Balans Pilates and Treatment Rooms have extended a very kind invitation to our wonderful PBN members for an exclusive, private Pilates session on January 6th at 10:00 a.m., hosted at their lovely Scone Studio.

Please note that this event is exclusively available for our valued members, and booking is essential.

Take full advantage of this generous offer and start the year as you mean to go on.

We look forward to meeting you!

Join us for our regular Final Friday of the month networking.

Our Final Fridays are the perfect place to balance work and personal chats. Whether you want to come along and discuss business, or you’d prefer a personal chat with like-minded women - our Final Fridays offer the ideal balance.

Make sure to register your place and feel free to book for a business buddy too! We are open to members and non-members. (Non-members are more than welcome to come along twice as ‘taster’ sessions before deciding whether to join)..

This month’s theme: ‘May I have a word’

• Speaker SJ Dale will talk about handling those difficult conversations. Here is an overview:

  We need to talk. Have you ever experienced that feeling of uncertainty when someone has said those words to you, or some variation thereof? Have you ever been the one to feel an immediate sense of relief by saying those same words to someone else?

  Many of us are terrified of having difficult conversations because, well, they’re difficult! If it was easy we would all be doing it without thinking twice. Part of the reason that some conversations are considered difficult is also usually what makes them so important and so absolutely necessary. 

  The good news is that having difficult conversations is something that we can all get better at. In this short session we’ll explore some super simple ways that we can approach these types of conversations and how we might go about making them a little easier to have.

We look forward to meeting you!

Special Invitation for PBN Members

Join us for a free interactive online event on Wednesday 17 May 2023 from 08.15-10.15

As we move through a post-pandemic phase of economic turmoil, businesses that are set up to best advantage will be better placed to maximise the growth opportunities of this phase.

This small group, interactive online event explores what actions business leaders should be taking and when for maximum impact. Following outstanding feedback from previous events, we are delighted to host this special event for a select group of guests.

The event will be led by Fergus King. Investor, sought-after speaker and now one of the most experienced business coaches in the UK, over the last 20 years Fergus has personally supported over 350 owner managed businesses and helped them to be as profitable, valuable and enjoyable as possible. www.fergusking.com

Addressing both commercial and cultural issues, during the event Fergus will raise questions, share perspectives, and inspire participants to take additional actions to complement what they are already working on.

We do hope that you’ll be able to join us at this special event. If you register for this, a ZOOM invite will be emailed to you beforehand.

*Please note: this is a not an exclusive PBN session and therefore attendees will not all be female.

Join us for our AGM.

We are pleased to be hosting our annual AGM at the Mercure Hotel Perth this year. Join us for the meeting from 7pm, plus there’s a social gathering afterwards too. We’ll be discussing our plans for the coming year and we’re eager to hear your views.

This is open to members and non-members (only members can vote on any proposals at AGM) and has limited availability.

We look forward to meeting you!

Want to boost your business with LinkedIn? We’ll take you beyond networking by showing you how it can market your products and promote your brand.

What to expect from this webinar

No longer just an online CV, LinkedIn can be an incredibly powerful - and profitable - business tool. Like any tool, you must learn how to use it, and this webinar gives you expert guidance.

You will:

• Learn how to create a LinkedIn strategy to boost your business reputation via marketing and brand promotion initiatives.

• Learn the difference between personal and company profiles and how to optimise them for both maximum visibility and brand awareness.

• Understand that content is king on LinkedIn, and we’ll show you how to plan and produce captivating content that enriches your brand.

Please note: A link to access the webinar will be sent to you in your booking confirmation email. You may need to look in your ‘Clutter’ or ‘Spam’ folder to find it.

This is a ‘DigitalBoost’ event which is funded by Digital Scotland and delivered by Business Gateway.

Could your website be easier to use? Are users able to find what they are looking for? Learn some handy hints and tips to give your customers a great user experience.

What to expect from this webinar

Websites should look good and function well, and give your website visitors and customers a positive user experience.

During this webinar, we’ll look at User Experience (UX) and how you can improve it on your website, including:

• Understand what User Experience is

• A look at some of the key factors, including credibility, value, purpose and more

• Hints, tips and tools to help you start improving elements of your website

• An overview of tools to help you measure User Experience

Please Note: A link to access the webinar will be sent to you in your booking confirmation email. You may need to look in your ‘Clutter’ or ‘Spam’ folder to find it.

This is a ‘DigitalBoost’ event which is funded by Digital Scotland and delivered by Business Gateway.

What to expect from this event

The workshop will look at:

• managing a profit and loss account

• producing a cashflow statement

• working capital

• the different sources of finance

• the different legal structures of a business

There will also be information on additional services from Business Gateway and details of other workshops which may be appropriate for you.

Understanding the needs of all when producing digital content helps you to market your business inclusively. This webinar will highlight the challenges and help you to make your content accessible.

What to expect from this webinar

Everyone consumes and understands information differently, with some facing additional challenges that aren’t always considered. In this webinar, we’ll explore the challenges that people can have when accessing digital content and we’ll look at the ways you can improve your digital content to be inclusive and considerate for all.

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Understand and consider the barriers and challenges faced by others when accessing digital content.

• Assess your digital content on how easy it is for others to access, consume and understand.

• Review your website content with an understanding of what adjustments you should make to ensure that your content is catering to all.

• Use social media functions and tools to help make your content more accessible.

• Understand and use an ‘Accessibility Ready Checklist’ for any of your content to ensure you are designing and developing content for all of your audience.

Please note: A link to access the webinar will be sent to you in your booking confirmation email. You may need to look in your ‘Clutter’ or ‘Spam’ folder to find it.

This is a ‘DigitalBoost’ event which is funded by Digital Scotland and delivered by Business Gateway.

Just starting up or looking to update your business plan to get funding or take forward developments? Then this session is for you.

What to expect from this webinar

New and established businesses will require a business plan for getting a loan, grant or just to consider the direction they wish to go in. This webinar will teach you what you need to include and how. We will walk you through what should be included within a business plan, how a business plan is used to improve your prospects for a loan or a grant, and how you can develop a business plan to meet your needs.

We will:

• Provide a structure for a business plan

• Review each section of what should be included within the business plan

• Explain when and how to use a business plan

• Explore the connections (and importance) between the words and the numbers

• Look at how to identify and manage cashflow within the business planning process

This webinar will be held on GoToMeeting.

Discover why the use of video helps people find your brand or website and how this kind of content has become a powerful way to engage with your audience.

What to expect from this webinar

Video captures people's attention online and is important for getting your message across, while engaging with your target audience.

Learn how to:

• Choose what type of video to create to suit your business objectives

• Plan, shoot, edit, and upload video without special kit or expertise.

• Get to know the various digital platforms that can be utilised to view and share video content.

• See what editing apps are available and how to add music and subtitles.

Please note: A link to access the webinar will be sent to you in your booking confirmation email. You may need to look in your ‘Clutter’ or ‘Spam’ folder to find it.

This is a ‘DigitalBoost’ event which is funded by Digital Scotland and delivered by Business Gateway.

This session will provide you with the key information and tools to plan and start your own business.

What to expect from this webinar

Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, Business Gateway is here to support you and help you decide if this is the right path for you. Helping you consider your plans from exploring your potential customers to looking at the key activities and costs involved.

We will cover:

• Personal finance planning – how much do you need to earn?

• Researching your market – who your customers are, understanding your competition and what the trends are within your chosen field

• Business structure – what are the core business structures? How to decide which is right for you and how to register as a business

• Creating your start-up action plan – an outline

• Marketing

• Pricing

• Naming the business

• Basic bookkeeping

• Forecasting

• Financing, banking, insurance, and VAT

• Tax

Attendees will be provided with a pdf copy of the slides and a workbook to complete.

This webinar will be held on GoToMeeting.

This webinar will help you build an effective strategy to deliver great customer service. We will cover the key considerations when thinking about how your business interacts with its customers.

What to expect from this webinar

Did you know that a returning customer will typically spend more than two thirds more with your business than a brand new one?

Did you know that retaining just 5% of your customer base can give an increase of over 20% in profits for your business?

Having an effective strategy in place for your business to deliver great customer service is critical for your business.

We will cover:

• Why good customer service is critical for business growth

• What are the essentials of delivering great customer service and how should this be delivered?

• How to effectively manage different types of customers and their expectations

• How, why, and when you should measure the service a business delivers

• How to use the service provided to promote a business and enable growth

This webinar will be held on GoToMeeting.

This workshop aims to make you aware of the various requirements involved in setting up a business.

What to expect from this webinar

This workshop will be held online via zoom. Joining instructions will be shared with you once you have booked your space.

The workshop will provide you with the opportunity to network with other business owners and will also highlight useful sources of information, advice and guidance.

There will also be information on additional services from Business Gateway and details of other workshops and webinars which may be appropriate for you.

If you would prefer an in person / interactive workshop, we will be hosting this event in Perth on the 18th April. Please see our website for the event listing and to book.

Every social media platform now prioritises live video streaming. Combine that with online webinars and remote working options, and your business can thrive online. Join us to find out how.

What to expect from this webinar

Are you ready to ‘go live’ and engage your audience with a live stream? What about running webinars or working remotely with clients or collaborators on the other side of the world? Let us guide you through:

• How to use video live streaming, webinars and remote collaboration tools to get results for your business

• Equipment you need to get started

• An overview of the tools and platforms currently available

• Examples of what others are doing

• How to monetise this way of working

Please Note: A link to access the webinar will be sent to you in your booking confirmation email. You may need to look in your ‘Clutter’ or ‘Spam’ folder to find it.

This is a ‘DigitalBoost’ event which is funded by Digital Scotland and delivered by Business Gateway.