A grassroots social enterprise born from one Forfar mum’s frustration at navigating fragmented business support is transforming how Angus entrepreneurs connect, collaborate and grow.
Angus Business Hub CIC launches its first quarterly magazine, Biz&Blether, on Thursday 8th January – the latest milestone in a remarkable journey that began at a networking event just over a year ago.
From Frustration to Action
Graphic designer and mum-of-two Freya Bigg attended a local networking event in autumn 2024 and left with a clear realisation: Angus business owners needed one central place to find support, cut through the noise of multiple organisations, and connect with people who understood the realities of self-employment.
Drawing on her experience building UnitedKpop – a fan community she ran for seven years that grew to over 12,000 followers and became the leading K-pop news source in the UK and Europe – Freya envisioned something different. Not just another directory, but a genuine community.
Building Something Together
Partnering with local Utility Warehouse franchisee Fiona Fotheringham, they launched a Facebook group in June 2024. The response was immediate. Within months, membership surged past 470 people, all hungry for connection and practical support.
As the online community flourished, the founders listened. They held networking and consultation events across Angus to understand what local businesses actually needed. The answer was clear: more face-to-face connection, peer support, and accessible resources.
In September, they registered as a Community Interest Company – a social enterprise that trades for community benefit rather than personal profit. By October, they’d secured £4,100 from the Angus Community-Led Vision Fund (administered by Angus Rural Partnership through the Scottish Government’s Rural Community-Led Local Development Fund).
What Angus Business Hub Offers
Today, the hub brings together existing business support initiatives while creating something new:
- A thriving Facebook community – a safe space for local business owners to make connections and get support
- Monthly newsletters promoting business events across the county
- Regular in-person networking and social events in Forfar, Monifieth and Montrose
- A new website and quarterly magazine
Introducing Biz&Blether
The 52-page quarterly magazine launches this Thursday with local business news, community project features, business profiles, event listings, a directory and advertising opportunities.
Five hundred copies will reach an estimated 300,000 people through libraries, community centres and GP waiting rooms across Angus, with a digital version available here.
It’s designed to do two things: help more Angus businesses discover the hub, and generate customers for local firms.
Why It Matters
Self-employment can be isolating. Angus Business Hub tackles that head-on by creating genuine community alongside practical support – proving that when local people spot a gap and take action, remarkable things can happen.
To join the community, search for Angus Business Hub on Facebook
