As part of our ongoing 10th anniversary celebrations across all four nations of the UK, we held an event hosted by Barclays Eagle Labs in Glasgow highlighting the vital role SBC accredited business schools play in driving economic growth and empowering small business success in Scotland.
The event brought together key figures in business, academia, entrepreneurship, and business groups to address the opportunities and challenges for SMEs in Scotland to drive growth in the Scottish economy.
The event featured keynote speeches from Michelle Ferguson, Director of Scotland, CBI and Professor Eleanor Shaw OBE, Dean, University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School, and Scotland Chair, Chartered Association of Business Schools.
In her opening remarks, Amy Morgan, Partnership Manager Barclays Eagle Labs welcomed the guests and highlighted the important role that small businesses play in the Scottish economy:
“We are delighted to host the SBC 10 year anniversary celebrations at Barclays Eagle Labs. Access to learning, funding, and ecosystems are some of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face, and this event is all about helping to demystify those barriers.”
In her speech, Michelle Feruguson spoke about the unique opportunities and challenges facing SMEs in Scotland:
"The work the SBC does to bring innovation and expertise together is crucial, and the collaboration between business schools and SMEs is a catalyst for growth. I know firsthand how challenging it is to set up a business, but the impact of small businesses on the economy is significant. Their success is fundamental to the strength of the Scottish economy. SMEs make up 99.3% of private sector businesses and generate 43.4% of private sector turnover. If we want small businesses to thrive, the system around them must thrive too."
Before chairing a panel discussion with small business leaders, Professor Eleanor Shaw OBE shared her insights on unlocking entrepreneurial development in Scotland’s SME ecosystem:
“Our small businesses are essential to the Scottish economy. The SBC showcases the meaningful contribution universities and business schools make across the UK make to economic growth. Many universities and their business schools serve as key anchor institutions in their regional economies and are deeply engaged with entrepreneurs and small businesses. While small businesses are resilient and innovative, they still need support, which is why Help to Grow: Management was created. The course has already made a meaningful impact in Scotland and across the UK, with 91% of participants reporting increased awareness of the factors that drive productivity and growth.”
The panel discussion featured SME leaders working with SBC-accredited members in Scotland including Hasan Ertekin, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Jump N Joy, Ewan MacDonald, Owner & Director, Houston Kiltmakers, and Bayile Adeoti, Founder, Dechomai.
Bayile Adeoti, an alumna of Strathclyde Business School’s Help to Grow Programme and a current participant in its Growth Accelerator Programme, spoke about the support she has received from the business school:
“The support and teaching provided by Strathclyde Business School has been instrumental in helping both businesses I currently run - Dechomai and start up, BobbAI. They’ve helped me navigate growth as well as provide my businesses with the tools and support to manage some of the strategic challenges that come with being an entrepreneur. When you engage with a business school, you’ll find it’s a doorway to so many opportunities. If you’re running a small business in Scotland, then speaking to your local business school should be one of your top priorities.”
Concluding the event, Flora Hamilton, Executive Director, Small Business Charter said:
“What a great discussion. Listening to these fascinating businesses has been both inspiring and humbling. Small businesses are making a huge difference to our high streets, communities, and economy. Our SBC accredited business schools play a key role by bringing in small businesses to innovate and grow, and provide valuable resource for entrepreneurs.”