http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.dobusinessnetwork.com en-us Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:47:59 +0100 Rocketspark http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26589/the-real-deal-small-grants-scheme/ Derwentside Enterprise Agency CIC (DEA) launches small grants scheme, which will be known as The Real Deal, to support local businesses.DEA is pleased to announce the launch of its new, discretionary, Small Grants Scheme, designed to support businesses in the former Derwentside Local Authority area to deliver projects that will make a positive difference to the business.The scheme, known as The Real Deal, will provide grants of up to £... Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:40:09 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26589 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26572/moving-beyond-random-acts-of-marketing/ Many business owners find themselves caught in a cycle of constant activity—regularly posting on social media, attending networking events, and perhaps even investing in digital ads. Yet, despite the hours spent, these efforts often feel disjointed, failing to translate into a reliable stream of new clients.The issue rarely lies in the hard work being put in; rather, it is the lack of a cohesive, structured system behind it. Without a joined-up approach, valuable marketing activity can quietly... Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:13:23 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26572 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26565/celebrating-6-years-of-kaffeehaus-coffee-roasters-a-huge-happy-birthday-from-do-business-network/ Here at Do Business Network (DBN), we love nothing more than celebrating the milestones, growth, and achievements of our members. Here at Do Business Network (DBN), we love nothing more than celebrating the milestones, growth, and achievements of our members. Today, we are absolutely thrilled to wish a very Happy 6th Birthday to Bernhard, Carina, and the entire team at Kaffeehaus Coffee Roasters!It is hard to believe it has been six years since they launched as Durham’s very first coffee roast... Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:49:38 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26565 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26546/rebuilding-adapting-and-thriving-celebrating-a-remarkable-six-months-for-the-north-east-business-community/ There is a distinct kind of resilience found within the North East business community. When faced with shifting economic landscapes, escalating operational costs, and the lingering uncertainties of recent years, regional businesses do not simply wait for conditions to improve. Instead, they look for ways to adapt, collaborate, and support one another across our entire region.At the Do Business Network (DBN), this steadfast spirit is visible in action every single month. As the midpoint of the ye... Thu, 28 May 2026 10:41:06 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26546 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26509/accessing-manufacturing-support-via-made-smarter/ Navigating the funding and business support landscape can often feel daunting. At our May networking meeting, Paul Hughes from the North East Growth Hub provided welcome clarity on a major regional initiative designed specifically for small and medium-sized manufacturers: the Made Smarter Adoption North East programme.If your business is losing time to manual entry, struggling to meet customer demand, or lacking the real-time data needed to make quick operational decisions, digital technology co... Thu, 21 May 2026 12:02:11 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26509 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26506/welcoming-new-dbn-member-bobby-hewitson-pioneering-care-partnership/ The DBN community continues to grow, and we are absolutely delighted to welcome Bobby Hewitson from the Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) to the network.When new members join us, it brings a fresh wave of expertise, energy, and opportunity into the room. Bobby’s work with PCP is a fantastic example of the diverse, impactful organisations that make up our regional business community.Health, Wellbeing, and Learning for AllPioneering Care Partnership is a multi-award-winning charity that has been... Wed, 20 May 2026 20:50:19 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26506 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26505/key-takeaways-from-the-dbn-may-meeting/ Our May Do Business Network meeting proved to be one of our most dynamic sessions yet. Hosted in partnership with the Northern Tenants Network at the Derwentside Business Centre, the event saw a full house of 50 local businesses coming together for a morning of purposeful conversation and strategic networking.The energy in the room highlighted the strength of our regional business community. Events like these rely on a collaborative effort, and a sincere thank you goes to Stuart Armstrong and Li... Wed, 20 May 2026 18:44:34 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26505 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26498/supporting-our-regional-food-drink-and-hospitality-sector/ At our May networking meeting, we were joined by Steve Wheaton and Ian Pilkington from Food & Drink North East (FADNE). They introduced an exceptional support package designed specifically to help local businesses thrive over the next three years: the Rural Growth Programme, Food & Drink Business Support.Supported by the North East Combined Authority and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, this fully-funded programme is built to strengthen, connect, and scale the entire food, drink, and ho... Wed, 20 May 2026 14:28:14 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26498 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26497/addressing-the-lead-leakage-problem-how-to-stop-loosing-the-leads-youve-already-earned/ At this months networking meeting we welcomed Allison Dore from Hello Friday Consulting as our guest presenter. Allison delivered an insightful session focused on a critical challenge that many businesses face without even realising it: lead leakage.Understanding Lead LeakageMany business owners believe their primary marketing challenge is generating new leads. However, the presentation highlighted that 79% of marketing leads never actually convert. This failure to convert rarely stems from the ... Wed, 20 May 2026 14:07:35 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26497 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26492/regional-recognition-for-dbn-member-jennifer-hartburn/ We are delighted to share some wonderful news from within our Do Business Network community. Jennifer Hartburn, owner of Harrington Brown Independent Estate Agents in Shotley Bridge, was recently featured in the prestigious Women in Business section of North East Living Magazine.The feature celebrates the region's leading female entrepreneurs. It is a testament to Jennifer's reputation and expertise that she was personally approached by the magazine to share her business journey, highlighting he... Tue, 19 May 2026 15:05:45 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26492