ONE LIFE - COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES

There's no denying we live in a stunning part of the world

We only pass through this world once. We have one life – full of opportunities.

It’s my belief that we should do what good we can while we’re in this world. One thing I want to do with my time here is create opportunities - as many opportunities for as many people as possible.   

I’ve said it before, that one of the most important opportunities that people have is to work and earn a living. This is a principle that we support and work towards at New Start Highland.

We offer a whole variety of placements, available to a whole variety of people including working closely with HIE to deliver student and graduate placements – 100% of which have gone on to secure employment in their field of study.

With this in mind, I like to look back to the opportunities given to me in the past and how they have helped shape my life – something that could probably take up a whole blog in itself and so something I will likely come back to.

But of more significance this week, and while discussing opportunities, I’d like to let the blogosphere know about a brand new social enterprise that will give SMEs and businesses in the area the opportunity to access finance, where traditional sources may have let them down of late.    

Fergus Ewing launched the new venture last Thursday

The north and west of Scotland is a beautiful and diverse place and our people famed the world over for their geniality.  But just as we’re warm, we’re also well versed to colder climes. I don’t need to reiterate the fact that the global financial crisis, as with everywhere, hit the Highlands hard. The local economy may be resilient and improving but it still has a little way to go. 

I believe that the Highlands and Islands have the potential to recover from their current economic situation while maintaining a positive outlook for the future. The growth of small businesses in the Highlands and Islands is something I care deeply about.  The current conditions for accessing finance for this growth however are tough. 

With traditional bank lending experiencing its 5th year of decline*, last Thursday saw the launch of a brand new venture, motivated by the will to see a strong and economically healthy Highlands.  

 ‘Highlands and Islands Business Finance’ is a new social enterprise that will deliver business finance to SMEs seeking investment. It has been founded by Harry Wilson, Allan Sillars and myself.

The launch took place at the beautiful new conference suite at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness last Thursday (07/02/14) with MSP Fergus Ewing delivering a key note address to around 50 representatives from different sectors meeting to discuss and help launch the new social enterprise. 

With Allan and Harry (with a combined 65 years’ worth of experience in the banking world) on board and through my experience working in social enterprise and business start-ups in the rural community, ‘Highlands and Islands Business Finance’ hopes to deliver a service for which a substantial need has been highlighted.

Giving businesses and SMEs the opportunity to grow in this area has great benefits for the people who live here too, whose interests are, and remain to be, my own primary interest. In the first two years, 'Highlandsand Islands Business Finance' anticipates contributing towards the creation of 120 jobs in the area. That means an opportunity will be created for 120 people; 120 households and 120 plus businesses that will grow and be stronger. 

Please visit www.hibf.co.uk for more information. 

*figure from Financial Times

HIBF was launched in partnership with DSL Business Finance. DSL is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI), a member of the Community Development Finance Association and the European Microfinance Network.  They provide business start-up and growth loans for small businesses and social enterprises that can't access funding from banks and other traditional sources.  HIBF will benefit from the expertise and connectivity of the Glasgow based business investors; foreseeing a brighter future for small businesses in the Highland economy.