Business Foundations & Online Essentials

Business Foundations & Online Essentials

Date: Thursday 5th November

Time: 9am - 1pm

Location: Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, 3 Harbour Quay, Eastbourne BN23 5QF

Ideal for: Sole traders, early-stage businesses and micro businesses operating in East Sussex

Format: In-person | Practical | Interactive | Peer learning

Cost: Fully funded for East Sussex businesses

When you are busy running a business, it can be difficult to find the time to step back, review your priorities and think clearly about what needs to happen next.

At the same time, customers increasingly expect businesses to have a professional online presence and communicate confidently through digital channels.

This fully funded event brings together two complementary workshops designed to address both needs.

The morning begins with Business Planning: Build Your Business Roadmap, helping you clarify your direction, priorities and next steps. It is followed by Online Presence & Everyday Business Tools, which explores the practical platforms and digital tools that can help you operate professionally and efficiently.

Together, the workshops will help you create stronger foundations and feel more confident about where your business is heading.

Workshop A

Carl Southwell, Start Up Street

Carl Southwell helps early stage founders get clear, confident and ready to move. He runs Startup Street, supporting people to turn early ideas into real businesses through simple tools, straightforward planning and a strong focus on action. Carl has spent years working with local communities, councils, sports foundations and business networks, helping thousands of people start and grow projects that make a real difference. His style is practical and encouraging, cutting out the noise and showing people what actually works in the real world. Carl brings energy, modern thinking and a genuine passion for helping founders take their first steps.

Workshop B

Mina O'brien, Ditzy Media

Mina O'Brien is the founder of Ditzy Media and an award-winning social media trainer with over 12 years' experience helping businesses, charities and community organisations shine online. Known for her practical, down-to-earth teaching style, Mina delivers engaging workshops on social media marketing, content creation, Canva, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, helping businesses and non-profits build confidence and achieve results.

Running a business can make it difficult to look beyond immediate deadlines and customer demands.

This workshop provides dedicated time and practical guidance to help you consider the bigger picture, establish priorities and create a clear roadmap for your business.

You will explore how to turn broad ideas into manageable actions and identify what should receive your attention now, next and later.

• Clarifying the purpose and direction of your business
• Reviewing where your business is now
• Identifying priorities and opportunities
• Setting realistic goals
• Turning goals into practical actions
• Creating a manageable business roadmap
• Finding relevant guidance and further support

• A clearer sense of direction
• A better understanding of your immediate priorities
• A practical roadmap for your business
• Realistic actions you can begin implementing
• Greater confidence about your next steps

A professional online presence can help customers find your business, understand what you offer and feel confident choosing to work with you.

This workshop will introduce the main platforms and tools that small businesses can use to build visibility, communicate professionally and manage everyday tasks.

The focus will be on accessible, affordable tools rather than complicated technology.

• What makes a credible online presence
• The role of your website
• Creating or improving a Google Business Profile
• Choosing appropriate social media platforms
• Canva and simple content creation tools
• Digital accounts and everyday business applications
• Practical uses of AI in a small business
• Keeping your online information consistent and current

• A clearer understanding of your online priorities
• Practical ideas to improve your visibility
• Greater confidence choosing digital tools
• Actions you can take to strengthen your online presence
• Useful tools and resources to explore after the event

Your business plan sets the direction. Your online presence and digital tools help you put that plan into action.

By attending both workshops, you will have the opportunity to consider what your business needs to achieve and then identify the practical tools that can help you get there.

This event is suitable for business owners who:

• Are unclear about their next priorities
• Have several ideas but need a more structured plan
• Want to improve their website or online visibility
• Feel uncertain about digital tools
• Want simple ways to work more professionally
• Need time to work on their business rather than only in it

No advanced technical knowledge is required.

The programme is only open to businesses that are based and trading in East Sussex (that excludes Brighton & Hove, I’m afraid).

9:00am–9:30am Registration, refreshments and informal networking

9:30am–11:00am Business Planning: Build Your Business Roadmap

11:00am–11:30am Refreshment break and networking

11:30am–1:00pm Online Presence & Everyday Business Tools

1:00pm Close and signposting to further support

👉 Secure your fully funded place today.

This programme is funded by the Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority and East Sussex County Council. It is managed by East Sussex County Council and delivered by Freedom Works.

Event venue & nearby stays

Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club Ltd, car park, Eastbourne, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

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