Dumfries & Galloway

Business Gateway Dumfries and Galloway is your gateway to expert local assistance and advice. Whatever stage your business is at, our online support, local advisers, webinars and events are here to help with any business situation.

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Meet the Team

Our team brings extensive experience, practical resources and 1:1 advice to help you at every stage of your business journey—from starting up to scaling for growth. Whether you’re researching your idea and target market, building and enhancing your online presence, hiring employees, or looking to improve your social media skills, our support is here to help you achieve your goals.

Amanda
Business Adviser
Amanda joined the D&G Business Gateway team as a Business Adviser in Oct 2020, having previously worked as a Business Adviser with the Growth Accelerator Programme (GAP) team. She brings with her several years’ experience working in the Employability & Skills Service as a Development Officer and as a Fair Work Officer, and worked within HR for around 7 years as a HR Change Management Assistant. Prior to working in the public sector, Amanda has experience working in retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and service sectors. She had a degree in Information Management and completed a top up module in Business Venturing.
Gary
Business Adviser
Gary has worked in and around the employability and business support field within the public sector for 7 years, where he was involved in supporting the development and delivery of European funded programmes in recruitment, skills and training and has also supported growth accelerator business support projects within the local authority. Gary is an avid supporter of fair work and sustainable inclusive growth and has experience in the following areas: progressive workplace policies which improve productivity and innovation; opportunities for employee development, skills development and lifelong learning; best practice in industrial relations to encourage constructive dialogue in a range of different sectors and workplaces.
Fiona
Business Adviser
Fiona Smyth joined the Business Adviser team in July 2024. Having built her own successful company from the kitchen table, she brings 20 years of hands-on experience and knowledge in all aspects of setting up and running an entrepreneurial business. Passionate about the environment and the Dumfries and Galloway region, she is eager to support others in turning their business ideas into reality.
John King
Business Gateway Team Leader
John joined Business Gateway in 2016 and now leads the Dumfries & Galloway team, providing direction to the advisory service and ensuring local businesses receive practical, high‑quality support. With a diverse background spanning large corporates, including well‑known consumer brands such as T-Mobile and Black and Decker, alongside experience in a successful local SME and running his own business, John brings a broad and hands‑on perspective to business growth. He has extensive experience across sales, marketing and product development, and specialises in the food, drink and tourism sectors.

There are many ways we can support your start-up journey.

Our Business Support 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, articles and video tutorials. 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.

Our resources and one-to-one support can help you strengthen your business.

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 Business Support tool and get a personalised dashboard of online resources and webinars.

We can also offer 1-1 advice at a time that works for you. Together, you and your business adviser can create a strategic action plan to help you achieve your goals.

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.

As part of the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) Digital Pathfinder Borders College (BC) and Dumfries and Galloway College (DGC), in collaboration with partners, have developed an innovative and interactive Digital Skills Provision Map for businesses across the South of Scotland.

The SFC’s Digital Pathfinder programme, which has been led by both of the colleges during 2023, has aimed to help the region become more competitive by facilitating the delivery of higher-level digital skills for both businesses and individuals.

Now both educational institutions, supported by a range of partners, have created a Digital Skills Provision Map which simplifies access to local digital skills support by outlining what digital skills learning, training and development is available from the main public, third sector and education providers.

The map, which will be updated annually, shows businesses where to go to source the digital education, training, and development they need and contains links to access further information.

As well as BC and DGC, 14 other partners were involved in the production of the map, including: Business Gateway Borders; Business Gateway D&G; CGI; Eco Group; SenseOn; Skills Development Scotland; South of Scotland Enterprise and Third Sector Dumfries & Galloway.

The Digital Skills Provision Map makes access to digital skills development easy and is designed to make the future simpler for businesses across the region.

A copy of the map can be downloaded here.

There's a lot to think about to get your idea to become a reality. But you are not alone. Our local advisers and services are here to help.

Covering everything from advice about whether self-employment is right for you, to avoiding common mistakes researching and planning. We offer a range of professional resources, support and tools to help you develop your business. Whether you need to learn new skills, create new opportunities or develop sustainable strategies for growth, we can help.

Get in touch today.

For businesses in early-stage development, we offer a diagnostic health check to identify any areas that can ultimately access a range of expert consultancy support in investor ready business planning, financial planning, digital, human resources, retail, tourism and food & drink.

Contact us to find out more.

Dumfries and Galloway Employment TAP (Total Access Point) acts as a single point of contact for employability services across Dumfries & Galloway.

Through our local Business Liaison Service, we promote the work of all employability services across Dumfries and Galloway and act as a 'Total Access Point' for all your employment needs.

Contact us to find out more.

Free, confidential, information and treatment, for the self-employed and employees of small businesses, with a health problem affecting them at their work.

What is Working Health Services Scotland?

Working Health Services Scotland (WHSS) is an NHS service that aims to assist the self-employed and employees of small enterprises employing less than 250 staff who are experiencing injury, physical ill health, stress, anxiety or depression and are struggling at work.

Who can refer to Working Health Service Scotland?

You can self-refer – call 0800 019 2211, option 3
Call 0800 019 2211, ask for option 3
A telephone interviewer will ask you some questions about yourself, your work and your health condition. This information will be passed to an NHS Case Manager.
You will be contacted by a Case Manager within 5 working days of your referral.
Your Case Manager will conduct an initial assessment of your condition and work with you to design and agree a personal action plan for you.
Depending on your condition, you and your Case Manager will decide the best course of action. You may be referred to physiotherapy services, counselling or to one of a range of services available in your Health Board area.
Your case manager will be in contact with you to see how you are getting on during your treatment.
The programme may last 2-12 weeks depending on your needs. On completion of the programme, the case manager will make contact to review your progress and see how you are and how useful you have found the service.

How does the service operate?

The programme is based on telephone case-managed multidisciplinary support for the employees' recovery. It provides help and advice on a range of healthcare, employment, skills, housing and personal issues, for example debt management, ensuring access to the most appropriate forms of support for the individual. WHSS is available to employees based in Scotland.