Blog
Case studies, best practise, articles and more. Smarter Society brings you insight into the best case examples of Local Authorities delivering training and support to start-ups, market traders and small businesses within their communities; around the UK.
A Smarter Society Large Scale SME Survey – Business Support
58% of businesses would choose mentoring over other business support Marketing is the most requested support topic 81% are not a member of their local Chamber of Commerce There are six million private sector businesses in the UK. The vast majority of these are SMEs...
Town regeneration with a market offering
Spalding and Holbeach are to get a cash injection from their local council to enable them to offer more attractive services to increase footfall to the town centres. Thanks to a development fund from South Holland District Council, who have set aside an investment sum...
How can councils help small businesses when it comes to Coronavirus?
How can you help your local small businesses to weather the coronavirus storm? Are their any practical steps that you can take to support fledgling businesses and ensure that they remain fluid in the wake of recent events?
The changing face of retail
Who will be the winners in the battle of the highstreet v the online retail environment? We often hear about the future of work and the digitisation of the workplace but this also extends into the retail space, and not in terms of online stores. Get ready for removal...
How markets can regenerate town centres
The better the central destination of a town centre, the more of a competitive edge it will have over neighbouring town centres. Give people a marketplace to visit, with variety, create a destination for them to experience good food and drink with friends and family, as well as complementary retail outlets. The better the market, the better the performance of the town centre over all. If you’re looking for ways to regenerate your local town centre, then you need to start by looking at a marketing that offers unique stalls, craft food and has the ability to attract footfall. Find out how you can apply this to your local community to support regeneration of your town.
Support parents to run their own sustainable businesses
Usually it is mums that give up work, once children are born or become majority care giver. This is either out of choice or not, dependent on what access they have to childcare, or family members who can help. They may not be able to consider returning to work until...
Why the over 55’s need a business: Facing the pensions crisis head on.
Since the over 55s are facing reduced pension pots or having to wait longer to receive their pensions, it is important to make sure that this segment of your community is able to access training. Giving them new skills, including teaching them about digital...
And the survey results are in. Our small businesses said…
Our small businesses want seminars and mentoring services Smarter Society carried out a research project to ascertain what it is that small businesses want to see. While 20% wanted access to webinars, the majority wanted to see actual seminars (38%),...
Helping businesses to find office space and premises easily
When businesses are starting up, they often need a helping hand. If they are looking for immediate retail space or commercial property, the ability to have a go to resource that lists all of the available properties for rent is ideal. There are pockets of councils...
Business Ambassador schemes – Celebrating local entrepreneurs
Optivo / Increase VS have been running a cross channel initiative between France and England since 2018. They aim to put 4,000 unemployed people along the Kent and Sussex coastline through a training course, which gives them the skills to start up their own...