Ayrshire

Our Planning To Start tool is a great place to begin. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and provides you with an instant toolkit with key resources & information. We'll then connect you with a member of the team at our local office for further support.

Our website offers a business plan guide and template to download when you’re ready, market reports and research, as well as handy online guides and articles, video tutorials and podcasts. Plus, we have a great range of webinars to hone your start-up skills – from writing a business plan to marketing on a budget.

With our help, you could be in business sooner than you imagined.

Whether you’re looking to take on premises or learn more about digital marketing, we can help you take the next step. Get started by taking 10 minutes to complete our Strengthen Your Business Tool and get a personalised dashboard of online resources and webinars.

We know that your time is in short supply, so we also offer one-to-one advice at a time and day to suit you. Together, you and your business adviser can create a strategic action plan to suit your ambitions.

Our online resources and webinars can help you learn new skills, create opportunities and gain confidence. From HR to restructuring, innovation and digital marketing - we can help. And if specialist input is required, we can connect you to other sources of support.

From digital marketing strategy to social media, e-Commerce, cyber security and more, we can help boost your digital performance.

Our Digital Health Check is a great place to start. It will help pinpoint your digital strengths, areas you could improve, and how we can help, and it only takes 5 minutes to complete.

Qualifying businesses may also be eligible to work with an adviser over a longer period of time.

This includes general business skills workshops through to specialist 1:1 surgeries in areas such as digital marketing, ICT and procurement. Access to a dedicated adviser to help businesses achieve their growth ambition may also be available.

We understand that starting a new business can be both challenging and rewarding, and that many of those challenges are more difficult to overcome if you are a young entrepreneur.

Business Gateway Ayrshire has developed excellent partnerships with a number of organisations providing support to new and existing SMEs across the region. We work directly with organisations such as Ayrshire Chamber, FSB, Bright Idea, Banks, accountants, lawyers and business consultants.

Our advisers can help to identify appropriate funding and guide you through the eligibility criteria and application process.

We can help you access wage subsidy and employment support programmes and further training and development for your team to introduce new skills and improve productivity.

Operated by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the Women's Business Centre website is free to access and offers dedicated, needs-based content on starting and growing a business, including stories, encouragement and top tips from leading business owners across Scotland.

Our advisers can help you look at your business challenges and then help you make the next practical steps. Along with that we can introduce you to PACE – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.