Workshops

UK Export Academy - Content chameleon: How you can succeed with content marketing

Join our Fuel your Business Growth: Digital Edge series, in this session we will be exploring how to ensure your website is accessible to UK and international customers alike.

UK Export Academy - Managing social media channels on a budget

Go from social media novice to social media ninja! Join us to learn how to increase your reach and grow your customers.

Seed to Soar - Funding for Growing Businesses

Join Innovate UK Business Growth and RedCAT Ventures for a free half-day event where you’ll discover the right path for your business, with expert speakers, investor insights, and practical guidance to help you grow with confidence.

Getting Started with M365 - Preparing you for the modern workplace

Course Description: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Microsoft 365, focusing on its core applications and collaborative features. Participants will gain practical knowledge of essential tools such as Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.

Ready to Raise? @ Blackburn

Ready to Raise? is a county-wide roadshow designed to connect founders, business owners, and directors with the people who fund growth including VCs, angel investors, and experienced advisors, who are all embedded in the Lancashire ecosystem.

From Confusion to Clarity: Building a Brand That Feels Like You

A warm, practical session for small business owners who want their brand to finally make sense — to them and to their audience. We’ll explore how to bring clarity to your message, consistency to your visuals, and confidence to the way you show up online.

Beyond the Brand: Building Trust Through Values and Integrity

Beyond the Brand: Building Trust Through Values and Integrity In today's world, people don't just buy products or services - they buy into values. A brand's integrity, authenticity, and actions matter more than ever, especially for small creative and digital businesses building trust with clients and communities.

AI, Creativity, and What It Means to Be Human

AI, Creativity, and What It Means to Be Human As artificial intelligence reshapes how we create, share, and experience art, design, music, and storytelling, the line between human and machine is blurring.

Preston Living Wage City Celebration and Networking Breakfast Event

The Preston Living Wage Action Group warmly invites you to join likeminded organisations to celebrate Preston's achievements as a Living Wage City!

LinkedIn for Business - Turning Connections into Opportunities

LinkedIn for Business - Turning Connections into Opportunities A focused workshop designed to help local business gain an understanding of LinkedIn.

When LLM Agents Become Hiring Managers - Exploring Bias in Agentic Systems

AI hiring agents can quietly replicate bias, screening out candidates before a human ever sees their CV. Let's talk about this!

Marketing Workshop – Building a Website

Workshop 1: |Website Development Fundamentals Website planning and structure Introduction to user-friendly CMS platforms like WordPress and Wix

Employee Voice: Empowering feedback and innovation

Giving employees a platform to share ideas and feedback. Involving employees in decision-making increases engagement and innovation.

Google AI Works for Business UK Events 2025 (Cardiff)

Introducing AI Works for Business, a brand new, hands-on event series by Google

Future Skills for Advanced Manufacturing

On Thursday 13 November, Burnley College is hosting a joint networking event in partnership with ourselves (NAA) and the North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA).

From Skint to Sorted: How to Pay Yourself First Without Breaking Your Business

Tired of being the last person to get paid in your own business? Join Tracy Irwin, Time Freedom Alchemist and former accountancy practice owner, for a practical, no-nonsense webinar that will show you exactly how to implement the Pay Yourself First system.

From Odd Jobs to Eight Figures: A Fireside Chat with Tom Munday

Join us for a special Fireside Chat with Tom Munday, Lancaster University alumnus and entrepreneurial force behind the success of Lux Rewards.

The Quick Stack

Come join us for an evening filled with fast pace! Lightning Talks and Speedy Connections! Make connections, not awkward silences

Vibe Coding 101

Vibe coding is a fresh, intuitive approach to building apps, mock-ups and prototypes. It focuses on emotion, clarity, and simplicity - ideal for beginners, designers, and creators.

Retail Renaissance Programme – Social Selling, Digital Marketing, SEO and Content Strategy

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line!

Practical Innovation Workshops - Responsible Innovation

Explore ethical, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to innovation.

Co-work & Connect

Connect & Co-Work in BwD Looking for a change of scene, some fresh energy, or just a chance to get things done alongside others?

Grow Your business by winning new contracts

Grow Your Business by Winning New Contracts Discover practical strategies, expert advice, and actionable tips to help your business secure new contracts and expand your client base.

From Vision to Action: Building a smart strategy in the age of AI

Sharpen your strategy, not just your tech 🎯. Learn how to build a clear, focused business strategy using proven frameworks, and see where you may leverage AI.

Creating Impact with TikTok & Instagram Reels

Creating Impact with TikTok & Instagram Reels Discover how to make short-form videos work for your business.

NAA Webinar: Future-Proofing Production: Proactive Steps for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing

Join us on 19th of November when Niomie Haynes of the North West Cyber Resilience Centre will help you gain an understanding of how to build cyber resilience in manufacturing.

The Basics of Starting a Business

In this Masterclass, Jordan and Jake from the Business Support Service will share the key steps needed to start a business!

Investment Readiness Workshop 2025 @ South Ribble

Master Your Investments: Investment Readiness Workshop Ready to take control of your financial future? Join us for a full-day Investment Readiness Workshop designed for aspiring investors and entrepreneurs.

UK Export Academy - Driving traffic with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Maximising your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is crucial to improving your online brand awareness. Want the secrets to international SEO success? Don't miss out on learning how to make your website more visible and increase your sales.

Business Twilight Networking Event

Centre Members are invited to join us for an inspiring twilight event designed to empower SMEs with practical tools, insights, and opportunities to grow and innovate. Join the Centre for SME & Enterprise Development, membership is free: www.lancashire.ac.uk/sme Generating Leads Made Simple: Practical Tools for Small Businesses

AI versus Humans

Discover, Connect, and Inspire A Power Hour of Learning and Sharing Join us for an engaging hour packed with opportunities to learn, network, and connect with like-minded individuals.

Practical Innovation Workshops - AI Literacy

Identify relevant AI use cases, address adoption challenges, and plan for responsible and informed implementation.

Practical Innovation Workshops - Digital Adoption

Gain guidance on technology selection, stakeholder engagement, and operational transformation.

Blogging & Social Media Analytics: Measuring What Matters

Blogging & Social Media Analytics: Measuring What Matters Learn how to use blogging and social media insights to grow your business.

Systemise to Scale: Free Seminar for Busy Business Owners

If you’re constantly firefighting and can’t find time to focus on growth, this session is for you. As your business grows, so do the challenges – more people, more moving parts, and more time spent fixing problems instead of planning progress.

Marketing Workshop – Digital Marketing Essentials with SEO Focus

Workshop 2 – Digital Marketing Essentials with SEO Focus. Learn: SEO fundamentals and how search engines work Keyword research and on-page optimisation

Not Another Planning Session: A Future-You Reset for Founders

Let’s be real: December is full of noise. Goals. Metrics. Resolutions. Vision boards. But what if the most strategic move you could make wasn’t another overstuffed plan — but a quiet moment to meet your next chapter with clarity, calm and intention?

Social Media Skills Bootcamp

Skills Bootcamps are intensive but flexible courses designed to give individuals the opportunity to build up sector specific skills.

Sales & Marketing Skills Bootcamp

Skills Bootcamps are intensive but flexible courses designed to give individuals the opportunity to build up sector specific skills.

Navigating Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

As Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) approaches, it's crucial to understand how these changes will impact your tax reporting and compliance.

AI in Action: Hands-On Innovation for SMEs and Entrepreneurs - Free Masterclass

AI in Action is an interactive masterclass designed to help SMEs and entrepreneurs explore the real-world potential of artificial intelligence.

Work Smarter with AI: Social Media Made Simple

Stop working weekends. Use AI to create, schedule & automate your marketing—faster, easier, smarter. Stop spending hours creating social media posts. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to use AI to create, schedule, and automate your marketing — faster, easier, and smarter.

How To Become Investment-Ready

Designed to equip startup and small business owners with the essential knowledge needed to secure investment.

Marketing Workshop – LinkedIn Mastery

Marketing Workshop 3 – LinkedIn Mastery – In this workshop: Introduction to LinkedIn: The Basics Building an Optimised LinkedIn Profile Networking and Building Connections

UK Export Academy - Effective Instagram to fuel your business growth

Want the secrets to success behind those businesses who have boosted their profits by selling on Instagram? Come join us for easy, practical tips on how you can use Instagram to sell your products or services to new customers, both in the UK and across the globe.

Social to Selling: How to Turn Your Social Media Posts Into Sales

In this session, you'll learn how to turn the content you’re already creating into conversations, clients, and consistent sales — without posting every day or dancing on Reels.

Retail Renaissance Programme – Diversification, Innovation & Product Development

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line!

The Business Briefing: Succession Planning

Join us for The Business Briefing — an event series from Brabners, a leading UK law firm, and Lancaster University Management School’s Entrepreneurs in Residence.

Retail Renaissance Programme – Optimising Online Sales, Market Insights and Consumer Trends

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line! Optimising Online Sales, Market Insights and Consumer Trends What’s hot and what’s not.

From Dragon’s Den to Global Impact: A Fireside Chat with Peter Harrison

Join us for an inspiring Fireside Chat with Peter Harrison, founder and Managing Director of award-winning firm FGH Security and proud LUMS MBA alumnus.

Ready to Raise? @ South Ribble

Ready to Raise? is a county-wide roadshow designed to connect founders, business owners, and directors with the people who fund growth including VCs, angel investors, and experienced advisors, who are all embedded in the Lancashire ecosystem.

Business Growth HR Essentials – Employment Rights Bill, Managing Sickness Absence and Managing a Probationary Period

Employment Rights Bill – HR Essentials Get ahead of major 2026 changes with our session covering two topics: Managing Sickness Absence – Prepare for day-one Statutory Sick Pay, wider eligibility, and policy/payroll updates to manage costs and absence trends.

Business Growth Workshop – Agentic AI

This advanced half-day workshop dives into the emerging Agentic Layer of AI — where intelligent agents act autonomously to drive outcomes.

Innovate Your Edge: Deliver Value

Beyond Tech Specs: Crafting a Value Proposition That Connects with Dr Jo Cresswell, Innovation Consultant & Director at ISR Enterprise Zone Great tech isn’t enough — your value proposition has to hit home.

Retail Renaissance Programme – Funding & Financial Guidance

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line! Funding & Financial Guidance Unlock Lancashire’s hidden funding vaults.

Co-work & Connect @ Blackburn

Connect & Co-Work in BwD Looking for a change of scene, some fresh energy, or just a chance to get things done alongside others?

Retail Renaissance Programme – Business Resilience

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line! Business Resilience Future-proof your retail business.

The Business Briefing: Intellectual Property

Join us for The Business Briefing — an event series from Brabners, a leading UK law firm, and Lancaster University Management School’s Entrepreneurs in Residence.

Co-work & Connect @ Blackburn

Connect & Co-Work in BwD Looking for a change of scene, some fresh energy, or just a chance to get things done alongside others?

Dare You Enter The Dragons' Den?

Think your business idea has what it takes? Dragons' Den Chorley gives local entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their start-up, product, or project to a panel of real investors and business experts - live, in front of an audience.

Retail Renaissance Programme – Workforce Development

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line!

Retail Renaissance Programme – Regulatory Support

Fully Funded Retail Support Programme Thanks to a brand new, custom made programme for retailers, ‘Retail Renaissance’ will help transform your retail business with expert-led sessions designed to future-proof your operations and boost your bottom line!