Lanarkshire

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.

We know that your time is in short supply, so we offer 1:1 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 DigitalBoost 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.

Our advisers can help to identify appropriate funding and guide you through the eligibility criteria and application process, supporting you with reviewing business plan & cashflow forecasts as part of the application process.

Lanarkshire Business Start Up Grant provides grant funding of £1,000 and £2,500 to help pre-start businesses with a robust and viable business idea fund essential business purchases and commence trading. Planning to start your business in South Lanarkshire? Find out more here. Planning to start your business in North Lanarkshire? Find out more here.

North Lanarkshire Back to Business Fund provides grants of up to £2,500 to support specific projects or investment that will help eligible local businesses address new challenges in direct response to Covid 19. For more information click here.

North Lanarkshire Business Recovery and Growth Fund provides up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of £20,000 to support strategic, longer-term sustainability and growth. For more information click here.

South Lanarkshire Business Recovery and Growth Grant

The Business Recovery and Growth Grant is a discretionary grant fund open to new and existing businesses based in South Lanarkshire to support their long-term sustainability and growth. It will provide 50% of eligible project costs (excluding VAT), up to a maximum grant award of £50,000 to fund specific activities to help recovery and growth. It for businesses with less than 250 employees and who are trading over (or expected to be) the VAT threshold. The project must have not started yet. For more information click here.

South Lanarkshire Small Business Support Grant

The Small Business Support Grant is a discretionary programme that can provide up to 50% match-funded grant support up to £3,000 for businesses with more than one full time employee. For self-employed individuals, with no employees, the maximum grant available is up to 50% and a maximum of £1,000. The grant will be paid after the application has been submitted in full, reviewed and approved for payment – payment up front. The business needs evidence it can cover the other 50% of costs. For more information click here.

We can support you to develop and implement your growth strategy through 1:1 advice, provide access to a range of business experts, funding programmes and to local and national business support, plus a number of local networking and business skills workshops.

From contractual requirements, sick pay, holiday pay, disciplinary and many other areas. If it is your first time taking on an employee then we can provide you with much of this information from one of our HR professionals.

If you are thinking about starting or already running a social enterprise, we can help you with business advice and access to further support.

Our team also has strong links with local business groups such as Lanarkshire Chamber, FSB and CEED.

We have extensive links to national support agencies for young entrepreneurs and can help you with business planning, marketing, access to finance, training and more. Our Young Entrepreneur Starter Pack workshop with support you with many of the considerations relating to identifying and researching an idea to information on starting your business and accessing funding for your business.

The Expert Help service is for Lanarkshire businesses at the stage of development or expansion. Expert Help brings expertise to YOU, giving Lanarkshire businesses access to specific skills and knowledge that you may not have within your business- straight from industry experts.

The Expert Help Service can connect you with specialist consultants who can provide you with tailored advice and support in various areas to develop strategies.

Areas Expert Help can help your business

• Marketing & Digital Marketing
• Sustainability
• Business Innovation
• Legal support
• Internationalisation
• Research, Development & Design
• Business Financial Management
• Business Strategy
• HR
• Digital Development
• Procurement

For more information, speak to our team today on 01698 756956.

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.

Registration for SDP events is free for Scottish SMEs, and will connect your business with your local authority’s SDP Rep who can offer your business additional support.

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.