Business Support for the Fylde Coast

Whether you’re thinking of starting a business, already growing a business, or are scaling up your business – this Programme can help you on your way.

You / Your business must be located in Blackpool or Wyre council districts (sorry, Fylde businesses are not eligible for this programme) and you must have a genuine desire to grow your business – which means putting in the work to implement the advice given to you by our coaches and mentors.

What do you get on our Programme?

  • Access to quality Masterclasses and Workshops

  • Access to specialist business coaching with an array of expertise in different areas

  • Access to EXCLUSIVE events, such as Rock & Revolution Conference and regular networking events

  • Access to TSBA Online Courses FREE of charge

We have an extensive Masterclass & Workshop Schedule…

Our Masterclass schedule boasts at least 10 different Masterclasses and Workshops every month – and any Wyre or Blackpool business can book on any number of events.

We rotate the venues across the Fylde Coast and hold some online (Zoom) to ensure maximum participation and inclusion.

Click below to see the schedule and book your place!

Meet the Team

Take advantage of specialisms including:

  • Growth Action Planning

  • Digital Marketing

  • Innovation support and Product Developement

  • LEAN manufacturing
  • Ecommerce and selling online

  • Systems and Operations

  • Meta Ads, SEO, PPC and more

  • Using AI

  • Supply chain development
  • Sales Specialism

Accelerating Growth: How Alice Potter Built an Award-Winning Business in Just 12 Months

Beurre, Bake Off and Building a Business

Horizons Homecare: Pioneering Growth with Quality and Compassion

Access to Rock and Revolution 2025

The only way to get access to this highly sought after event held at Blackpool Football Club with top rated speakers, is by being on our programme.

Check out the highlights of last year’s conference!

Is my business eligible for support?

Broadly speaking, you’ll find three areas of support through the Fylde Coast Business Academy. It’s important to remember that our help is tailored to the business. If, for example, your business falls somewhere between the two tiers below – or is on the cusp of these criteria but doesn’t yet fully meet them – you may still qualify. We’ll just tailor support to your specific needs. Please talk to us about your situation.

Pre-Starts

  • Blackpool only
  • Any sector
  • B2B and B2C
  • Not yet trading

Growing Businesses

  • Blackpool, or Wyre based
  • Any sector
  • B2B and B2C
  • Looking to grow your revenue

Scale Ups

  • Blackpool, W or Wyre
  • Any sector
  • B2B and B2C
  • Turning over £250,000+
  • Ambitious to grow revenue by at least 20% per year

Is this free?

The personalised growth support, coaching and mentoring is funded by the Blackpool Council and Wyre Borough Council.  Access to start-up and scale-up specialists, masterclasses and mentors’ time with qualifying companies is all included in the support you’ll receive. If you’re eligible for support, you will get that support for free.

No grants are available as part of this scheme.

Neil Forrester
14 May 2026
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I'd been searching for local business training and support in Blackpool and came across the Small Business Academy — and I'm really glad I did. I worked with Nicola, who took the time to review my business structure and gave me clear, practical advice on the steps I should be taking to move forward. She covered a wide range of topics including pricing strategy, offers, Facebook advertising, standard operating procedures, and software platforms to help improve efficiency — all incredibly relevant to where I am in my business right now. Alongside my sessions with Nicola, I also attended a morning workshop run by Nikki which focused on Facebook Ad campaigns. It was a fantastic, hands-on session where I learned how to set up campaigns correctly and connect client accounts properly. Really valuable stuff. Overall, the Small Business Academy has been an excellent resource and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any business owner looking to upskill and grow. Thank you to both Nicola and Nikki for their time and expertise 😊 Neil
Heidi Caunce-Berry
27 October 2025
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I can't praise TSBA highly enough, what a fab team and set up! I've been self employed for 20 years and have learned more in 3 months than I had in all that time. Such a lovely bunch of humans too, so knowledgeable, kind and love a giggle too. Thank you so much to all involved (Nicola, Nicky, Jean, Mike and Teresa)!!!
Christine Ashton
11 September 2025
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As a new small business (@ Keepsakes by Memories and Wishes) I knew very little about digital marketing and how this could help my business to succeed. I came across an ad on social media for TSBA free skills bootcamp in digital marketing and submitted my application. I am so grateful to have been selected to complete the bootcamp and, at the time of writing, am just finishing the 12 week programme. This course is absolutely amazing! I have learnt so much, and now have a clear understanding about digital marketing, as well as new skills on how to take this forward, through a comprehensive action plan. This will really help me to keep focused and achieve my business goals in an effective and efficient way. Thank you so much to everyone involved in organising and delivering this programme. I would highly recommend it to any small business owner who is just starting out and unsure what digital marketing is all about and how to make this work for their own business, so they can robustly build it for success in this digital age :)
Scott Knighton
7 August 2025
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The Small Business Academy has been a game-changer for me not just as a business resource, but as a genuine support system. From mentoring sessions to providing a professional business address, they’ve helped me elevate my brand and operate with confidence. Nikki and the team bring a rare mix of expertise and empathy. The mentoring isn’t just textbook advice it’s real, actionable guidance tailored to your business and your goals. Whether you’re refining your pitch, navigating growth, or just need someone who gets the hustle, they’re in your corner. Having a business address through TSBA has also added credibility and structure to my operations. It’s more than just a postcode it’s a signal that you’re serious, and it opens doors. If you’re building something from the ground up and want support that’s practical, empowering, and rooted in real experience, The Small Business Academy is the place to be. Highly recommended for any underdog with big ambitions.
Liz Brown
7 August 2025
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The Small Business Academy offered training to our Managers and Supervisors to help improve staff retention and bring out the best in their team. This resulted in happier staff, happier customers and increased occupancy in the hotel. I would definitely recommend them to help grow your business. Our occupancy has improved from 80% to 82% in eight months - just brilliant. Thank you

How does it work?

At TSBA we help small and start-up businesses thrive by providing the resources that you need, at the price you can afford

Connect

Complete the Enquiry Form above

Talk

During a 15-minute discovery call, we’ll find out more about your business and growth ambitions

Next Steps

We’ll let you know the support we believe will be right for you.

Grow

Start your journey with The Small Business Academy.

Funded Support Enquiry

Local Council(Required)
What are you hoping to achieve in the next 12 months and how can the business support programme help with this?