Trying to launch a business after having moved to Scotland from overseas and not knowing anyone is never easy, but ICC has provided a wealth of support, knowledge, important industry connections, and indeed friendship throughout my journey. Whether through informal coffee meetings, promotion through their dedicated marketing channels, or taking the time to showcase and champion your business to the community, ICC bring their passion to transform Inverclyde into everything they do.

We started our business, Firth of Clyde Boat Tours LLP last year, 2022 and ICC helped us every step of the way, it was almost like having our own marketing team. The weekly meetings helped provide us with local business connections to help grow our business. When we needed to be put in contact with people they were right there to ensure we were able to get the help we needed or contact the right person, having that introduction was very helpful. I highly recommend anyone looking to start a business or grow their business to join ICC. Working as a team makes life much easier. A huge thanks to Shari Workman at ICC for all of your help and support.

When I established my new business in Inverclyde in late 2021, I was keen to establish a network of trusted contacts in the area. We joined ICC early on and the support, advice, and contacts that membership of the ICC has provided have been invaluable. All the ICC members are friendly and welcoming and they are more than happy to give input, share information, and refer clients to us at the range of social and business events which are arranged each month. ICC is a great way to engage with a range of Inverclyde businesses across various sectors at a low cost, and we thoroughly recommend joining.

ICC has helped and supported both myself personally and our businesses. I feel the real benefit came during Covid when they arranged the Zoom Calls. It was so important to keep businesses connected, motivated, and encouraged during what was a very challenging time. I've always felt part of something worthwhile being a member of the chamber. Having a bigger voice and feeling someone's got your back in the community is invaluable. Lastly, the networking opportunities are endless and a lot of the connections we have made have been instrumental in our success, especially Lizzy Todd and Shari Workmen who have been big supporters and amazing help.

When I opened the shop in Greenock in April 2019 I had no clue what I was doing - I had been to Business Gateway training and just jumped in feet first. In the first year of my being in business, I met with a group of local businesswomen and they often spoke about Inverclyde Chamber and encouraged me to join. I was still very naive and felt that I was just a shop owner and not a 'businesswoman' and that it would not be for folk like me. With the first year of free membership and their encouragement, I decided to join. I am so glad I did. Initially, I attended the lockdown Zoom chamber chat meetings from the shop as I was doing deliveries and found the folk so encouraging and their advice so useful I began attending the other meetings too. I still feel out of my depth at times and am in awe of many of the people running businesses in Inverclyde but I have never felt treated any differently because I 'just have a shop'! In fact, many of the friends I have made constantly remind me to be proud of what I have done in opening up and staying open through these crazy years and that these thoughts are just in my head! I have found the advice pages useful and if I have a problem or a query I know I can e-mail and I will get a response with advice on how to proceed. The local aspect of the chamber is really important to me as local knowledge is important and easy access to help. I've also changed to local businesses for my shop business as I want to show support to the people I have met through the chamber.

As a member of the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce, West College Scotland understands the central role they play in supporting local businesses to connect and network, collaborate, learn together, and thrive.  Our college is committed to supporting Inverclyde’s businesses to develop, improve, and grow by equipping their employees with new skills and upskilling. We have a lot to offer the local business community and we want to ensure that local businesses are aware of the range of training and support available to them. In building awareness, the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce has been our primary engagement partner, helping us to engage both quickly and with greater impact. In the past year, Shari has worked in close partnership with us, helping us to connect with local businesses, learn about their needs and deliver training for them. ICC has offered an integrated suite of support including PR, curated content for inclusion on Chambers communications -including e-correspondence and website, making direct business connections, generating leads and prospects, and reaching out to their members through amplifying our social media campaigns to business. With Shari’s support, we have been able to train over 40 businesses in leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills, and net zero. We have also had the opportunity to attend local business events, online and in person, and these have proven to be particularly effective in making appropriate connections, responding to the needs of businesses, and maximising our impact. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce, Shari, and the wider Inverclyde business community.