Go Succeed

Say Hello to Go Succeed  

Go Succeed is the go-to source for expert business advice led by Northern Ireland's eleven local councils. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur just starting out; are looking to grow your business; or are planning to scale up; our team of industry experts will provide tailored support and guidance to help you achieve your business goals.

For more information or to register interest please visit https://go-succeed.com/

	How Go Succeed Can Help You
	Starting your business You have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps. Our Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.
	Growing your business  Your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Our Go Succeed Grow experts have seen it all before in just about every sector, so they'll provide tailored support to help shorten the journey to business growth.
	Scaling your business  Your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, support or resources to achieve your ambitions. Our Go Succeed Scale industry experts will help tailor your plans to penetrate new markets, identify investment opportunities and scale up your operations.

Get Started in Business Programme

We are pleased to be hosting a series of business support sessions aimed at people who are economically inactive, meaning they are not currently in work and not actively looking for a job.

This may include people who are long term sick or disabled, carers, parents without access to childcare, students who are not working, early retirees, or those facing barriers such as confidence, transport, or digital access.

Some participants may receive benefits, others may not, but all are considered outside the active labour market.

Don’t worry if you don’t fit into the categories above, you’re still welcome to join us!

Idea To First Sale: A Beginners Guide To Starting A Business - Wednesday 25 February 15:30 - 16:30 online

Design Your Business: Developing Products & Services People Will Love - Wednesday 4 March 10:00 - 11:00 online

Ready to reinvent your next chapter in business?

Join the Reinventors Network, a vibrant peer support network for entrepreneurs aged 40 plus across the Ards and North Down Borough Council area. It’s a space to connect with like minded peers, share real world experiences and uncover practical ideas that help you stay confident and competitive in a changing business landscape.

Better Together - Collaboration in Practice, Wednesday 4 March 10am-12pm

• The Goose Coffee House, Comber

Spaces are limited - don't miss out!

Register now

Measuring the Metrics that Matter (to you)

The Go Succeed Start team hosts this in-person ‘Measuring the Metrics that Matter (to you)’ masterclass.

This practical two-hour workshop is designed for early-stage business owners and start-up founders who want to build clarity and confidence in understanding the numbers that truly drive growth. Working from the principle that “what gets measured, gets done,” this session demystifies business metrics and helps participants focus on a small set of meaningful indicators they can track, interpret, and use to make informed decisions.

Through simple frameworks such as the Balanced Scorecard, relatable case studies, and guided exercises, participants will learn how to measure performance across areas such as sales, customer satisfaction, quality, productivity, and financials—without overwhelm. By the end, they will leave with a personalised measurement toolkit and the know-how to turn data into action.

Workshop Goals

By the end of the workshop, participants should have an understanding of the following:

• Knowing What to Measure
• Sales & Revenue Metrics
• Customer Satisfaction & Feedback
• Quality & Productivity Indicators
• Basic Financial Health Measures
• Practical Interpretation of the numbers
• Build confidence in making decisions based on evidence, not guesswork—what to do when metrics rise, fall, or stay flat
• Participants will leave with a starter scorecard to build their own Measurement Toolkit

This Go Succeed workshop is open to all individuals in the early stages of their business, located in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area and neighbouring Council areas.

Wednesday 4 March, 6pm-8pm, Ards Business Hub

TikTok Showcase

This workshop is aimed at owner/ managers who have a small TikTok presence or are in the process of setting up a page and would like to understand how to market their business better through TikTok. 

We will show how to best plan for and make content creation for TikTok a part of your social media strategy. We will share hints and tips for marketing on TikTok – best practice for growing a following, and how to make this work for your business. We will look at the pros and cons of TikTok – and how best to evaluate whether things are working or not. 

By the end of the workshop, you will have a clear idea if TikTok is for you and how to optimise your page. You will understand the potential setbacks you may face as well as solutions for success.

Please note as this is an in-person event, the registration numbers for this are restricted. Whilst Go Succeed operates across NI, this event is being hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council, therefore should the event reach capacity and a waiting list is created, priority access will be given to businesses based in the Ards and North Down Council area.

For any queries around accessibility, please contact 028 9069 1027.

Click here to book your place

Business Support Workshops

These events are practical and inspiring, designed for people at different stages of their business journey, whether you are thinking about starting, already trading, or exploring how to grow and scale. We welcome entrepreneurs from all diverse backgrounds, including majority and minorities living in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area. 

Establishing and Accelerating Your Business - 11 March, 10:00 - 12:30, Queen's Leisure Complex, Holywood

Launching and Expanding Your Business - 24 March, 10:00 - 12:30, Bangor Parish Church, Bangor

The sessions bring together real entrepreneurs, business support organisations, and education providers to share honest insights on how businesses actually get started and sustained. With a focus on:

-          Food businesses

-          Marketing & Advertising

-          Photographers

-          Health & Well being

-          Website Designers

-          SaaS Business

-          Al Support Professionals

-          Painters & Artists

-          Accountant

-          Insurance Providers

-          Cleaning Businesses

-          Caterers

-          Furniture & Office

-          Gifts Business

-          Fitness Business

The events explore some of the most popular and accessible pathways into entrepreneurship.

Participants will hear directly from panel guest speakers who have built businesses in these sectors, gain insight into the realities of starting and growing a business, and learn how Go Succeed can support them at different stages of their journey. The session will also highlight how regional colleges can support established business aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs through skills development, training, and practical pathways into business.

Whether you have a business idea, are unsure where to begin, or are looking to take your next step, this event offers practical insight, clear support routes, and meaningful connections.

Who Should Attend

➡️ People with a business idea but unsure where to start

➡️ Aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders

➡️ Existing business owners exploring growth

➡️ Creatives, makers, and service-based businesses

➡️ Anyone interested in starting, growing, or scaling a business

What You’ll Gain

➡️ Real stories and insights from entrepreneurs across key sectors

➡️ A clear understanding of local business support through Go Succeed

➡️ Awareness of business support, skills and training pathways via Regional College

➡️ Understand the business support programmes.  

➡️ Opportunities to network with people at similar stages

Please register to join this event and we look forward welcoming you and exploring how best we can help you and your business progress. This event is delivered by The Business Zone in collaboration with Ards and North Down Borough Council as part of the Go Succeed programme. 

Go Succeed represents a significant investment in local entrepreneurs and businesses, funded by the UK Government.

Please note as this is in-person event, the registration numbers for this are restricted. Whilst Go Succeed operates across NI, this event is being hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council, therefore should the event reach capacity and a waiting list is created, priority access will be given to Businesses based in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area.

Go Succeed Grants - Call 2 - NOW CLOSED

Apply now for a Go Succeed grant to support your business growth

If you’ve previously received support or are currently going through the Go Succeed service, you may be eligible to apply for a grant of between £1,000 and £3,000 to help take your business to the next level.

Delivered through Ards and North Down Borough Council, Go Succeed grants can fund up to 50% of eligible capital costs.

Examples of what the grant can support include:

• Specialist equipment or machinery to improve efficiency
• Digital tools, such as computers or business software
• Website development or e-commerce functionality
• Be actively trading within your council area.
• Have completed at least 60% of your mentoring support through Go Succeed.
• Have identified a barrier to growth the grant can help address.
• Be an enterprise or social enterprise with fewer than 50 full-time employees.

Important info:

• Applications closed on Wednesday 5th November 2025 at 12 noon.
• Use Call 2 application form ONLY, any previous versions will not be accepted.
• Grants will be awarded through a competitive process.
• You must not start your project until a formal Letter of Offer is received, signed, dated, and returned within 14 days to the council.
• All grants are paid retrospectively, after satisfactory project completion and verification.
• You must declare if you have applied to any other grant funding scheme that is open at the same time as or overlapping with Go Succeed Grants Call 2 , eg Rural Business Grant Scheme.

To find out more please visit, go-succeed.com/grants or contact: gosucceedgrants@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk