Business Services Showcase 2024

Meet a wide variety of rural micro businesses who provide business to business services and choose to support them the next time you need a graphic designer, marketer, consultant, researcher and more!

Financial Services

Paula, Watson Financial Management

Location: Duror, Nr Glencoe

Provides: Financial management

“I take the time to understand your unique needs and develop tailored solutions that drive success for your business with sustainable results.”

About my business: No matter the size or industry, at Watson Financial Management, I take a tailored and personal approach to financial management to help your business reach its full potential. As a Finance Specialist, I am dedicated to making your financial data work for you. By analysing and interpreting your financial information, I can provide valuable insights that will empower you to make strategic decisions and achieve your business goals.

My services include financial analysis (Financial Analysis & Reporting), budgeting and forecasting (Fractional Finance Director Services), cashflow management (Strategic & Financial Planning), financial training (Financial Training & Coaching), financial health checks (Financial Health check) and much more.

I work closely with my clients to help them navigate the complexities of financial management. I take the time to understand your unique needs and develop tailored solutions that drive success for your business with sustainable results.

Why work with me: As a finance specialist with years of experience working with various businesses and organisations, I bring real-world experience to the table. I also specialise in making finance easy to understand for all my clients, tailoring my services to meet their specific needs. Plus, I offer competitive pricing and a personal approach, ensuring that you get the best value for your money from your investment.

Contact me: Email Paula.wfm@outlook.com or call 07852 505953.

Website: https://watsonfm.co.uk/

Margaret McLaren Consultancy

Location: Blackford, Perthshire

Provides: Financial Services

“I concentrate on helping small businesses with their accounting and tax affairs and have extensive experience of creating clarity from chaos…”

About my business: I concentrate on helping small businesses with their accounting and tax affairs and have extensive experience of creating clarity from chaos and dealing with HMRC both on day to day matters and Tax Investigations. I help and support businesses and organisations with financial management and training and have over 20 years experience of Quickbooks and setting up complex stock control systems. I also support Xero and FreeAgent.

Other Specialties—Consultancy in SMEs, Agricultural Tax, Investigating Economic Crime, investigating changing legal status of business from Limited Company to Sole Trader/Partnership and vice versa

Why work with me: I am a micro-business who collaborates with other specialists to provide the accounting and taxation services which are needed by SMEs. New businesses who seek professional help before they start have a much better chance of succeeding.

Contact me: Email margaret.t.mclaren@btinternet.com. There is no charge for an exploratory meeting.

Coaching and Consultancy Services

Clare, Will to Win

Location: Newtonmore

Provides: Personal and Professional Coaching and Mentoring

“I help people in business overcome their limitations and fears to help make business and life moves they've always wanted to make.”

About my business: I help individuals, business owners and entrepreneurs all over Scotland and beyond. Will to Win specialises in Personal and Professional Development Coaching and Mentoring. I help people in business overcome their limitations and fears to help make business and life moves they've always wanted to make. Clients come to me when they're ready to make a change and want to work through the details to make this change happen.

Why work with me: A total bespoke approach with full accountability bringing Psychology, Philosophy and Science to life, building solutions around them that are proven, trusted and evidence based.

Contact me: Contact via clare@will-to-win.co.uk, or WhatsApp: 07765056440.

Website: www.will-to-win.co.uk

Daniel, Supply Chain Scotland

Location: Perthshire

Offers: Consulting on business processes and systems

“I provide support and advice on all elements of supply chain
activity including demand and supply planning, customer and
supplier relationships and logistics.”

About my business: I provide support and advice on all elements of supply chain activity including demand and supply planning, customer and supplier relationships and logistics. My clients are typically manufacturing businesses who have challenges or new requirements in these areas and I can help them improve their business performance, reducing costs and improving service.

Why work with me: I have broad experience from having run supply chain operations in some of Scotland's leading food and drink businesses, and a practical approach to fit my clients needs.

Contact me: Email me at hello@supplychainscotland.org or contact me via LinkedIn.

Website: www.SupplyChainScotland.org

Architectural Services

Architecture and Partners LLP

Location: Stornoway

Services: Architecture and Surveying

About our business: We are Chartered Architects and Chartered Surveyors registered by Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and Royal institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). We help people to design economical new environmentally friendly buildings and to look after their existing homes. We have been doing this since 1971. We can work over most of the country from our office in Stornoway; from our other office in Greenwich we can help property owners to comply with English regulations. We have special expertise in Party Wall Act matters.

Our services include:

- new buildings

- building extensions

- loft conversions

- internal alterations and building improvement - residential refurbishment

- planning and building control applications

- contract administration

- building surveys

- party walls

Why work with us: We are a multi-disciplinary professional team providing services and advice to clients who need help to design new buildings or maintain existing ones or to make investment decisions. We are known for our inspirational design solutions and for making the complicated simple. With years of experience, we provide specialist architectural, surveying and construction services.

Much of our work is adaptations and alterations to existing buildings, some quite small in private houses, but we also do larger buildings, such as our 109-bed hotel in Leicester, and several garden centres in Kent. We are adaptable enough to help with self-build projects, such as a new centre for Shiri Guru Cultural Association.

Contact us: The best way to contact us is to send us an email: ian.gordon@architecturepartners.com or ahmet.cinici@architecturepartners.com, with contact details. We will call you back promptly.

Website: www.architecturepartners.com

Range Studio

Location: South of Scotland

Offers: Architectural services

About our business: We work on a wide range of building types and scales, have a strong understanding of rural context and have been successful in gaining planning, listed building and building warrant consents for a variety of commercial, business and institutional clients.

Why work with us: We've helped evolve plans for diversification, change of use, development and business accommodation projects. Understanding that every client and project is different, we tailor our approach to match your style and location/ project type. Whether you're hands-on or prefer us to take the lead, we'll interpret your vision and help bring it to life.

Contact us: You can email: Kathleen@rangestudio.co.uk or call Kathleen: 07870 812 015. We can provide an initial questionnaire that helps gather basic project information and an understanding of your ideas/ aspirations.

Website: https://www.rangestudio.co.uk/

“Whether you're hands-on or prefer us to take the lead, we'll interpret your vision and help bring it to life.”

Digital and Marketing Services

Sophie Jones Social

Location: Milnathort, Kinross

Offers: Marketing Support, Social Media Management and Website Design

“We help small businesses get real results from their marketing efforts and we help founders get some time back so that they can focus on doing what they enjoy.”

About my business: We are a small Marketing agency that works with micro, small and medium sized businesses across a variety of sectors. We specialise in Social Media Management and offer a full range of marketing services that include Website Design, Content Creation, Branding and Design and Marketing and Social Media Strategy. We understand what is like to own a business and have to be an expert in everything. We help small businesses get real results from their marketing efforts and we help founders get some time back so that they can focus on doing what they enjoy.

Why work with me: We are a small business just like our clients are, we understand the struggles they face on a daily basis and become an extension of their team. We really get to know our clients businesses and the industries they work within. We will always go the extra mile for our clients because their success is what gets us out of bed in the morning!

Contact me: Email sophiejones@sophiejonessocial.com

Website: https://www.sophiejonessocial.com/

Jennifer, Strath Communications

Location: Grantown on Spey

Offers: Marketing Services — helping local businesses in the Highlands and across the North of Scotland bring their sustainability messages to life and engage with their target audience.

“I understand the challenges faced when running a business and provide flexible, tailor-made marketing solutions that work for you and your business.”

About my business: My passion is saving the planet, one business at a time.

To bring sustainable thinking into all the marketing I do for clients
To effect positive change and ensure their businesses are future-proof
To help businesses by marketing effectively to their customers with maximum impact

I work with new and established businesses that may not have the time or internal resources to dedicate to their marketing and achieve their potential growth. Businesses that are ready to make a difference, are passionate about their products and services and want to share their stories with customers in an authentic and engaging way.

Why work with me: I’ve been working in marketing for over 23 years! I’ve worked in industries from food and drink, tourism and hospitality, to the automotive sector. Each one has brought more experiences on which to draw and bring to your business. I understand the challenges faced when running a business and provide flexible, tailor-made marketing solutions that work for you and your business.

Contact me: Email jennifer@strathcomms.co.uk to set up a discovery call.

Website: https://strathcomms.co.uk

Jules Akel

Location: Dalwhinnie, Cairngorms, Highlands

Offers: Graphic design

About my business: I am a designer of persuasive brands, identity, books and brochures, packaging, websites, exhibitions, interpretive displays and advertising that make my clients prosperous and happy.

Why work with me: I have created work for institutions, companies and individuals in many industries, trades and professions.

I aim to be a thoughtful designer who has no house style. What I create primarily is about my client’s need and the need to communicate their messages to their audiences. And because I am not influenced by the changes in design fashion my work has longevity. Have a look at akel.co.uk. There you will see work that has been created over more than thirty years. But, can you tell which ones were designed thirty years ago and which were designed last year?

Contact me: Email me at design@akel.co.uk and I'll come and have a coffee and a chat!

Website: akel.co.uk

Nathan and Abi, The Perthshire Magazine and Media Co

Location: Perthshire

Services: Digital Marketing Services

“We love helping local businesses with promotion, whether that’s low-cost advertising within The Perthshire Magazine or working together as a team to tell their story.”

About our business: We are a husband and wife team offering a wide range of digital marketing services, including social media management, copywriting, newsletter creation, marketing calendars, high quality brand photography and more. We have experience working with small businesses, sole traders, social enterprises and community groups to deliver on their unique needs.

We also offer a cost-effective advertising option in our beautiful online magazine, which is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike and makes an excellent setting to share your products or services. Advertorials are just £35.

Why work with us: It’s just the two of us, but we are your one stop shop for all digital marketing needs!

We love helping local businesses with promotion, whether that’s low-cost advertising within The Perthshire Magazine or working together as a team to tell their story.

Contact us: For advertising, please fill out the submissions form on our Perthshire Magazine website.

For digital marketing services, email us at perthshiremediaco@gmail.com or visit https://www.perthshiremediaco.com

Website: www.theperthshiremagazine.com

Alistair, Creative Mongrel

Location: North East Fife

Services: Creative services – web design, branding, web copywriting, photography

About my business: Small business owners are already spinning plates, so when they’re thinking about a new website they don’t need an extra headache—like finding and co-ordinating the different creative freelancers it takes to put one together, or taking precious time out to learn new skills and do it themselves.

So it’ll come as a big relief to know that at Creative Mongrel I offer an alternative: a full range of creative services under one roof—like a one-man agency without the agency price tag. Services include web design, brand messaging and strategy, website copywriting, logos and brand visuals, and professional photography. I work with small businesses of all kinds—but I particularly love working with those who share my people-and-planet-focused approach and who like to do business without doing harm.

Why work with me:

I meet clients where they’re at. Know nothing about web design and branding? I get it, and I’ll guide you from start to finish. Building your site yourself, but want to make sure your message is rock-solid before you start? My Ignite session is designed with that in mind. Just need photography? You get the picture…
I build sites using the easy-to-use Squarespace platform, so they’re simple to maintain by yourself when I’ve finished…
I believe in keeping the process fast and simple—websites can be designed, built and launched in as little as two weeks…
Unlike many creatives, I want to make sure your brand isn’t just a pretty face that doesn’t deliver—which is why I can also work with you to make sure your brand foundations are rock solid before I start designing…
I have a background spanning over three decades in different creative sectors, from architecture to professional photography, design and branding—bringing a wealth of experience to the table.

Contact me: Use my website booking form to book a call, or contact me via social media.

Website: www.creativemongrel.com

Other Assorted Services

Sarah, Unlock Your Past

Location: Kinross

Services: Family history research

About my business: I offer genealogical services for legal or heir hunting purposes. I can help research potential heirs.

I am conveniently located near Perth, Edinburgh, Dundee and Stirling where I can easily access the archival centres. Whether for academic study, professional research, or legal purposes, the benefits of my services extend far and wide.

Why work with me: My genealogical services are tailored to the client's needs.

Contact me: I can be reached by email at sarah@unlockyourpast.co.uk or by phone at 07969 352204.

Website: www.unlockyourpast.co.uk

Jim, rideawaybikepacking

Location: Grantown-on-Spey

Services: All inclusive guided bikepacking from the edge of the forests and the mountains of The Cairngorm National Park

About my business: My services for guests include: How to identify appropriate multi-day routes of your own. Choosing what equipment, food and clothing to take when bikepacking. How to manage your bike, equipment and self on multi-day routes. How to ride appropriately when wilderness biking on multi-day routes. Emergency procedures. Navigation using map & compass, GPS and mobile apps.

Guests of rideawaybikepacking are people who are already experienced cyclists who would like to try bikepacking for the first time, or those who are reasonably active and want to try out a new activity in a way that is sensitive to and supportive of local communities.

They will all be people from all over the UK, Europe or worldwide who value the importance of buying from local suppliers and respect the environment by adopting a leave-no-trace philosophy. Where possible they travel here using public transport and bring their own bikes too.

My overnight backpacking trips make an excellent small group option (maximum of four work colleagues) for active corporate getaways and team building retreats.

Why work with me: I created rideawaybikepacking because I’m passionate about bikepacking, and appreciate the value of supporting local communities and businesses, as well as providing all guests, without regard to race, gender or sexual orientation or nationality, a unique all inclusive experience of guided bikepacking.

Contact us: By email at rideawaybikepacking@gmail.com, or phone 07761293097.

Website: www.rideawaybikepacking.co.uk

Lindsay, Wide Sky Weddings

Location: Nethy Bridge, Cairngorms

Offers: Wedding Planner

“Usually I work with couples who don't live in the area, lead busy lives and who don't have the time to research and meet themselves with venues and suppliers.”

About my business: I provide wedding planning services to couples looking to escape to the Highlands of Scotland for their wedding adventure. Usually I work with couples who don't live in the area, lead busy lives and who don't have the time to research and meet themselves with venues and suppliers. I can take away all the stress of planning a destination wedding and be there on the day to ensure that their day is nothing less than perfect.

Local suppliers can work alongside me if they are interested in the wedding market — for example, providing favours or gifts for the couples or guests.

Why work with me: I am the only wedding planner working within the Cairngorms National Park with the knowledge of all the best venues and wedding suppliers. I have many years of experience working with people in many different capacities and I love to share the emotions and excitement that comes with my couples' weddings!

Contact me: Via the contact page on my website.

Website: www.wideskyweddings.com

Thank you for taking a look through our Business Services Showcase!

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