In summary
It was great to chat with so many FSB members at the Winter Granite Expo in Aberdeen and the Winter Dundee & Angus Expo last month. Business shows like this, including the various Hashtag events across the UK, are increasingly important for business owners looking to make new connections and seek out opportunities. Keep an eye on the FSB Scotland website for our 2025 online and in-person events programme. I’d love to see you there.
Featured news and events
Is it time to hire your first employee?
With the impending Workers Rights Bill and recent increases to employers National Insurance Contributions, employing someone for the first time remains a huge challenge for any business owner. However, Aberdeenshire Council is providing £1,000 grants for those looking to employ someone for the first time. Click to check the eligibility criteria and start your application.
For additional support provided in Aberdeenshire, including their Business Start-up Grant Scheme and Employer Recruitment Incentive, check the business pages of the council website.
To get advice or assistance, contact the Enterprising Aberdeenshire team.
Vision, Strategy, Blueprint: The Gameplan for an Extraordinary 2025
In Aberdeen, the local FSB is working in partnership with Anurag Rai, Superhuman in You, to bring you this fantastic free business seminar.
Join Mike and Anurag for this transformative event, designed specifically for business owners who are ready to level up.
Over the course of a dynamic 1-hour session, you’ll learn how to craft a compelling vision, develop a winning strategy, and create a blueprint for sustainable success. We’ll delve deep into the mindset shifts required to stay focused and take action, so you can drive extraordinary results in 2025.
Walk away with a clear game plan, practical tools, and the confidence to make your vision a reality. Don’t miss this chance to set yourself up for an extraordinary year ahead!
In other news
Invest In Perth Website Refresh
Looking for business support in Perth? Check out the refreshed Invest in Perth website.
Driven by the Business Growth Team at Perth & Kinross Council, the website focuses on inward investment, business support, area strengths, and business success stories.
The Perth & Kinross Council Green Capital Development Grant is also still available. The fund provides specific support to businesses, enabling them to invest in capital projects to implement new systems, new ways of working, new machinery, and investment in green technology.
Grants are available up to £25,000, covering up to 50% of eligible costs. Projects must be of minimum £10,000 (this equates to a minimum £5,000 match from the business), except for EV charging point applications.
FSB Small Business Focus
We’re delighted to work with The Courier in Tayside and the Press and Journal in the North to bring you a Small Business Focus feature every week– and this could be you!
This month, in the Press and Journal we’ve featured 4 FSB members:
- Nadia Fyvie-Feldmann, of Dhow Consulting, Grantown
- Steve Elton, of Caledonia Hosiery, Forres
- Lee Bruce, Bruce Environmental Services, Inverness
- Sandy McKinnon, FoodStory Café, Aberdeen
And in the Courier, you’ll find the following FSB members:
If you’re interested in being a Small Business Focus contributor, please get in touch.
Still in the news
HIE Green Grant Fund
The Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) Green Grant Fund aims to support businesses and social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands (inc. Moray) to transition to net zero.
The funding is a non-repayable grant of up to £250,000, which will cover between 10% and 40% of the total cost of a project. The minimum grant award is £20,000. Projects with a total cost of £50,000 or less are therefore unlikely to be eligible.
Projects can include anything that helps businesses and social enterprises to reduce carbon emissions and make progress towards achieving net zero, for example through energy efficiency measures, renewables, or waste management.
HIE will prioritise projects based in remote and rural areas where applicants may be eligible for up to 50% funding.
For more information and to apply, click here.
More Cruise Ships to Visit Aberdeen Harbour in 2025
Cruise ships will arrive in Aberdeen from April to October next year, extending the season beyond that of 2024.
This year saw 49 ships arriving into the new South Harbour, with 2024 being its first fully operational year. These ships carried about 24,000 guests and crew, with many arriving for the very first time.
The harbour is expected to welcome 70 cruise ships in 2025, with local tourism and hospitality businesses looking to capitalise on the increase in visitors. Read more here.
More news and activity near you
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for the North East Scotland is Mike Duncan. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email: [email protected]
- follow us on X: @FSB_MikeD
- follow us on Facebook: FSBScotland