a 1:1 basis. To request support, please email [email protected] 📧 #StartUp #FinancialForecast #WestLothian

West Lothian businesses, we have an early Christmas present for you! 🎁 By very popular demand, we have added extra dates for our free 1:1 Marketing and Branding Surgery Sessions with expert Michelle Brown! This is a perfect opportunity for business owners that are ready to improve their marketing activity, but aren’t sure how to begin. 1-hour long, virtual appointments are available on: 📅 Thursday, the 6th of February 📅 Thursday, the 20th of February 📅 Friday, the 28th of February 📅 Thursday, the 6th of March 📅 Thursday, the 13th of March 📅 Thursday, the 25th of March   Spaces are limited, so we recommend booking quickly to avoid disappointment! To book, please email [email protected] 📧   #WestLothian #Marketing #Branding

What better time is there to start your business plan than December – National Write a Business Plan month?! 📝 We know that the thought of doing this can be overwhelming, but it is an essential part of the business start up process. Having a business plan allows you to identify potential challenges, plan accordingly, and is often an important requirement when applying for funding. Our advisers have extensive experience of helping West Lothian business owners write effective business plans that give them a clear, achievable path to follow. We can share a free template that will give you a head start, answer any questions that you may have, and provide constructive feedback. To get started, please email [email protected] 📧 #WestLothian #BusinessPlan #WriteABusinessPlanMonth

We know you’re meant to open your advent calendar 1 day at a time but we couldn’t resist… 📅 Swipe to discover 12 exciting funding opportunities that your West Lothian business could be eligible for! You can learn more about the funds below ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ehdMiCE3 #WestLothian #Funding #BusinessGrowth

It has been a pleasure to help Livingston-based business Grease Monkey empower its team and achieve its growth goals by providing training and upskilling support! 🚲 Grease Monkey, which designs, creates, operates, and maintains excellent sustainable travel solutions, has experienced impressive growth in recent years. To ensure the team was fully equipped to deal with this growth, our adviser David recommended that they utilise our Expert Help Programme, which is part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Through this, Grease Monkey was able to book a 1:1 Procurement Surgery Session with Mandy Millar, who provided guidance on how to put together strong applications and successfully bid for tenders. They also booked a 1:1 Marketing and Branding Surgery Session with Michelle Brown, who provided helpful tips on how to improve marketing activity and increase the public's awareness of Grease Monkey. Additionally, they also received funding from our Digital Development Grant, which is part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This support has not only given Grease Monkey the skills and tools required to continuing growing the business, but has also improved the confidence and working lives of individual team members. Read the full story below ⬇ https://lnkd.in/e9uq3yXB #WestLothian #Funding #Upskilling

Are you struggling to decide what direction to take your business in? 🗺️ We're here to help! Our advisers can give you feedback, share valuable advice, and provide helpful resources to help you move forward. All of our support is delivered on a confidential, 1:1 basis. To request support, please email [email protected] 📧 #WestLothian #BusinessSupport #BusinessAdvice

Looking for free resources to help your business? We've got you covered! 💻 If you are a new or aspiring business owner, our Planning to Start tool will give you access to helpful resources that will help you save time and stress as you launch your business. If your business has been up and running for over 12 months, our Strengthen Your Business tool will provide you with tailored resources to help you grow the business and achieve your goals. All you have to do is answer some simple questions about your business - it takes approximately 10 minutes! You can access the Planning to Start tool here: https://lnkd.in/e3fdCf5 and the Strengthen your Business tool here: https://lnkd.in/epUcRbqM 🔗 #WestLothian #Entrepreneur #BusinessGrowth