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CALLANDER BUSINESS
ADVICE CLINICS BECOME
REGULAR FIXTURES ... |
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Stirling Enterprise (STEP)
Business Gateway has teamed up with Loch Lomond &
The Trossachs National Park Authority, to allow
individuals and businesses from the local and
surrounding areas the chance to tap in to some
regular business advice.
Based on two
successful pilot clinics during the month of March
2008, Business Gateway Start-Up Adviser, Jim Fraser
is keen to make his availability at the Callander
office a regular fixture.
Jim commented:
“We were pleasantly surprised with the level
of interest and uptake in our services while out in
Callander for the two free afternoon sessions.
“We would
encourage anyone, whether at the thinking, planning
or doing stage of getting started in business - or
keen to grow an existing business - to follow suit
and come along and talk to us.
“Popular
areas of advice tend to centre on tax, national
insurance, business insurance, registering a
business name, employing staff, marketing and grant
availability. However, we can provide information
and support on a wide range of business start up
issues as well as signpost to specialist partner
agencies and organisations.”
Jim Fraser will
be available at the LLTNPA Callander office on 15th
and 29th May from 2pm to 4pm.
Anyone interested
in attending should contact Stirling Enterprise
(STEP) Business Gateway on Tel: 01786 463416 or
e-mail
reception@stirling-enterprise.co.uk to reserve
an appointment slot.
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COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
Women
Into Business,
Thurs, 24th April 2008 Stirling Enterprise Park,
Stirling, 6.30pm
If
you are already up and running in business, taking
time out to consider how you communicate with
customers might not seem like a top priority. If
you’re just getting started, then there are probably
numerous other issues monopolising your time.
However, pause for a moment,
step back and consider this. Each and every
interaction with a potential or existing customer
affords you a prime opportunity to capitalise on how
good your services are. By being informed and
switched on to the opportunities that exist - in a
way that your competitors are oblivious to - affords
you a chance to truly fly the professionalism flag
in a way that customers will remember.
This month’s
Women Into Business event,
to be held at 6.30pm on
Thursday, 24th April at Stirling Enterprise Park,
will bring customer communication to the fore. We
are delighted to welcome along a true industry
professional in the form of
Wendy Chalmers-Mill of Positive Performance (www.positive-performance.com).
Wendy, a consultant with extensive industry
experience has trained multi-national companies such
as BMW and Coca-Cola Schweppes as well as The House
of Commons.
In her speaker slot, Wendy
will encourage attendees to consider the following:
• What
message are you conveying to your customers?
• Are you being consistent?
• Do your customers really understand what you
do?
• Do you have open lines of communication for
them giving you feedback?
• How can you improve your communications to
maintain customer loyalty?
In our regular 15 min ‘chat
spot’ we are also delighted to welcome along
Joanne Kelso of The Tea
Room Scotland Ltd fame. Joanne started
her Stirling-based business a year ago, secured a
VisitScotland Eat Scotland award within 6 weeks of
opening and now employs 10 staff members. And all
that from a business based within the living room of
her Braehead home!
There will also be an
interactive element to the evening, with attendees
encouraged to break off into groups to tackle a Case
Study assignment.
Tea / Coffee and Pastries will
be available at no cost to the attendee.
To reserve your place at
this FREE event, please contact Stirling Enterprise
(STEP) Business Gateway Reception on Tel: 01786
463416 or E-mail
reception@stirling-enterprise.co.uk |
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POLISH BUSINESS
START-UP EVENT
PROVES POPULAR
A dedicated business
start-up event aimed at Stirling’s growing Polish
population attracted a healthy turnout last weekend
(Sunday 9th March).
Thirty-two people made it
along to the afternoon information session held at
Stirling Enterprise Park and organised by Business
Gateway.
Local businesswoman, Mariola
Rebisz, was actively involved in co-ordinating and
raising awareness of the event within the local
Polish community.
She also delivered a presentation detailing the
support available locally through Business Gateway
as well as acting as interpreter on the day.
Mariola was able to give
attendees the benefit of her own experience of
accessing local Business Gateway support services to
help get her own business off the ground.
She commented:
“It was encouraging to
see so many Polish people keen to learn more about
the support opportunities available to go down the
self employment route. I myself have been fortunate
in the help that I received from STEP Business
Gateway to help get my own translation business off
the ground and was able to articulate that to
attendees.
“Through my own
business, Polish In UK, I assist members of the
Polish community to communicate with local
organisations and agencies and overcome language
barriers – particularly when families or individuals
are new to the area and their initial understanding
of the English language is minimal.”
“My involvement on the
day was really just an extension of that support on
a larger scale.”
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WOMEN PUT THE BUZZ
INTO FORTH VALLEY BUSINESS
Some 40 fledgling and newly established female
entrepreneurs found out recently why conventional
advertising doesn’t work for most new small
businesses.
The evening event, which was organised by Scottish
Enterprise Forth Valley Women Into Business,
finished with the inspiring tale of how a
Falkirk-based, one-woman business achieved a
turnover of half a million pounds, offering a
dedicated show house interior design service.
Dorothy Henke from Falkirk Enterprise Action Trust
(FEAT) Business Gateway and Penny Haywood from PHPR
Ltd outlined the basics of how marketing, sales and
PR work and why they need to be used together to get
businesses off the ground.
Penny, who wrote the business book best-seller,
DIY PR, the small business owner’s guide to ‘free’
publicity, said,
"PR, marketing and
sales disciplines have been in their own silos for
too long. Smart business owners harness the combined
power of all three, to leverage the profile
generated by PR, with marketing and sales actions
designed to grab the attention and convert that into
sales."
Penny said,
"I’ve seen coverage in respected media quoted all
over a company’s website, leaflets, business cards
and email signatures years after it was published –
and why not? It’s as good as an award because it has
the extraordinary power of being an independent
media endorsement of your business. But you need to
communicate the benefits the end user will get from
your products and services, instead of telling them
all the things you or your product can do, if you
want to convert the warm glow of good press coverage
into sales success."
"You need to be using at least three marketing and
sales or PR techniques at any one time to keep the
business name recognition going and that includes
both on and offline techniques."
And there was no shortage of experience on what PR,
marketing and sales techniques work for small
businesses. Those already in business shared their
experience of using over 20 different sales,
marketing and PR techniques, providing real-life
examples of what produces business results to boost
businesses in the Forth Valley area.
The women represented a wide range of businesses
from printers, designers, copy-writers and marketing
consultants to interior designers, clothes and body
image consultants, complementary therapists, life
and business coaches, management consultants,
business de-cluttering and organising services. The
more unusual included an artist, a farmer and food
provider, a commercial sound system installer and a
female DIY expert who undertakes a wide range of
property projects. A new business, targeted at
improving the relationship between horses and their
owners, scheduled for launch in the New Year, became
a practical demonstration on how to approach writing
news releases.
The Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley funded, Women
Into Business group, also provides a valuable
platform for new business owners to make
presentations on their businesses and attracts a
number of special offers and prizes which are drawn
at the meeting.
The next Women Into Business meeting, entitled
Understanding E-Commerce, is scheduled to take place
at 6.30pm on Thursday, 31st January 2008 at Newhouse
Business Park, Grangemouth. To reserve your place,
contact Elinor Waller on Tel: 01786 452026 or
e-mail:
elinor.waller@scotent.co.uk
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INVITATION |
STEP
News Archive |
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WOMEN
INTO BUSINESS
MANAGING
YOUR PR & MARKETING ACTIVITY
Women Into Business, Thurs 29th
November 2007
Stirling
Enterprise Park, 6.30pm
Establishing a public profile and formulating a
marketing plan will help you form a solid
platform upon which to build your business …
FACT.
It’s a FICTION however, to assume that to be
successful at these activities, you will require
overflowing pots of money and the services of
marketing and advertising gurus.
Keeping it simple, being innovative and never
under-estimating the power of good old fashioned
word of mouth recommendations, are essential
components to communicating the existence of
your business and acquiring paying customers.
This month’s
Women Into Business
event, planned for
Thursday, 29th November 2007 at
Stirling Enterprise Park,
aims to explode some of the myths and misnomers
that surround the world of PR & Marketing and
replace them with some straightforward,
common-sense advice from people in the know.
As a result, we are delighted to welcome along
guest speaker,
Penny Haywood
of
Edinburgh-based PR company, PHPR
(www.phpr.co.uk)
We are also delighted to welcome along to our
‘chat spot’ some home-grown talent in the form
of
Vikki Graham
of
Falkirk-based Interior Design company, Aura
Design.
Elinor
Waller of Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley
commented:
“This month’s Women Into Business event is
shaping up to be a ‘must attend’. Not only will
it allow Forth Valley women a chance to tap into
some expert PR advice from a well-known industry
professional – but it will also provide an
opportunity to hear what it’s like on the
ground. When you are starting out it helps to
know early on what’s effective and what’s not
when it comes to marketing and promoting your
business. It helps avoid costly mistakes and a
lot of unnecessary head scratching along the
way.”
Attendees are invited to bring along any press
clippings that they have already achieved, or
any newspaper cuttings that they find
inspirational. These will help create a
discussion board.
A buffet and refreshments will also be provided
(at a cost of
£5 payable on the night)
and there will be a members’ table to display
promotional material and business cards.
To
reserve your place at this Women Into Business
event, please contact Elinor Waller on Tel:
01786 452026 or E-mail:
elinor.waller@scotent.co.uk
Speaker Biogs
Penny
Haywood, PHPR Ltd
Penny founded PHPR in 1986 after 13 years
handling PR and publications at Bank of Scotland
where she handled press relations on the Sir
Thomas Risk/Guinness/Distillers debacle. Penny
also launched the world's first online bank - in
1985 - long before most people had heard of the
internet.
Penny's background is in journalism and for 10
years she wrote a personal finance column for
the UK's largest circulation women's weekly
magazine. She has contributed to a variety of
newspapers including The Sunday Times and
various magazines. Penny is the author of a
best-selling business book: DIY PR.
www.phpr.co.uk
Vikki
Graham, Aura Design
Vikki started her Interior Design business in
Falkirk three years ago. Within a few short
months, she had achieved her annual target.
Through repeat customer business and
recommendations, Aura Design has gone from
strength-to-strength. Vikki works from home and
juggles family and business commitments.
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Summer 2007 |
VISITORS ‘CZECH OUT’
STIRLING’S CULTURE OF ENTERPRISE
Stirling Enterprise (STEP) played host to a visit
from a nine-strong delegation of Czech officials
with an interest in enterprise recently.
The exchange trip – which was supported by Equal – a
European Social Fund scheme – saw the group travel
from the town of Most, 50 miles outside of Prague.
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The group were in
Scotland for one week and during that time seized
the opportunity to visit the Prince’s Scottish Youth
Business Trust (PSYBT) HQ, Kilmarnock College,
Careers Scotland, a Welfare to Work Conference in
Glasgow and a JobCentre Plus in East Ayrshire.
The visit to
Stirling enabled the group to learn more about the
enterprising culture of Scotland and – in particular
- how Stirling Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway
support and assist new and existing businesses.
The trip also
coincided with a Women In Enterprise event held at
Gartmore House which was organised by Loch Lomond
and The Trossachs National Park Authority.
Derek Gavin, STEP Executive Director:
“The
objective of the day was to explain to the visitors
the support and encouragement which exists for new
businesses in Stirling and to stress the importance
- not only of the Central Government support
services – but also the ‘self-help’ activities.
“During
the visit we were able to explain to our guests
about the Government / Scottish Enterprise funded
support available. The field trip to Gartmore during
the afternoon allowed our guests to see for
themselves a self-help activity in action.
“With
women being a historically under represented sector
in business in Scotland, this was a perfect
opportunity to demonstrate what can be achieved
through working together to address that issue.”
Following on from the success of the visit, Stirling
Enterprise (STEP) have already been asked to host a
similar visit from a group of Czech politicians
later this summer.
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Spring 2007 |
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DUNBLANE DATE FOR BUSINESS ROADSHOW
Businesses and
individuals in Dunblane and the surrounding areas
were extended an open invite to attend a
business roadshow event taking place on their
doorstep in March.
Stirling
Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway - and a selection
of partner agencies - were stationed at the Dunblane Centre on Wed 28th March from 10am - 4pm.
The
following FREE advice and support was on offer
throughout the day:
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Business Start-Up Advice
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Business Growth Advice
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IT &
Web Advice
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Beginners Guide To Buying & Selling on E-Bay
- for business and for pleasure (FREE morning
workshop)
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Stirling Council - Meet The Procurement Team.
Find out how to 'do business' with Stirling
Council (12pm - 4pm)
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The A9
Partnership, Chartered Accountants.
A quick query or some more in-depth tax advice
required? Why not take advantage of some FREE
advice?
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Healthy Working Lives
- How does a FREE & Confidential health and
safety audit for your business grab you?
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learndirect scotland for business
- get the best from your people and enhance the
competitiveness of your business through
training.
The event
was well attended with 32 people making it along on
the day.
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Winter 2006 |
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PUBLIC SECTOR PROCUREMENT ...
What's In It For Stirling SMEs? |
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A business event
aimed at helping Stirling businesses improve their chances
of winning public sector procurement contracts took
place on Wed, 15th Nov, 2006 at Stirling Enterprise
Park. An
impressive speaker line-up headlined the evening including:
• Don MacMillan,
Procurement Manager, Stirling Council
• Joanne Flanagan, Euro Info Centre – ‘Your Key To
The European Market Place’
• Philip Martin, Director of Network Procurement,
Scottish Enterprise
The event, which
was organised by Stirling Enterprise (STEP)
Business Gateway, attracted representatives of 50
local businesses.
Speaking before the
event, STEP Executive
Director Derek Gavin said:
“The evening
will aim to increase understanding of the purchasing
process of key public bodies and alert local
businesses – of all sizes and sectors – to the
diversity of contract opportunities that exist
locally, nationally and in Europe.
“We would
urge local businesses to take advantage of this
opportunity to engage with these organisations.
There will also be a question and answer session
where attendees will be given the chance to address
the panel.”
Philip Martin,
Director of Network Procurement, Scottish Enterprise, centred on the McClelland Review into Public
Sector Procurement in Scotland, and in particular
the opportunities and challenges that this will present
small to medium sized enterprises across the entire
public sector.
A buffet and
networking opportunity followed and many attendees
grasped the opportunity to talk to the speakers.
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Summer 2006 |
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Callander Community Embrace Business Roadshow Event |

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Thirty representatives of new and
existing businesses from the Callander and
surrounding areas made it along to the McLaren
Leisure Centre on Wednesday,
28th June.
All were keen to take advantage of
STEP's presence in their area and to access a range
of free business support services.
Business start-up advice, business
growth advice, web and IT advice were on offer from
a line up of fours STEP Business Gateway Advisers.
Partner agencies in the form of SEERAD's Farm
Diversification Division, VisitScotland, Loch Lomond
& The Trossachs National Park Authority, Safe &
Healthy Working, learndirect scotland for business
and Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley Business
Information Services also made the trip to Callander
- all keen to engage with the local business
community.
STEP's extended Roadshow programme
for 2006/7 is being part-funded by Equal, a European
Social fund scheme. As part of this activity, STEP
Business Gateway will be accessible in a different
rural community every month across Stirling.
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Spring 2006 |
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A PR & Media Relations Masterclass
April Evening Event
Stirling Enterprise (STEP) hosted a PR & Media
Relations master-class in April with Gordon
Beattie of Beattie Communications as guest speaker.
The evening event took place at Stirling Enterprise
Park with representatives from over 60 Forth Valley
businesses taking advantage of the opportunity to
access some expert PR advice.
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Attendees were treated to Welcome Drinks at 06.30pm
before Gordon Beattie took to the stand at
7pm. A supper and networking opportunity then
followed.
Journalist Gordon Beattie established the Beattie
Media Group in 1986. Enticing colleagues from
newspapers, television and radio to join him, the
company quickly established itself as the UK leader
in the field of media relations. They now operate
from a network of nine offices with an International
network spanning 100 cities worldwide.
This event was the first of a planned series of
high-profile evening master-class and networking
events scheduled for 2006/7.
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Spring 2006 |
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Killin Roadshow Success
Locals turn out in force for rural
business event
22 representatives of new and existing businesses
from the Killin and surrounding areas made it along
to the McLaren Hall in Killin on Wed, 29th March.
All were keen to take advantage of STEP's presence
in their area and to access a range of free business
support services.
Business Start-up advice, business growth advice,
web and IT advice were on offer from a line up of
four STEP Business Gateway Advisers. Partner
agencies, in the form of SEERAD's
Farm Diversification Division, Safe & Healthy
Working, Learn Direct and learndirect scotland for
business also made the trip to Killin, keen to
engage with the local business community. |
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An iPOD Nano was kindly donated by learndirect
scotland for business and the lucky winner drawn
from the hat was Elaine Turner of the Breadalbane
Virtual Learning Centre.
STEP's extended Roadshow programme for 2006/7 is
being part-funded by Equal, a European Social fund
scheme. As part of this activity, STEP Business
Gateway will be accessible in a different rural
community every month across Stirling. STEP will
be stationed at Strathblane Library on Thursday,
27th April and accessible in Fintry (venue tbc)
at the end of May.
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Spring 2006 |
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STEP Business Start-Up Advice
Bridges The Language Barrier
STEP Business Gateway Start-Up Adviser, Jim Fraser,
was presented with an interesting invitation
recently. He was asked to address a group of 50
students attending the Stirling School of English
based at the Argyll Centre on Princes Street in
Stirling.
Attendees of the school come from a variety of
backgrounds and countries including Iran, China,
Poland and Czechoslovakia.
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Jim spent time with the students describing the
services available to anyone thinking about going
down the self-employment route. Students also
learned about the £1,000 Business Start-Up grant
available for those aged 18-30.
Many of the school's students are incredibly well
educated and skilled but, due to the language
barrier, struggle to fully utilise their skills in
employment locally. The Stirling School of
English helps students get to grips with the English
language and to undergo citizenship training.
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Spring 2006 |
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Stirling
Businesses Encouraged To 'Focus On
Growth'
Four
local businesses have put their weight behind a
campaign to help Stirling area businesses realise
their growth potential by agreeing to star in a
new-look promotional leaflet to promote the scheme
in 2006.
The Focus On Growth programme, co-ordinated and run
by Stirling Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway and
funded by Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, is an
exciting programme designed to help small to medium
sized businesses unlock and realise their true
growth potential.
Under the scheme, an experienced Business Adviser
will take the business through a review process
highlighting strengths and weaknesses. Help is then
given to act on results, with grants available in
appropriate cases.
STEP Executive Director, Derek Gavin:
"We are delighted that these four businesses have
agreed to endorse our Focus On Growth programme.
Clearly, their experiences from taking part have
been positive and there has been measurable impact
on their business activity.
"We firmly believe that there can be no better way
of communicating the benefits of this worthwhile
scheme to the local business community, than by
holding up real businesses, who have gained real
benefits and who are happy to stand up and
articulate that experience to fellow business
people.
"Between April 2004 and the end March 2005, STEP
Business Gateway Advisers performed 118 business
health checks on existing businesses Stirling-wide.
The message that we are sending out loud and clear
to businesses who haven't yet heard about or
accessed the scheme, is that they should come
forward and talk to our Advisers about what it can
do for them." |
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Winter 2005 |
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ILA LAUNCH SUCCESS
Around 50 people
made it along to STEP on Thursday, November 17th to
find out more about Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs)
and the availability of funding for training.
Having ILA
representatives present to talk to attendees on the
day proved a big draw. Not only were Advisers able
to demonstrate the range of courses available
through the website, but they were able to help
attendees start the application process.
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A number of agencies
joined the afternoon / evening event including Learn
Direct, Careers Scotland, Employment Connections and
the Stirling Area Local Learning Partnership.
ILA Scotland is a
Scottish Executive scheme which is available to
everyone over 18 and living in Scotland. People
earning £15,000 a year or less can apply for up to
£200 a year towards a range of courses while people
earning more than £15,000 can get up to £100 a year
towards computer courses. The money is not a loan
and does not have to be paid back. Learners pay a
minimum of £10 towards their learning.
ILA-approved
courses on offer at STEP include PC Passport, ECDL
(European Computer Driving Licence), Sage Accounting
and First Class Confidence.
For further
information on training or on how to access YOUR ILA
funding entitlement, contact Kristeen Carroll on
01786 463416 or e-mail kcarroll@stirling-enterprise.co.uk |
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Winter 2005 |
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Provost Colin
O'Brien (centre) is flanked by Drymen Roadshow event
attendees Mr & Mrs Cottam of Loch Lomond Leisure
Ltd, Balmaha. STEP Client Manager, Yvonne Edmond is
pictured (left) along with STEP Special Projects
Officer, Kristeen Carroll (right).
The Cottam's are
the driving force behind an exciting project that
will transform the former Loch Lomond Garden Centre
site at Balmaha into a luxury waterfront
development, including eleven lodges, a
restaurant and retail outlet.
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BUSINESS EVENT WELL RECEIVED BY
DRYMEN COMMUNITY
The Winnock Hotel in
Drymen was a hive of business activity on 26th
October with local people turning out in force to
access a wide range of business information and
support from a variety of agencies and
organisations.
Anticipating a good
turnout on the day, four business advisers were made
available by event organisers, Stirling Enterprise
(STEP) Business Gateway, to field appointments on
both the business start-up and growth fronts.
This foresight
proved to be well founded, with Business Advisers
working there way through a total of 31
appointments.
IT proved an
exceptionally popular choice among event attendees
with many keen to access advice on a variety of
web-related activities.
Partner agencies who
supported the event were also well utilised by
attendees with VisitScotland, the Inland Revenue,
the Scottish Executive Environment & Rural Affairs
Dept (SEERAD) and Business Gateway Information
Officers proving popular with event goers.
LearnDirect, the
Royal Bank of Scotland, The Energy Savings Trust and
Safe & Healthy Working were also well received on
the day.
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Summer 2005 |
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1984 - 2005
STEP
CELEBRATE 21 YEARS OF ASSISTING
THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY
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The STEP team raise a glass to the future
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Spring 2005 |
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NEW BUSINESS
START-UP ADVISER
FOR STEP
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Stirling Enterprise
(STEP) is delighted to welcome a new addition to the
Business Gateway start-up team.
Jim Fraser, 58,
will join existing Business Advisers, Frank Dunne
and Bob Ballantyne, providing practical advice and
assistance to anyone living in the Stirlingshire
area with a desire to set up in business.
With a background
in banking, followed by over 10 years as a Business
Adviser working in both Edinburgh and West Lothian,
Jim brings with him a wealth of experience and
business start-up know-how. |
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“ Over the years I
have dealt with a wide spectrum of business ideas,
in fact, I don’t think there’s a business idea you
could put in front of me that I haven’t seen before.
“I’m looking
forward to putting this bank of knowledge and
experience to good use within the Stirling area and
would encourage anyone thinking about starting up in
business, to make STEP Business Gateway their first
port of call. The service is free, extensive and
openly available.”
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Spring 2005 |
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Pictured centre is
Bob Ballantyne, regional co-ordinator for Shell
LiveWIRE and Business Adviser for Stirling
Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway. |
Shell LiveWIRE Winners Put
Their Best Feet Forward
Alison Hill and
Alison McInnes, both 26 and from Falkirk, have been
named winners in the Shell LiveWIRE Central Scotland
Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2005.
Their business,
Haliem Footwear, fought off stiff competition from a
shortlist of 8 other young entrepreneurs from across
the Central Scotland region who have recently
started up their own businesses.
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The two Alison’s
identified a niche in the Falkirk market for quality
footwear and accessories that were a ‘little bit
special’. Based on this success, they already have
plans to open a second shop in another area.
Shell Livewire is a
support service for all 16 to 30 year-old
considering starting, or already running a small
business. Shell founded & has supported LiveWIRE for
more than 20 years, & the programme has now been
implemented in more than 20 countries worldwide.
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Spring 2005 |
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£1,000 Business Start-up Grant
Just The Job For Young Stirling Entrepreneurs
The new £1,000
business start-up grant for 18 – 30 years olds,
launched by Scottish Enterprise in October 2004, has
been given the thumbs up by young entrepreneurs in
the Stirling area.
Pictured above are
twenty-four year old Angela Nazeer of Taste Budz and
thirty-year old Sarah Rollins of Bravado Underwear
Ltd - two of the first recipients from the Stirling
area to benefit from the grant.
Derek Gavin,
Executive Director, STEP Business Gateway:
“The ‘Grand
Says You Can’ campaign is one that has certainly
captured the imaginations of youngsters across
Scotland. Here in Stirling we have noticed a renewed
sense of optimism amongst those coming through the
door with plans to venture down the self-employment
route. When you combine this grant with the
additional support and financial assistance
available for 18 – 26 year olds through the Prince’s
Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT), you could say
that, jointly, we are creating a springboard for
future success.” |
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Angela Nazeer,
Taste Budz
Angela Nazeer
(24) really has made a ‘fresh start’. Based at
Maxwell Place, Stirling, Taste Budz is fully halal,
all food is freshly prepared daily and, thanks to
the open-plan layout of the shop, you can even watch
it being prepared while you wait. The takeaway also
offers a delivery service. |
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Sarah Rollins,
Bravado Underwear Ltd
From her Baker
Street boutique, Sarah Rollin (30) has plugged a gap
in the market for quality underwear at affordable
prices. With pram and wheelchair friendly, spacious
changing areas, a wide selection of stylish stock
and an ordering service available, Sarah’s business
is going from strength-to-strength.
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Spring 2005 |
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Technology Top Of The Agenda
At STEP
Raymond O'Hare,
Microsoft's first Director for Scotland was on
front-line duty in Stirling last month. He joined
representatives from I.T. solutions provider,
Integral Arm (the event organisers) and Cisco to
advise local businesses about how best to manage
their I.T. requirements to aid the growth process.
The event attracted
a healthy turnout, with many seizing the opportunity
to chat to speakers after the presentation.
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Spring 2005 |
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Kippen Roadshow Success
Kippen’s status as
something of an entrepreneurial ‘hot-spot’ was in
evidence last Wednesday, 23rd March, when locals
turned out in force to access a range of business
information and support on offer throughout the day
at The Inn at Kippen.
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The open-day event
allowed local businesses and would-be entrepreneurs
a vital opportunity to meet business advisers and
access expert I.T. advice. The event also brought
together, under one roof, a range of additional
advice and information in the form of the Inland
Revenue, Safe & Healthy Working, SEERAD and Lloyds
TSB. |
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The Scottish
Enterprise Broadband Bus proved something of a hit
with locals, with many seizing the opportunity to
get up to speed with the benefits of broadband
before the village and surrounding areas ‘go live’
in July this year.
STEP Executive
Director Derek Gavin:
“Events
like this one at Kippen bring to the fore, the depth
and breadth of entrepreneurial activity at work in
small rural communities. Much of the time this goes
on unseen. Our goal is to encourage and develop this
mindset and alert individuals to the support and
assistance that STEP Business Gateway and other
agencies are here to offer.” |
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Spring 2005 |
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Lunchtime Date with Alistair
Darling and Anne McGuire proves an attractive
proposition...
Local business
representatives turned out in force to attend a
special lunch hosted by Anne McGuire, MP for
Stirling last week.
Attendees were then treated to an hour long question and answer session
that saw Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for
Scotland, address questions on a range of subjects
matters.
Alistair Darling and
Anne McGuire also seized the opportunity to meet with
STEP tenants, Learning IT and Logoxpres.
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Pictured from left
to right, new STEP chair Morag Shepperd, the Rt. Hon.
Alistair Darling, Secretary of State and Anne
McGuire, MP for Stirling. |
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The timely visit
also co-incided with STEP's 21st anniversary year, so
we couldn't resist the opportunity to mark the
occasion.
Derek Gavin,
Executive Director:
"Obviously
for Stirling Enterprise (STEP) 21 years is a
landmark date that we are extremely proud to have
reached. We were delighted that Anne McGuire MP and
the Rt. Hon. Alistair Darling, Secretary of State
for Scotland, were able to take time out of their
busy schedules to mark the occasion."
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Winter 2004
NEW BUSINESS ADVISER FOR STEP
Stirling businesses are set to benefit from the addition of a new business adviser to the Stirling Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway team.
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Thirty-seven year old George Drever will strengthen the Business Growth team, advising established businesses - through the Focus On Growth programme - about the best way to unlock their potential and grow.
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Winter 2004
Stirling Women Encouraged To Mind Their Own Businesses
Self-employment is increasingly becoming the career option of choice for women living in the Stirling area, reports Stirling Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway.
Statistics for the organisation show that an impressive 43% of new businesses to emerge last year (2003 - 4) can be attributed to women, with figures to date suggesting that this trend shows no sign of declining.
Derek Gavin, STEP Executive Director:
"The news is definitely encouraging, but not altogether surprising. Many women now view self-employment as a very real option for better career advancement and an opportunity to reap better financial rewards.
"Month-on-month we are seeing more and more women enrolling on our business start-up courses held here at STEP. With the option of attending either daytime or evening classes, we believe this flexibility suits women who often have childcare and existing work commitments.
"High-profile, strong Scottish female role models in the form of the Ann Gloags and Michelle Mones of this world, have had a significant part to play in boosting the confidence of women thinking about setting up in business."
"Add to this, from a more local perspective, an easily accessible support network offered by Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley through networks like Women In To Business and Business Mentoring programmes and it's not hard to see why women are increasingly making their presence felt in the entrepreneurial arena."
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Winter 2004
learndirect scotland for business
E-Learning Event Success
On October 27th, STEP played host to a visit by learndirect scotland for business who were keen to engage with local businesses and demonstrate the merits of e-learning. |
The event, which ran from 5pm - 7pm was well-attended with 26 people making it along.
Susan Rees, Training Partner with learndirect scotland for business, and two colleagues were kept busy in the 2-hour time slot, giving demonstrations and answering any questions attendees had.
All those who attended, qualified for a complimentary £50 training voucher which entitles them to fully trial two on-line courses of their choice from a selection of 500 subjects.
Couldn't attend, but would like to find out more? Then contact Susan Rees on
susanr@learndirectscotland.com or log on to the website www.lds4b.com
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Winter 2004
COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2004
It's no secret that Stirling Enterprise (STEP) Business Gateway has a keen and vested interest in community newspapers. Given Stirling's sprawling geographical spread, the 27 community newspapers that exist throughout the region, collectively form a key mode of communication for reaching into the heart of local communities and flying the STEP Business Gateway flag.
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On October 1st, Stirling Enterprise (STEP) were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to sponsor
the 'Newcomer of the Year' Award. Winners, Cornton Comment, pictured above, came out tops in this category - despite having just produced their third edition - and were delighted to pick up their award.
The Awards night was organised by the Community Newspaper Forum and Stirling Council's community learning and development service. |
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STIRLING
ENTERPRISE (STEP)
CULTIVATE IMPORTANT RURAL BUSINESS LINKS
Rural
businesses received a vital boost when Stirling
Enterprise (STEP) stationed itself at the Black Bull
Hotel in Killearn on Tue, 28th Sept. Those already
involved - as well as those keen to get involved -
in the entrepreneurial scene were given a rare
opportunity to access valuable information and
support at this free event, being held right on
their doorstep. |
Advice on how to grow an existing business (Focus On Growth), Start-up advice and web training seminars were well attended. Representatives from the Inland Revenue, Safe & Healthy Working, and Learn Direct were also kept busy throughout the day fielding questions in their respective areas of expertise.
Members of The Bank of Scotland's Business Banking team were also on site, keen to speak to existing members and target new ones.
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Caroline Robertson, Area Project Manager for the Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS) with SEERAD (the Scottish Executive Environment & Rural Affairs Dept) was also in attendance on the day, viewing the event as a prime opportunity to meet face-to-face with local farmers - a key component of Stirling's rural business community.
From when the doors opened at 9am until the event finished at 4pm, Caroline was inundated with enquiry after enquiry about grant funding. Farmers travelled from as far a field as Strathaven, Lanarkshire to find out more about this worthwhile scheme which can provide grant assistance up to 50% of eligible costs to the maximum grant ceiling of £25,000 per eligible business. Further grants are available for training connected to the project.
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STIRLING ENTERPRISE (STEP)
PLAY HOST TO
LEADING EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM
Stirling Enterprise (STEP) played host to a visit by Peninsula, leading Employment Law and Health & Safety Specialists, on September 1st.
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Entitled 'A conference that will open your eyes to the issues that count,' Peninsula - in their two and a half hour, evening time slot - managed to do just that.
Speaker, Ray Wrigglesworth, proved to be knowledgeable and highly entertaining, much to the delight of attendees, bringing humour and help in equal doses to an otherwise daunting
range of subject matters:
· Employee Rights
· Changes In Employment Legislation
· How To Cut Through Employment Red Tape
· How Employment Tribunals work
· The increasing rise in the number of Employment Tribunals
· Increased compensation awards
· How to protect your business against Employment Tribunal awards.
Representatives from 19 Stirling companies - all STEP Business Gateway clients - attended on the evening, with many, who were unable to attend, requesting Peninsula information packs.
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PHOTOSHOP TRAINING
PERFECT PICS FOR THE WEB AND FOR PRINT
Do you puzzle over how to make the best of your pics for web or print purposes?
Stirling Enterprise (STEP) may have the solution.
Recognising the need for affordable, easily-accessible Adobe Photoshop training, STEP will open their doors to both businesses and the general public to offer a series of one-day training seminars.
Derek Gavin, Executive Director, STEP :
"Currently, you would have to travel to either Glasgow or Edinburgh to access Photoshop training. We want to encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of this opportunity, whether they live in Stirling or the surrounding areas. For £125 (+VAT) and with lunch included in the price, we are confident of being able to offer delegates both a high standard of training and real value for money. "
The next 1-Day Training Seminar is scheduled for 17th Nov, 2004 and runs from 09.30am - 16.30pm.
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TRAINING AT STEP...
YOUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
Stirling businesses are benefiting from I.T. and Business Skills training courses - on offer throughout the year - at Stirling Enterprise (STEP).
Last year an impressive 1, 276 delegates signed up to take part on courses, which range from 2-hour free seminars to full-day sessions. |
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Part of the success for this increased uptake, is that STEP has been quick to 'move with the times', pinpointing the changing needs of businesses operating in today's hi-tech climate and translating this in to a meaningful, relevant training programme. At the same time, STEP has not lost sight of core business requirements - and so the staples remain very much in place in the form of Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. These courses are delivered at beginners, intermediate and advanced level.
Business Skills day courses have proved a must in recent years, keeping businesses abreast of important Employment Law and Health & Safety obligations as well as - more generally - equipping employees with the type of skills to make them better at their jobs; Customer Care, Assertiveness, Negotiation Skills, Sales Presentation Skills, Leadership and Teambuilding and Time & Stress Management. Courses to give newcomers the edge are also on offer in the form of Advertising and Promoting Your Business and an Introduction to Marketing.
The European Computing Driving Licence (ECDL) is fast becoming the most widely recognised qualification in the field of work-related computer use. STEP continues to acknowledge this development by running courses - in conjunction with Stirling Council - throughout the year.
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Copyright ©
2007 Stirling Enterprise Park Ltd

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