We know ‘happy new year’ are not quite the right words, given the ongoing challenges on all levels. But we hope you had a restful Christmas break and you’re feeling as positive as possible about 2021. Here are some ways we can support your Sandwell business in the months to come.

Think Sandwell is Sandwell Council’s initiative to support businesses in Sandwell. When you are looking to access finance, recruit staff, find premises or form partnerships, our approachable team is here to point the way.

Why do we do this? We want you to have the knowledge and opportunities your business needs to do well. Successful businesses are vital to our region’s economy. In addition to generating revenue for local services, they create and retain jobs and training opportunities for Sandwell’s residents, making our borough a more prosperous place to live and work.

Online support

In case you haven’t explored it yet, our website is packed with information to help you at every stage of running your business, from support for start-ups to workplace wellbeing.

Since the first coronavirus lockdown in March we have been creating and updating a suite of coronavirus support pages to signpost you to the latest information on finance, workplace safety, mental health and wellbeing, and much more.

Beyond Brexit

Mindful that Covid-19 is not the only event affecting business planning, our frequently updated Brexit Business Toolkit is here to keep you informed now the EU transition period has ended. New rules potentially affect all businesses – not just those that export to or import from the EU, so do bookmark our page for the latest.

Access to finance

When you need money for research and development, or to expand your operations, the Think Sandwell team is here to help you identify appropriate sources of funding and talk you through the steps required in securing grants and loans.

During 2020 we also supported Sandwell Council in administering emergency Covid-19 grants to Sandwell’s business community.

Sandwell Business Ambassadors

We work closely with the Sandwell Business Ambassadors to promote the importance of responsible procurement, so that Sandwell businesses are well placed to benefit from regeneration developments taking place in the Black Country and beyond. Together we support Sandwell Council’s efforts to nurture an ‘inclusive economy’: one which benefits communities and individuals as well as businesses, and leaves no-one behind.

Inward investment, collaboration and knowledge

We also want new and expanding businesses to invest in Sandwell. We are proud to shout about the benefits of starting up or growing a business in our region, which is blessed with an excellent workforce and an impressive history of innovation – particularly manufacturing and engineering. Not to mention our convenient location in the centre of England. Each year, we are delighted to support the Black Country Business Festival and its efforts to showcase this huge investment potential to the rest of the world.

In ‘normal’ times, we welcome delegations from overseas visitors, to form strong business links between two regions, and to demonstrate Sandwell’s potential as a place of investment. We also encourage collaboration and partnerships close to home, recognising that most organisations are stronger when they share knowledge and resources. We hold events to help people network and learn.

Sharing success

And we are passionate about championing our local business community. We are always looking to publish your good news, and share your achievements through Twitter (@thinkSandwell).

Please do get in touch with us if you’ve launched something new, won an award, expanded your team, moved to better premises, branched out into a different market – or done anything else positive that you think Sandwell and the wider Black Country should know about.

Most Mondays, we publish a #MadeInSandwell Monday feature on a different Sandwell company. Find out how to take part at no cost to you.

Good news from 2020

We always publish good news via Think Sandwell and, in 2020, it felt more important than ever to shine a light on the businesses achieving more, bucking the trend or rallying around others. So here is a selection of great things that happened in our Sandwell business community between the first national lockdown in March 2020 and the end of the year.

We are here for you. How can we help?