Business Training Programme

Horsham District Council's Business Training Programme is an exciting series of business training workshops, designed to provide skills development and enhanced opportunities for local businesses to share and learn from the latest best practice.
The programme covers a wide range of topics using a blend of online and in-person formats. Course content is delivered by locally based business experts in their fields.
Contents
Current training opportunities
We are currently planning the Business Training Programme for 2025-27. Sign up to our fortnightly business support e-newsletter for the latest updates.
Some pre-recorded sessions are still available to access:
- How to create a strategy for business growth video series and 121 support
- How to make the most of your market stall: top tips video series
- Sales and negotiation skills quiz
For a list of workshops that have already taken place for 2023-25 click here.
How to create a strategy for business growth video series and 121 support
Join Mike Clare from Intrinsia for this online video series, where you will be taken through the process of developing and refining strategies, to enable you to identify and achieve the growth you want and adapt to changes in the business environment when they arise. Mike will also take you through how to best prepare for successful implementation of your plans.
Watch the video series on YouTube
Once you have watched the four-part video series you can apply for 121 support to help build your strategy. Email us with an outline of the support you need and to apply for a session with Mike.
How to make the most of your market stall: top tips video series
Join Brendan from the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF) to learn useful tips, as a market trader, on how you can make the most of your market stall. The five-part video series covers what to bring, social media for market traders, maximising your stall layout, pricing and signage and taking cashless payments.
- Location: Online pre-recorded video series.

Sales and negotiation skills quiz
How good is your business at making sales?
Take a five-minute online quiz to test how effective your business is at sales and negotiation.
This aims to inform businesses and the Council alike of the need to improve skills in this area and identify future training requirements.

Past workshops
The following workshops have already taken place as part of the 2023-25 Business Training Programme:
Business management training
- Ready, Set, Grow! - the team from Digital Islands ran 7 expert-led workshops, helping businesses in their first two years of trading including 1-2-1 progress review sessions. They developed an action plan including tax and accounting, HR and recruitment, PR marketing and social media for businesses.
- Emergency First Aid at Work courses - Jenny Legg of Training Legs First Aid ran a series of 1-day FAA Level 3 Award courses to provide training for businesses on a variety of emergency first aid situations in the workplace.
- How to create a strategy for business growth 121 support - Mike Clare from Intrinsia ran 121 sessions to help businesses build their strategy.
- Business and tax advice 121 sessions - Carolyn Burchell from Composure Accounting ran 121 sessions on business and tax advice.
- Budget setting and cash flow forecasting for small businesses - Carolyn Burchell from Composure Accounting ran two practical and relevant sessions aimed at limited companies and sole traders to help them gain the knowledge and confidence needed to create their own budgets and forecasts.
- Debunking the complications of Apprenticeship Talent - Amy Blick from exhilHRate HR Consulting hosted a masterclass on how to successfully unlock apprenticeship talent.
- People power strategy workshop - Amy Blick from exhilHRate HR Consulting ran an interactive and focussed session on attracting, onboarding and keeping talent.
Business marketing training
- Advanced social media for business masterclass - Michelle from ByJove Media ran an Advanced Social Media Masterclass, designed specifically for local businesses. The workshop dived into strategy, content planning, and insider tips to help businesses stand out and achieve real results.
- Don’t Panic! Changes to Social Media - Michelle Betts from ByJove Media hosted a free ‘Don’t panic! Changes to social media’ workshop for local businesses, exploring recent changes to social media platforms and how businesses can work with these to maximise reach and engagement.
- Recruiting via social media - Michelle Betts from ByJove Media and Amy Blick from exhilHRate HR Consulting ran a masterclass exploring the benefits of recruiting via social media and which platforms would work best for businesses' recruitment strategies.
- TikTok for business - Michelle Betts from ByJove Media ran a masterclass exploring social media platform TikTok and how businesses can use it.
- LinkedIn for business masterclass - Michelle Betts from ByJove Media ran a masterclass exploring social media platform LinkedIn and how businesses can use it.
- Instagram for business masterclass - Michelle Betts from ByJove Media ran a masterclass exploring social media platform Instagram and how businesses can use it.
- Making your brand picture perfect workshop - Sophie Ward Photography ran a fun and informative photography workshop, covering business branding and organizing imagery, followed by a 30-minute hands-on photography session to bring attendees' ideas to life.
- Product photography workshop - Sophie Ward Photography ran a workshop on product photography to equip businesses with the skills and confidence to create stunning content that will make their business stand out from the rest.
- Introduction to videography for small businesses workshop - Silvertip Films ran a workshop on how to make video work for businesses with tips, tricks, practical work and more.
- WordPress training workshop - Britweb ran an online workshop on how to master WordPress.
Market trading training
- How to make the most of your market stall - Brendan and Tania from the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF) ran an interactive workshop on how to make the most of your market stall.
Let us know your business training needs
If you have any business training suggestions, please email BusinessDevelopment@horsham.gov.uk with the details and we will contact you if an opportunity should arise.

The Horsham District Business Training Programme is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.