A huge welcome to Independent Business Owners in East Sussex

Scroll down to find out more, or take a few seconds to watch this welcome video from Gavin McWhirter  👇🏻

Not just another Small Business Hub

The East Sussex Business Hub has been set up a gateway to accessing different programmes of support available to independent businesses in East Sussex, as well as providing some online training, support, resources, and a community of other like-minded business owners.  

Set up and run by Digital Islands in conjunction with the county, district and borough councils we are here to provide free advice, help and support to local business owners (with funding from central Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund). 

Join this hub to find out more, including: 

1. One 2 One Business Health Checks (free for business owners in East Sussex)

2. Big Ambitions Essentials: A fully funded programme that provides:

   • 2-3 hour business diagnostic Action Plan meeting with a business advisor

   • Growth Mapper business snapshot

   • Up to 6 hours of one-to-one advice with a specialist advisor (selected according to your needs and circumstances) 

   • In-person training sessions (5th Dec, and 3 in January 2025)
   • Weekly online networking
3. Big Ambitions: A fully funded programme with up to 18 hours of one to one advice from a team of specialists and small business expert advisors for local businesses looking to grow. ** This programme reached full capacity in November so is now closed to new applications.  

4. Ready to Grow: A series of training workshops for businesses in their first 3 years of trading - delivered by small business specialists - plus one to one support. 

   • ** This programme reached full capacity in November so is now closed to new applications.

5. The Hub offers access to several free courses

6. The Hub provides updated information on local supports and grants

7. A community of independent business owners

8. Resources to help you grow

Why should I join this online Hub?

We are organising a whole series of activities, all designed to provide help, advice and support for local business owners. By signing up to this online hub you can get involved:

- offer advice to other local business owners

- access funded programmes of business support

- suggest events we should organise

- sign up to free webinars

- attend networking events

- register for a one to one business support meeting from a business advisor

- join a comprehensive business support programme 

Our workshops, events and the expert advice is open to all small business owners in the Districts of Lewes, Rother, Wealden and Eastbourne. All provided for free for members of this Hub.

How can you get involved?

• Join Us: click on the Join Us button below to join the East Sussex Business Hub

• Look around: There is no cost to any of the services provided through the Hub or for any of the workshops, courses or for the one to one health checks. 
• Get Involved: Say hello via the community. Feel free to introduce yourself and your business. It's a great opportunity to meet like minded business owners.
• Create a Profile: You can let other local business owners know what you do, as well as finding local suppliers or partner who you might want to work with.  
• Your Healthcheck: Members can pick a time and date for their one 2 one health check with a member of our team. Look out for the email from us with all of the details
• Jump in and Join in: Join the Hub and access a new world of business support, advice and expertise. We're open to ideas, so let us know what you are looking for. 

What others say

★★★★★

"What a wonderful workshop!  Matt made complex marketing concepts easy to understand and apply through his lean marketing canvas."

"The opportunities to collaborate with other attendees and receive feedback on my ideas and strategies were incredibly helpful." 

"An insightful and though provoking event"

"The one to one health-check meeting has been so much more useful than I expected!" 

"Excellent and would highly recommend"

Our 'sponsors'

The service is run by Digital Islands, a specialist provider of business support services. Digital Islands won a contract issued and managed by East Sussex County Council, who are working on behalf of the District and Borough Councils in Lewes, Eastbourne, Rother and Wealden. The councils have pooled funding they have received funding from UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund to make this support possible. 

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]  

Phone: 01273 610744