Women in Entrepreneurship Programme

Dates: Wednesday, the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th of March 2025 (you must attend every session).

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Location: Bathgate Business Centre, 6 Whitburn Road, Bathgate, EH48 1HH

Join us for our exciting ‘Women in Entrepreneurship Programme’ to learn how to refresh your business to take it to the next level.

You will learn how to review the current position of your business, identify opportunities for improvement, and create an actionable plan with clear objectives and goals. You will also learn how you can promote yourself and your business with clarity and confidence. By the end of the programme, you will have built a comprehensive toolkit to help drive your business forward.

The programme consists of 4 half day sessions, hosted by the fantastic Michelle Brown, Director of Michelle Brown PR. Here’s what you can expect from each session (you must attend every session to complete the programme):

• Session 1 (5th of March): Carry out a business review, including a financial audit, creating customer personas, competitor review, and outlining the problem you are solving
• Session 2 (12th of March): Traffic lights at the crossroads – ‘Stop, Review & Do More’ and research to help re-align your business model and purpose, including analysing competitors, the marketplace, trends and really honing your USP. Then, create an ‘Opportunities Statement’ and actionable plan with clear objectives and goals for the next 12 months
• Session 3 (19th of March): Re-evaluate you brand – with confidence and clarity - to ensure it ‘stands out’ and improve your marketing mindset by creating a ‘Strategy & Plan’ that helps reach and engage with your audience on all ‘relevant’ channels including social media and your website. Also, help to expand your network using tried and tested successful techniques
• Session 4 (26th of March): Present Your ‘New Look’ business in front of a guest speaker highlighting your idea or business USP, financial projections, and brand and marketing strategy. After the session is complete, you are welcome to stay behind and join us for a light lunch.

The sessions will be very interactive, and will give you the opportunity to network and brainstorm with a group of likeminded business owners.

Participants that have attended all 4 sessions will then be given the opportunity to apply for up to £500 of funding that can be used to help grow their businesses.

The programme is perfect for:

• Women that are ready to grow their business
• Women with businesses at a crossroads
• Women diversifying or creating a sub brand
• Women who are in business and plateaued, and need to re-look at their vision with a new perspective
• Women who currently have a side line business that they want to take to the next level
• We would not recommend this programme for pre-start or newly started businesses

This programme has a value of £500, but is free to eligible West Lothian business owners. There is a maximum of 1 space available per business.

Applicants will be required to answer a questionnaire to take part.

This event is now fully booked - if you would like to be added to the waitlist please email invest@westlothian.gov.uk