A NEW digital hub has been created to provide inspiration and practical advice to thousands of small businesses in the north.
The bank-led initiative at www.danskebizhub.co.uk will be a locally produced source of information and practical resources designed to help people navigate the challenges of running a small business, whether they are a seed company, a start-up or an established small business.
Richard Caldwell, managing director of business banking at Danske Bank in Belfast, said: “Northern Ireland has a rich history of invention and innovation, and small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy.
“But the rate of growth in the small business sector here is slower than it should be compared to other parts of the UK for various reasons including taxation costs, compliance, regulation, business rates and delayed payments.
"However, with this new online hub we are aiming to help businesses consider these issues, to encourage more business start-ups and to help existing businesses identify and create opportunities for growth.”
The hub includes interactive business tools, a business blog and videos featuring ideas and insights from other successful local businesses – all designed to help business owners take forward their ideas, build on their own expertise and provide advice on the challenges they face.
Among the first entrepreneurs to provide his insights on the hub is Oscar Woolley who with Annie Irwin founded Suki Tea, which has grown from being a part-time stall at St George’s Market in Belfast into an award winning business serving the local and international markets.
He said: “When starting a business it is important to be flexible in terms of your plans. In those early days, you may not have the confidence that you are doing things the right way or making decisions that will help your business grow.
"When we launched Suki Tea one of the things that helped us the most was the strong culture of support within Northern Ireland’s business community. There are many small business owners who have trodden that path before and are happy to share the benefit of their experience. That’s why I think the online hub created by Danske Bank is a great idea."
