Event alert: Accelerate growth and win more customers
Published 15 February 2025
Advice and support, Events and awards
Due to the success of this event in December, we are pleased to offer an opportunity to those who missed out last time – join us for a re-run of this exciting, interactive workshop. The event is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) unlock strategies to accelerate long-lasting growth. We will provide you with practical insights and hands-on experience to boost your customer pipeline and drive your business forward.
Workshop highlights
Market Analysis: Understand your market and identify opportunities.
Value Proposition: Craft a compelling value proposition that resonates with your target audience.
Customer Relationships: Build and maintain strong customer relationships.
Sales Techniques: Master closing techniques and negotiation skills.
Event details
Date: 3rd April
Time: 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Location:ย Guildford Pavilion
Cost: Free (Pre-registration required)
Meet your expert
The workshop will be led by Roya Croudace, an accomplished Commercial Director, Founder, and Non-Executive Director with over 25 years of experience in accelerating growth. Roya has worked with over 400 scale-up businesses in Surrey and FTSE 100 companies, offering unique insights and effective strategies to achieve measurable results and sustainable success.
Why attend?
Actionable Strategies: Learn practical tools to accelerate revenue, attract and retain customers, and boost profits.
Expert Guidance: Benefit from Roya’s extensive experience and tailored advice.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with other SME owners and entrepreneurs in Surrey.
This event is perfect for SME owners and entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses. There is no entry fee, and you can bring as many team members as you like, but spaces are limited. Be sure to register today to secure your spot!
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service offering free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey.
Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your SME grow and succeed. Get in touch with a member of the team via our business support form.
Funding for new apprenticeships now available to Surrey businesses
Published 12 February 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
Businesses can grow their workforce and boost productivity in just a few clicks by getting an apprenticeship funded by Surrey County Council.
As part of the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Scheme, small and medium enterprises across the county can get fully funded support to train local talent.
Apprenticeships are widely recognised as a cost-effective way to recruit, improving diversity and filling skills gaps. In time, they can also help businesses grow, improve employee retention and support the wider economy.
Funding is available to pay for the training of dozens of new apprenticeships across the county.
It is open to all businesses in Surrey and allocated on a first come, first served basis โ meaning those interested should apply swiftly via the Surrey County Council website.
For those unsure of the process, a free 45-minute webinar will be hosted by the Councilโs Business Surrey service on February 26. Reserve your space today to discover more about modern-day apprenticeships and how businesses can access funding.
One Surrey organisation that has benefited already from the scheme is Sight for Surrey, a charity that provides specialist support for people in Surrey with sensory loss. ย
Diane Smith, Head of Adult Services says:
โWe have used the levy to support internal succession for those wanting to pursue a career in Social Work from the Deaf Community. More recently we used the levy to support three new apprentices in roles that are recognised to be under resourced across the sector nationally as well as in Surrey.
โThe process of completing the Levy Transfer scheme was simple and smooth due to the responsive support from the Council.
โOur Deaf Services Social Worker has recently graduated from Kingston University and our three new apprentices are settled and progressing well in their new careers! All making an impact for residents of the Surrey community.โ
The call comes in National Apprenticeship Week (February 10 to 16), which is a national celebration of the opportunities presented by the training schemes.
96% of employers report benefits to their business
employers make a net gain of between ยฃ2,500 and ยฃ18,000 per apprentice during their training period
80% of businesses see a significant increase in employee retention
Almost two-thirds of all UK apprenticeships in the last year have been funded by the apprenticeship levy.
This is a pool of funding made available by large employers, such as the Council, to make apprenticeships more accessible to SMEs.
The Council wants as many local residents and businesses to benefit from the scheme as possible โ which is why the online process can be completed in a matter of minutes.
Matt Furniss, the Councilโs Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport, and Economic Growth, emphasised the council’s commitment to providing opportunities for all. He said:โApprenticeships are a proven cost-effective way to recruit which benefit businesses and employees, as well as the broader economy.
โAs an organisation we are committed to providing opportunities to all of our residents, which includes creating a skilled workforce for the future.
โThe levy transfer scheme is a fantastic way for SMEs to access funding to develop and grow their workforce โ which is why I encourage them to discover more about this fantastic opportunity.”
Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.
Supporting Sail Croatia with their carbon reduction strategy: a Business Surrey case study
Published 11 February 2025
Advice and support, Surrey Success Stories
Background:ย
In 2024, Sail Croatia, a Surrey-based Mediterranean travel operator, approached Business Surrey for assistance in quantifying their carbon emissions and developing a carbon reduction strategy.
Despite their significant efforts to calculate their carbon footprint, they lacked confidence in their methodology and wanted external verification to establish a credible baseline before publicly sharing their emissions data or committing to further action.
Challenges:
Without an inhouse sustainability expert, the business lacked confidence in the existing carbon footprint calculation methodology they had used.
The team felt external verification was needed to ensure accuracy and credibility.
The business had identified the need to develop a comprehensive carbon reduction strategy, including short-term and long-term actions.
The senior management team knew that the sustainability plan would only be successful if it was to communicated effectively to the entire team to gain their buy-in and suggestions.
Solution:ย
A decarbonisation consultant from Business Surrey was engaged to:
Verify and Strengthen Carbon Footprint Calculations:
The Business Surrey expert advisor reviewed and validated the assumptions and figures used in the initial calculations to ensure they were robust and accurate.
The advisor also provided recommendations for emissions calculators to track emissions from travel, fuels, third-party services such as laundry, and catering.
And suggested ways to help Sail Croatiaโs chefs design lower-impact menus.
Develop a Comprehensive Decarbonisation Strategy:
Identified short-term wins and long-term actions for carbon reduction.
Proposed verifiable offsetting options for emissions that were difficult to avoid.
Effective Communication and Team Engagement:
Assisted in communicating the carbon reduction plan in a relatable way to the entire team.
Ensured team membersโ involvement, especially those new to the companyโs sustainability efforts, to align the workforce with the vision of building a more sustainable business.
Results:
Enhanced confidence in the companyโs carbon footprint data.
A solid foundation for long-term sustainability commitments.
Improved team engagement and alignment with the companyโs sustainability goals.
Grant Seuren, Co-Founder/Director of Sail Croatia says, โThank you for all your assistance, it has been really valuable to us. Overall, we now have a proper foundation that we can build on.โ
Support for Surrey businesses
Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.
Boost Your Business expert guide now available
Published 4 February 2025
Advice and support
Boost Your Business in 2025 with our expert guide. Access tips and advice on how to grow your Surrey business in just a few clicks.
Have you started a business in Surrey and looking for help to take it to the next level?
With 110,000 registered businesses in Surrey, you are not alone โ with thousands of people in a similar situation.
At Business Surrey, itโs our role to provide free help and support to businesses like yours.
Thatโs why we have put together this complimentary handy guide, to provide you which some easy-to-access tips to grow your business.
We recognise that some business owners may need more bespoke support. So you can get in touch with our business advisors at any point to ask for specific advice.
Further support to boost your business
Business Surrey is Surrey County Councilโs service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey.
Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on exploring opportunities and how to tackle various challenges.
We work with you to understand your unique business needs and can direct you to the right resources and opportunities.
Whatever your business, our experts are here to help you succeed by providing access to quality resources, expert local knowledge and professional insight. Our offer incudes:
an easy-to-use support directory with more than 120 national and regional schemes.
Dos and Donโts to scale your business: strategic lessons for sustainable growth
Published 21 January 2025
Advice and support
Scaling a business is both a challenge and an opportunity. It requires a sharp strategy, adaptability, and an unwavering focus on your customers. At its heart, sustainable growth is about creating value and fostering trust. While no two businesses are the same, there are clear dos and donโts businesses can follow to scale successfully.
In this strategic guide, our Specialist Adviser Roya Croudace looks at how you can scale your business while keeping your customers at the centre of your journey. Roya is a skilled Commercial Director, Founder, and Non-Executive Director with over 25 years of expertise in driving business growth, especially for SMEs.
The Dos: building a scalable foundation
1. Define your customerโs purpose and needs
Understanding your customers is the cornerstone of sustainable growth. Customers donโt just buy products or servicesโthey seek solutions that align with their goals, purpose, and aspirations.
Do: Use customer feedback, market research, and data from CRM (customer relationship management) systems to build detailed profiles of your audience. Identify their pain points, motivations, and desired outcomes. Continuously update this knowledge to ensure your offerings remain relevant as your business evolves.
2. Build relationships over transactions
Winning and retaining customers requires more than just making a sale. Building trust and meaningful relationships creates loyalty and generates invaluable word-of-mouth referralsโkey drivers for growth.
Do: Listen actively to your customers, personalise your interactions, and deliver consistent value. Show genuine interest in helping them achieve their goals. When customers feel understood and valued, they are more likely to become long-term advocates for your business.
3. Develop a scalable value proposition
Your value proposition must clearly articulate how your product or service solves customer problems, delivers measurable value, and stands out from the competition. As you scale, ensure it evolves to reflect market changes and expanded capabilities.
Do: Focus on benefits over features. Use customer-centric language and provide proof through case studies, testimonials, or ROI (return on investment) data. Test and refine your value proposition to resonate with different market segments.
4. Leverage technology for growth
Technology is a vital enabler for scaling SMEs. From automating workflows to delivering data-driven insights, the right tools can streamline operations, improve decision-making, and enhance customer engagement.
Do: Invest in tools like marketing automation, analytics platforms, and AI-powered CRM systems. Ensure your team is trained to utilise these technologies effectively so you can maximise their potential and ROI.
5. Align your team for success
Scaling a business demands cohesion across all functions. Misalignment between sales, marketing, finance and operations (the 4 pillars of any business) can create inefficiencies and harm the customer experience.
Do: Foster a sales culture that simplifies collaboration through shared goals and transparent communication. Regularly review performance metrics, train and upskill team where necessary and adjust strategies to ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives.
The Donโts: pitfalls to avoid while scaling
1. Donโt prioritise transactions over relationships
Focusing only on short-term sales can stunt long-term growth. Customers are more than numbers; theyโre your partners in success.
Donโt: Treat customers like one-off transactions. Prioritise trust-building and nurture relationships that encourage loyalty and advocacy.
2. Donโt lose sight of adaptability
Markets are dynamic, and scaling businesses must be prepared to pivot. Resistance to change risks leaving your business behind more agile competitors.
Donโt: Cling to outdated strategies. Stay open to innovation and use market trends, customer feedback, and data to inform strategic decisions.
3. Donโt underestimate the value of simplicity
As you scale, complexity can creep into your messaging and processes. Overcomplicated communication risks confusing potential customers and diluting your value.
Donโt: Use jargon or overwhelm your audience with unnecessary details. Keep your messaging clear and focused on how you solve their problems.
4. Donโt operate without a clear plan
Trying to scale your business without a structured plan can lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities. A robust strategy ensures focus and direction.
Donโt: Assume growth will happen organically. Develop a roadmap with SMART goals, clear priorities, and actionable steps.
5. Donโt ignore customer feedback
Your customers are your most valuable source of insight. Ignoring their feedback risks missing opportunities for improvement and eroding trust.
Donโt: Overlook feedback. Actively seek input through surveys, interviews, and reviews, and use this information to refine your products, services, and processes.
Your Call to Action: build, scale, and thrive
Scaling your business requires clarity of vision, strategic focus, and a relentless commitment to your customers. By understanding their needs, building relationships, and leveraging the right tools, youโll create a foundation for sustainable growth.
Whatโs your next step? Reflect on these questions:
How well do you understand your customersโ goals and challenges?
Are you building relationships that foster loyalty and trust?
What strategies and tools will you adopt to help you scale your business through your next stage of growth?
Once you’ve reflected, it’s time to take action – do it today. Every decision you make is a step closer to realising your businessโs potential!
Business support in Surrey
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey, to help you scale your business and thrive.
Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on range of issues. Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Not sure what you need help with? Get in touch by completing ourย Contact Us form.
New Skills Bootcamps for Creatives to boost small businesses in Surrey
Published 20 January 2025
Advice and support, Skills and workforce
Surreyโs creative community has a new opportunity to thrive with the launch of Skills Bootcamps for Creatives, designed to provide essential business skills for freelancers and small creative businesses.
Delivered by Mastered Studios, this program offers a practical and accessible way to develop the tools necessary to win clients, grow your brand, and do more of what you love.
With a strong focus on supporting smaller businesses, this Skills Bootcamp is ideal for freelancers and entrepreneurs seeking to sharpen their competitive edge in the creative industries.
The course is fully-funded – meaning it is free to freelancers and creative SMEs in Surrey.
Whatโs in the Skills Bootcamps for Creatives?
Participants will benefit from 60 hours of training, mentoring, and coaching spread over 8 weeks. This will cover:
Developing a robust business plan
Effective marketing and branding strategies
Growing your social media presence
Pricing and fee negotiation skills
And much more!
The course runs for one day a week online, making it flexible and accessible to fit around your busy schedule.
Upon completion, learners will also receive monthly mentoring calls for six months. This ensures ongoing support as they implement their new skills.
Connecting creatives
Running a small business or working as a freelancer can sometimes feel lonely, with the complexities of managing clients, finances, and growth often falling solely on your shoulders.
The Skills Bootcamp for Creatives not only equips you with practical knowledge but also connects you with like-minded professionals, creating a supportive network of peers who understand your challenges and share your ambitions.
Why join?
Small businesses are the backbone of Surreyโs creative economy. This programme is tailored to help you overcome common challenges. It makes it perfect for those looking to scale up, navigate pricing with confidence, or build a compelling brand presence.
Sign up today
Donโt miss this opportunity to take your creative business to the next level. Visit the Mastered website for more information and to register for upcoming sessions.
Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter. This is packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.
Sell online with confidence with free product safety courses from Trading Standards
Published 10 January 2025
Advice and support
Does your business sell online products which are regulated for product safety? If the answer is yes, then you can accessย FREEย product safety courses to boost your knowledge and improve how you do business.
Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards is working with the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to provide the offer.
It is available to all Surrey businesses who sell via websites or social media until the end of March.
Those taking part will boost their knowledge and understanding of product safety. It will also improve how you do business and boost customer confidence.
Businesses who’ve already taken part have reported:
increased awareness and education
building a relationship with the regulator,
improving future business with plans for future actions
What does free product safety courses involve?
The product safety training is open to all businesses that sell products online – from sole traders and SMEs to multi-nationals. You may also have retail premises or sell only a few items on social media.
It has three elements:โฏ
An initial conversation with a Trading Standards Officer to discuss your approach to product procurement. This includes your understanding of product safety and online trading requirements.
Free training workshops delivered by the CTSI, plus access to online materials and guidance.
A final conversation between you and a Trading Standards Officer. This establishes the impact of the training and it it has improved your understanding of consumer product safety and online trading.
No personal data or information provided by a business will be reused for any other purposes outside of the training.
And the discussions with Trading Standards officers are simply to establish if you have benefited from the training. They will not be discussing individual products or specific compliance related issue.
Or you can contact Trading Standards direct by calling 0300123 2329.
If you need more general support then the Business Surrey team can also provide free support. Get in touch via the Business Support Form.
Event alert: Idea theft ends here! Understanding Intellectual Property
Published 9 December 2024
Advice and support, Events and awards
This interactive workshop has been developed to provide business owners and entrepreneurs with the insights and information you need to understand intellectual property (IP) rights and protect your business’s IP.
This is a complimentary in-person workshop being held by Business Surrey in partnership with Surrey Heath Borough Council. The workshop will take place at Surrey Heath Borough Council offices on Wednesday 29 January, from 8.30am to 11am.
Topics we’ll cover on the day:
Introduction to Intellectual Property (IP)
The different types of IP Rights available to you
Importance of IP in todayโs economy
Practical case studies and examples of IP disputes
Basics of IP registration and enforcement
Interactive Q&A session
The workshop will be led by Laurie Heizler, from TWM Solicitors. Laurie is a Partner in the Business Law department. He has acted for clients in the technology, media and education sectors as well as for several household names in the world of consumer goods. He has extensive experience of dealing with IP matters and disputes relating to patents, trade marks, designs, copyright and confidential information. Laurie’s well-earned reputation for explaining IP matters clearly, makes him the perfect speaker to bring the topic of IP to life for this workshop. Laurie will be joined by his IP-focussed Trainee Solicitor, Grace Makungu for the Q&A part of the workshop.
By attending this workshop, you can expect to gain a stronger understanding of the principles of intellectual property rights, and how to effectively protect your business’s own intellectual property.
This event is perfect for SME owners and entrepreneurs in Surrey. There is no entry fee and no limit on the number of attendees from a single business. Spaces are limited and you must pre-register to attend. Register today to save your place.
Free support for Surrey SMEs
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service offering free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey.
Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your SME grow and succeed. Get in touch with a member of the team via our business support form.
Event alert: Accelerate growth and win more customers
Published 12 November 2024
Advice and support, Events and awards
This interactive workshop has been developed to equip small and medium-sized businesses with effective strategies to accelerate long-lasting growth. Participants will gain practical insights and hands-on experience to stimulate their customer pipeline and drive business success.
This is a complimentary in-person workshop held by Business Surrey, in partnership with Tandridge District Council. The event is being held at Nutfield Priory Hotel and Spa (Nutfield), on Wednesday 11 December, from 8.30am to 11am.
Topics we’ll cover on the day:
Understanding your market
Crafting a compelling value proposition
Building strong customer relationships
Closing techniques and negotiation skills
The workshop will be led by Roya Croudace, a skilled Commercial Director, Founder, and Non-Executive Director with over 25 years of expertise in driving business growth, especially for SMEs. With experience spanning over 400 scale-up businesses in Surrey and FTSE 100 companies, Roya offers unique insights into creating robust and effective plans to accelerate growth, achieving measurable results, and building sustainable foundations for ongoing success.
Through her workshops and programs, Roya equips SMEs with practical tools to accelerate revenue, attract and retain customers, and boost profits.
On the day, you can expect to learn actionable strategies that drive success and build strong customer relationships, ensuring lasting impact for growing businesses.
This event is perfect for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) owners and entrepreneurs in Surrey. There is no entry fee and no limit on the number of attendees from a single business, but spaces are limited and you must pre-register to attend. Register today to save your place.
Free support for Surrey SMEs
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service offering free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey.
Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your SME grow and succeed. Get in touch with a member of the team via our business support form.
Our new interactive map of Surrey businesses is now live and can be viewed here. This interactive tool provides a clear view of the range and number of businesses that have chosen to call Surrey home. It also offers a useful visual demonstration of the concentrations of businesses making up some of the key sectors of importance to Surrey’s economy.
Surrey’s vibrant and diverse business ecosystem is made up of a wide range of businesses, with global brand headquarters sitting alongside entrepreneurial startups and micro businesses. For those looking to relocate into, or within, the county, the map can be a key tool in helping to refine the search and hone in on the optimum location, by enabling the user to filter the map to filter for competitors, suppliers, research resources, co-working spaces, etc.
Filter by a range of categories and sectors
The organisations displayed on the map can be filtered by a number of key categories, including: Top 100 companies (by employee numbers); Top 100 by UK turnover; Creative industry; Cyber; Gaming; Research & innovation assets (including universities, research labs and enterprise zones); Coworking spaces, and many more. Users can also zoom in or out, and view the page as a map or satellite image.
Our toolkit of support for Surrey businesses
Whether you’re making plans for a new business location, carrying out research into Surrey’s key clusters, or investigating the opportunities within the business ecosystem in your local area, our interactive map can help. It’s one more tool in our offering to provide free and accessible support to all businesses in Surrey.
Our team of experts are available to provide tailored advice to help your SME grow and succeed. Get in touch with a member of the team to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest news on support, events funding and more for all Surrey businesses.
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