East Dunbartonshire

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.

Do you know the taxation differences between trading as a sole trader vs as an incorporated business? Are you aware of what rate of VAT needs to be applied to all goods? Do you know when your different tax returns are due? If not, talk to Business Gateway East Dunbartonshire advisers as they can help you understand what you need to know.

This includes providing the essential advice and training to ensure you have the necessary knowledge to fulfil your legal commitments, whether you complete your own self-assessment or have a tax adviser. They also work closely with HMRC tax advisers, who are on hand to help you with everything you need to know.

The Business Support team at East Dunbartonshire Council are here to provide support. Whether it be looking for a small single office unit through to a site for a large greenfield industrial development, our experienced staff will work with you to understand your needs and identify potential locations where your business could grow.

For the full range of services and to find out more about what makes East Dunbartonshire the perfect location for your business please contact the Assets and Estates team on 0141 578 8624.

By recruiting an apprentice or trainee, your business can benefit from fresh thinking and someone who is ready to adopt your business values.

We are able to help you identify if graduate recruitment is for you, put you in contact with graduates, and may be able to help with some of the costs.

By contacting us, you will be able to access the support of these agencies through one local point of contact.

The whole process is sometimes referred to as Business Continuity Management (BCM). BCM is an ongoing process that helps organisations anticipate, prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disruptions, whatever their source and whatever aspect of the organisation they affect.

The BCM Lifecycle

Stage 1: Understanding your business
Stage 2: Developing BCM strategies
Stage 3: Developing and implementing a BCM response
Stage 4: Establishing a BCM culture
Stage 5: Maintaining and auditing BCM
Source: Business Continuity Institute, 2002

What should be covered in a Business Continuity Plan?

A Business Continuity Plan will identify all the requirements which are essential to keeping your business running. It provides a set of instructions on what to do at a time of crisis and should set out clear roles and responsibilities. It should list the actions that will allow key business activities to continue in the most difficult circumstances.

Types of Risk

• Floods/storms/high winds
• Fire
• Loss of premises
• Loss of telecommunications
• Loss of power
• Disruption to fuel supplies
• Loss of/reduction in staff

Possible Effects

• Failure of business
• Loss of Income
• Damage to reputation
• Loss of customers
• Legal/regulatory penalties
• Loss of trained employees
• Increased insurance penalties

Business Continuity Basic Checklist

• Have you made a list of important telephone numbers (customers, clients, suppliers, employees)?
• Do you store your vital computer information on back up disks or servers away from your premises?
• Do you have an asset register?
• Do you and your staff know the location of stopcocks, valves and electric mains switch?
• Have you considered alternative arrangements in order to continue operations (locations, suppliers, equipment etc.)?
• Do you have an emergency pack that includes a plan of the site, spare keys and contact details?
• Is it stored in a safe place that is known by your key personnel?

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.