Shetland

Business Gateway Shetland provides support to individuals and businesses in Shetland with quality, practical advice and guidance. Whether you are starting or growing a business, we provide access to a range of publicly funded business support services.

View our offices Call us: 01595 708 031

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Meet the Team

Here in Shetland we offer a range of initiatives to help your business - whether you are considering an idea, taking the first steps or have been running a business for years, we have the experience to advise you at every stage and help you develop your business.

If you’d like to hear more from us, you can sign up here to receive regular emails from Business Gateway Shetland containing news about funding, events and initiatives to benefit businesses based in Shetland.

Jeffrey
Business Adviser
Jeffrey Gaskell has three decades of experience as a freelance business adviser and mentor working with new commercial and social enterprises that have planned, created and sold their offerings in markets in the UK and overseas. After many years of practice in Northwest England he began working as an advisor with Shetland Business Gateway in early 2009, preparing would be entrepreneurs to be ready to take advantage of opportunities and deal with the rough and tumble of trade. In the crucial period immediately after startup and during later phases of development. He considers it a privilege to work in Scotland, where there are so many high-quality resources freely available to help people make their start-up dream a thriving reality.
Diana
Business Adviser
Diana Abernethy joined the Business Gateway in 2010. She has over 20 years of experience in business development and has supported clients from a number of different industry sectors including aquaculture, childcare, food and drink, IT, tourism, textiles and retail. She has a good understanding of the issues businesses in these sectors currently face as well as the opportunities available. She is also involved in the day-to-day running of a small business and has direct experience of the complexities this can involve. She has good local knowledge as well as insights into many sectors and an understanding of the underlying socio-economic conditions, particularly in more rural areas. Diana holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies, a Pg Dip in Local Economic Development and a Diploma in Business Advice and Counselling.
Genevieve
Business Adviser
Before joining Business Gateway, Genevieve wore a lot of hats. College lecturer, magazine editor, arts workshop facilitator: she spent years helping other people communicate, create, and grow.

In 2022, she decided it was time to do the same for herself.With support from Business Gateway Shetland, she launched Campion Copy in 2023: a copywriting business working with travel and tourism businesses across the UK and beyond.

That first-hand experience of starting a business shapes how she advises clients today.Genevieve holds the SFEDI Diploma in Business & Enterprise Support and was recently honoured with the Business Gateway Impact Award – a national award selected from nominations made by business owners themselves.

She works with clients on general business support and copywriting and finds daily energy and inspiration in the people she meets along the way.
Rene
Business Adviser
Rene Looper is the Founder and Managing Director of Tuminds Ltd and has more than 20 years’ experience in digital marketing, social media, business support and training.

He was the first trainer in Scotland to deliver dedicated courses in both social media and artificial intelligence, and has since helped thousands of businesses understand how to use digital tools in a practical, confident and commercially useful way. His work focuses particularly on social media strategy, AI, digital marketing, e-commerce and online business development.

Before founding Tuminds, Rene built up extensive experience in retail, tourism and hospitality, including running a hotel and restaurant. This gives him a strong understanding of the day-to-day pressures faced by business owners, from attracting customers and increasing sales to managing limited time and resources.

René supports start-ups, established businesses and public-sector organisations across Scotland. Known for making fast-moving topics such as social media and AI clear and accessible, he helps organisations turn digital opportunities into practical action.

Through Business Gateway Shetland, he advises clients on social media, AI, digital marketing, e-commerce and other ways to strengthen their online presence and grow their business.
Leah
Business Adviser
Leah Irvine has over ten years’ experience advising and assisting businesses and organisations in Shetland. Her knowledge and understanding of the Shetland economy comes from being involved in a range of Economic Development projects across a wide range of sectors. Leah has also experienced starting her own business and runs a successful social media platform. Her main areas of interest are business development, strategies, economic development, problem solving, selling, marketing and content creation. Leah has a BA (hons) in Management and Marketing with a Diploma in consultancy and a Diploma in Business and Enterprise Support.
Kirsten
Business Gateway Manager
Kirsten Scott began her journey with Business Gateway in 2009 overseeing operations at the Orkney office for six years. Transitioning to Shetland in 2015, she assumed the managerial role for the northern isles. Originally moving into economic development in 2004, she has extensive experience in business development, supporting clients to access grants and loans from a number of different industry sectors. She also worked as a self-employed adviser for a while, and has worked for Highlands & Islands Enterprise in Shetland. Prior to her public sector jobs, she gained over 15 years of experience working in the private sector, where she managed a food and drink processing business, employing up to 45 staff. Her diverse background and network equips her with an excellent understanding of business challenges and how to assess the necessary support required. Kirsten holds a BA in Business and Enterprise and a Diploma in Business Advice and Counselling.
Nicola
Administrator
Nicola Halcrow joined Business Gateway Shetland in 2017, bringing 17 years of experience from a business support role in Economic Development. She supports the Business Gateway Shetland team with her strong background in administration and client services. With a good understanding of the local business environment and the resources available through Business Gateway, Nicola is a key asset to the team. She is a reliable and approachable contact for business owners and entrepreneurs.

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.

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.

We offer lots of guidance and support to help make ‘being your own boss’ a reality. Covering everything from advice about whether self-employment is right for you, how to register your business, funding guidance and application assistance, business planning and marketing advice, to avoiding common mistakes and researching and planning.

If you have an established business in Shetland, our business advisers will work with you to determine the best strategy for your business to grow.

We can offer a range of professional resources, support and tools to help you develop and grow your business. Whether you need to learn new skills, create new opportunities or develop sustainable strategies for growth, we've something to help.

There is a range of financial assistance available through the Economic Development Department, at Shetland Islands Council, to assist new start and existing business clients with the costs related to developing projects which meet key eligibility criteria and will result in extensive local benefits.

Further detail can be found here:

For other national funding, please search the Find Business Support website or sign up to their newsletter for updates.

The Council has a range of other services that are useful to new start and existing businesses.

These include:

Environmental Health - Free advice and support on food safety and registration, health and safety at work, pest control etc. Call 01595 744802.
Licensing - Find out if your business needs a license to trade and how to apply. Visit the Shetland Islands Council website
Business Rates (Non-Domestic Rates) - For information on the billing and collection of business rates call 01595 744683.
Small Business Bonus Scheme and other rates relief - this scheme offers reduced non-domestic rates on qualifying business premises. More information is available on the Scottish Government website and rates relief forms can be found here.
Trading Standards - Free business advice and trading on product safety standards. Call 01595 744887.
Planning, Development Management & Building Standards – Free advice and guidance on planning issues is available. Find out online if you need planning permission or a building warrant, make an application, find out about an application that’s has been made, or find out more about long term policies such as the Local Plan. Call 01595 744815.
Community Planning & Development – The Shetland Community Directory provides contact details for many of the diverse range of community groups and services in Shetland, you can find it here. You can also find the Shetland Partnership Plan using this link.
Rubbish & Recycling – Collection, disposal and costs associated with commercial waste is available here or call 01595 744891.
Public Sector Contracts – If you would like to tender for public sector contracts, please register on the Public Contracts Scotland website or call 01595 744595 for more information. You can also access support through the Supplier Development Programme, by using this link.

Business Improvement Districts have been set up to help build stronger communities in Scotland. These business improvement districts are about businesses working together and investing collectively in local improvements, which will benefit the businesses involved and the towns they are based in.

Shetland has a BID run by Living Lerwick Ltd. If you would like to know more or want to get involved, visit Living Lerwick for more information.