Marketing Apprentice

One of the most common concerns we hear from business owners is: "I've got a great product or service, but I'm struggling to find customers." According to Senior Business Advisor Greg Thomas: "One of the first things I ask is how people currently discover the business. Many owners feel they need to be active on every social media platform, but before investing time and resources into marketing, it's important to understand who your customers are and where they look for information." "In many...

One of the most common questions we hear at Portobello Business Centre is surprisingly difficult to answer: "What business should I start?" Recently, one of our advisers met with someone who was keen to become self-employed but wasn't yet sure what form that would take. They wanted more flexibility, more independence and the opportunity to work for themselves. What they didn't have was a clear business idea. It's a situation many aspiring entrepreneurs find themselves in. They know they want...

You never know who you're going to meet when you put your business out into the world. Today, one of Sylvia's first customers was a traveller from Australia who was spending her final day in Europe before heading home. After stopping for a hot chocolate, she told Sylvia how delighted she was to have discovered the stall and how much she enjoyed the drink. It was a simple interaction, but one that left both customer and business owner smiling. Moments like these are easy to overlook, but they...