Love Your Business

On the last Thursday of every month

at Black Ivy, Bruntsfield

Love Your Business networking events are informal and relaxed, featuring inspirational
guest speakers every month, sharing their entrepreneurial stories and great business tips.

Tickets

Tickets are £20 plus booking fee & includes tea/coffee & pastries/fruit on arrival

50% of all sales go to LYB's 2022 Charity Partner, Epilepsy Scotland, which helps people with epilepsy, their families, carers and employers, campaigns for improved healthcare and an end to stigma, influence policies that will affect the health, educational and social welfare of people with epilepsy and provide quality information and support. Their services are focused on improving the mental, physical and financial wellbeing of people with epilepsy, which affects 55,000 people in Scotland.

Sign up to our Newsletter
to stay updated about upcoming events!

Thank you!

Just some of our speakers over the years - Mike Welch, founder of many businesses including Blackcircles.com, Marie Owen, founder & CEO of LS Productions and Scottish rugby legend Scott Hastings

Michelle Brown - founder of LYB

The events are hosted by Michelle Brown, marketing, PR and communications consultant, with over 20 years' experience creating impactful multi-channel campaigns for major UK clients including M&S, Costa Coffee, Premier Inn and Geox.

Michelle also has first-hand experience running her own successful business, Michelle Brown PR, founded in 2014, and is also a part-time Media & Communications university lecturer and business development consultant.

Michelle Brown, founder of Michelle Brown PR & LYB

LYB Productions

Combining her expertise in PR with video production, Michelle Brown launched LYB Productions joining forces with filmmakers of the LYB community, offering PR & Video packages to help businesses raise awareness with multi-channel exposure.
To find out more please get in touch with us!

LYB Skills Labs

The LYB Skills Labs feature a series of webinars to help businesses with everything from Marketing and Branding to Crisis Communications and Business Planning.

If you would like details of forthcoming webinars, please contact michelle@michellebrownpr.com

Pics courtesy of Andrea Thomson Photography

LYB Skills Bank

The aim is to build a 'bank of skills' with experts in their field who are happy to gift some of their time to our LYB Community Partner.

LYB Loves

Our 'Love Your Business Loves'...feature is when we get the chance to catch up with a business we love and share their story.

Caroline - The Yoga Crow

Claire Doyle - 3Theatre

Gin Lalli - Solution Focused Therapy

Giles Etherington - Brand Satellite

Pamela Newby - Evoke Action

Monty Roy - Leith Walk Police Box

Leith Walk Police Box is a pop-up space which highlights local businesses, artists and third sector initiatives.

1) When did you start the company?

I started Leith Walk Policebox as a pop-up space in 2014. It was not my first idea for the business. I had bought the policebox a few years before and trialled it as a veggie Indian Street Food business first but it didn’t really hit the spot. We were competing with several good Indian restaurants and takeaways nearby. It occurred to me that it would be better to complement the businesses on Leith Walk. Plus as a start-up, I had already done some research into renting commercial property and found it to be a potentially expensive, long and a complex process. At the policebox we offer a more flexible and affordable alternative - renting out a space for short-term lets, (from 4 hours), so that entrepreneurs can test out a business idea. Small or less well-known charities and campaign groups who don’t have huge funds are also clients. We’ve also had clients who are trying to increase their brand awareness or extend their geographical reach by holding a pop-up at the policebox. We can help with social media support and more.

2) How has the last year or so been?

Actually, at the policebox we have thrived during the pandemic as we are outdoors and small so people feel safer. Many people were working from home so the policebox was a diversion from being stuck indoors. During the lockdown, we held giveaway days in conjunction with a local charity, Edinburgh Settlement Projects, where we gave away preloved books and toys, (sanitised of course), and we held regular windowsill gardening events where people could get seeds and soil to start growing food at home no matter how small their space. The tram works have been more challenging but our local community has been brilliant at continuing to support us and engaging with our clients. Two of our lockdown start-up clients have gone on to find their own permanent premises (Crazy Croissants and Banh Mi Brothers) which is fantastic - although I do miss getting my regular fix of croissants & banh mi.

3) What are your plans for next year?

The idea of expansion was put on hold because of you know what. But hopefully we are back on course to expand our space and also take on team members and collaborate in a more structured way with specialists in branding, display and design. Also, we had already started to think about sustainability even before COP26 and we’ve been inspired by businesses such as Leith Collective and Leith Community Croft Market who have a criteria around use of single use plastic and disposables for artists and stall holders.

4) Any tips or learnings you can share with us?

Don’t be shy about talking about your business. I have become a business bore ( my partner has heard my elevator pitch too many times). Take the time to build good genuine relationships and networks in your community (whatever and wherever that may be). Don’t sweat the small stuff too much (easier said than done sometimes).

5) What do you love doing in your downtime?

Drinking cups of tea and eating too many biscuits. Gardening with a cup of tea and a biscuit.
SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT - I love dancing and musical theatre and I am in Chess the musical at the Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Feb 9-12 (tickets available now!)

Thanks Monty for taking the time to catch up with us - always a pleasure!

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us!

Thank you! We'll be in touch shortly.

Registered number: SC476909