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Businesses on Scilly are once again being offered expert advice on how to be more profitable. The second Scilly Business Week is taking place at the Porthmellon Enterprise Centre Monday 7th to Friday 11th March and is open to all business owners, sole traders and budding entrepreneurs living and working across the islands.

The week of presentations and workshops have been put together by the Islands' Partnership assisted by the Lifelong Learning team at the Council of the Isles of Scilly. They have been designed and selected to help island businesses make more money by gaining a better understanding of, and more confidence in, delivering a service or selling a product that is both highly sustainable and more profitable. One-to-one advice will also be available for business owners in all industries – from retailers and restauranteurs, to artists and accommodation providers and, of course local producers and trade service providers.

Following on from the success of last year, the sessions in place for 2016 reflect feedback and requests for certain topics to be included. This year will also include a Business Breakfast networking event on the first morning at The Mermaid.

Sessions will include how to harness and make the most of business opportunities around Scilly’s new events programme; provide the latest information and updates from Google (Tags, Beacons, HTTPS and more) and Social Media (Facebook for Business etc); offer top tips for webhosting and web security; how best to work with journalists and how to get your product photography right.

Representatives will also attend from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub and Council of the Isles of Scilly to inform island-based businesses about the new £2.25 million Voucher Scheme fund to be launched which will enable them to seek funding for growth, whilst Martyn Pearson returns by popular demand to help businesses cost and price their products to be more profitable. Additionally, there will be a session to explain new pensions regulations and payroll obligations, whilst the team from JobCentrePlus Penzance will be here to offer Universal Credit and recruitment advice for employers, employees and seasonaires.

“This is an excellent opportunity for business owners across Scilly to really immerse themselves in how they can grow their trade profitably and operate efficiently,” says David Jackson, Executive Director Islands’ Partnership. “The sessions will be highly practical, and supplemented by useful one-to-ones where businesses can seek specific advice regarding their own particular needs.”

All the sessions are free or subsidised, with places on the more practical sessions limited to 20 per session. Participants can book their places by calling the Islands’ Partnership office on 01720 424036 and speaking to Sam Ellis, or emailing [email protected].

Download the full programme: Scilly Business Week 2016 Full Programme.