A Practical Guide to Growing your North Wales Business in 2026

Where to get help, promote your business, and find local opportunities

Running a business in North Wales can sometimes feel like you have to figure everything out yourself. Whether you're a sole trader just getting started, a family-run shop, an online business, a growing service company, a tourism business or an established manufacturer, there is a surprising amount of support available across the region.

The difficult part is knowing where to look.

There isn't one single place that covers everything for business owners, and when you spend most of your time working in the business, the time you have to work on it shouldn't be spent searching for the support and resources available to you.

So, rather than another list of generic business tips, here's a practical guide to some of the opportunities available to North Wales businesses in 2026, and where to find them.

A note before you start: Funding schemes and programmes can open, close, and change throughout the year. Always check the current eligibility criteria and application dates directly with the organisation before making any plans.

1. Start with Business Wales

Business Wales provides fully funded, impartial advice and support to people starting, running and growing businesses in Wales.

Depending on what you need, support covers areas including:

• business strategy and growth
• finance and funding
• recruitment and HR
• skills and training
• sustainability
• carbon reduction
• technology and innovation
• diversification
• exporting
• tendering and procurement
• mentoring
• marketing and customer development

The Business Development and Growth service can provide one-to-one support, including a business diagnostic to identify growth opportunities and help developing a strategic plan.

There is also BOSS, the Business Online Support Service, with online courses, tools and resources for businesses.

2. Don't assume grants are only for start-ups

One of the biggest misconceptions around business funding is that grants are simply for people starting a business. There are opportunities for established businesses too, although they are often tied to a specific project, investment, sector or outcome.

Business Wales has a Finance Locator designed to help businesses search for grants and finance. It is worth checking this before assuming there is nothing available for your particular situation.

Grant funding could support things such as:

• equipment
• premises improvements
• technology
• training
• decarbonisation
• innovation
• business growth
• accreditation
• employment
• new products or services

However, grants commonly require businesses to contribute some of the cost themselves, and you should generally not start spending on a project before confirming that the funding body allows this.

3. Look at your own local authority

North Wales isn't one single business-support area.

Flintshire, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey all have their own economic development activity, so where your business is based can make a difference to the opportunities available.

Flintshire

Flintshire County Council's Business Development Team provides free support covering areas such as funding, sales and marketing, training, relocation and business development.

It also provides information about business grants, workshops, networking and business centres.

For businesses with physical premises, Flintshire's Town Centre Property Improvement Grant can provide grants of £5,000 to £50,000 for eligible improvements to commercial properties in town centres.

Note: The Flintshire Property Improvement Grant requires the business to cover at least 30% of the cost.

Wrexham

Wrexham Council offers business and investment support, including its 360 Networking group.

The meetings are free and are open to businesses of different sizes and sectors. They are designed to help local businesses meet potential customers, suppliers and collaborators.

Wrexham also has the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, which is a particularly significant opportunity for businesses connected to advanced manufacturing. More on this in section 5.

Conwy

Conwy has a range of business support and regeneration programmes.

Its current Business Growth & Resilience Programme, funded through the Welsh Government's Local Growth Fund, is designed to support local businesses with productivity, competitiveness, growth and innovation.

Conwy also has a Town Centre Grant supporting eligible commercial and social businesses with improvements to commercial property, with grants of up to 70% of eligible capital expenditure and awards between £3,000 and £15,000.

Denbighshire

Denbighshire's business funding information includes town-centre property support, business rates relief and other programmes.

It also signposts specialist opportunities such as the Tourism Investment Support Scheme and Clean Energy Fund.

This makes the council's funding page particularly worth checking if you operate a tourism, hospitality or premises-based business.

Gwynedd

Gwynedd currently has a particularly wide range of business support programmes.

The Menter Gwynedd Business Support Programme 2026/27 can support businesses looking to start or grow, make better use of technology or reduce their environmental impact.

The current programme includes streams around business development, decarbonisation and adopting new technology.

Gwynedd also lists support for areas including accreditations and town-centre commercial property.

Anglesey

For businesses based on Anglesey, Hwb Menter and Môn CF are two useful places to look for local business support and guidance.

Hwb Menter provides support for businesses and entrepreneurs on Anglesey, while Môn CF offers support for people looking to start, develop or grow a business.

There is also business innovation support and facilities available at M-SParc, the Menai Science Park in Gaerwen, which can be particularly relevant for businesses working in innovation, science and technology.

4. Don't overlook the North Wales-wide opportunities

Some of the biggest opportunities aren't run by individual councils at all.

Ambition North Wales is the regional body working across the six North Wales local authorities and is responsible for the region's economic development work and Growth Deal.

This is worth following if your business is interested in:

• innovation
• technology
• energy
• decarbonisation
• advanced manufacturing
• tourism
• infrastructure
• skills
• investment
• supply chains

Ambition North Wales also publishes an Energy and Decarbonisation Funding Directory, updated as new opportunities become available. For businesses considering energy efficiency or lower-carbon investment, this is a useful resource to keep an eye on.

5. If you're in manufacturing, look very closely at the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone

This is one of the more significant regional opportunities, particularly for local manufacturers.

The Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone is a 10-year programme focused heavily on advanced manufacturing, with funding and tax incentives intended to encourage investment and business growth.

For eligible businesses, the programme includes:

• business match-funded grants
• support for productivity
• workforce development
• green manufacturing
• infrastructure
• investment
• innovation

The current SME Manufacturing Grant offers grants of between £5,000 and £100,000, with at least 30% match funding required from the business.

The scheme can support eligible projects involving capital equipment, accreditation and certification, property adaptation and decarbonisation.

This isn't aimed at every North Wales business, but if you're a manufacturing SME in the Flintshire/Wrexham area, it is absolutely worth investigating.

Note: The investment zone tax breaks only apply on its designated sites.

6. Your next customer could be another business

Growth doesn't always mean finding hundreds of customers through Instagram (although this can be useful, more in section 11).

For many North Wales businesses, business-to-business opportunities can be much more valuable.

One of the most underused resources is Sell2Wales.

Sell2Wales is the Welsh Government's procurement portal, where public-sector organisations advertise contracts and tender opportunities.

These can come from:

• Welsh Government
• local authorities
• NHS organisations
• universities
• colleges
• other publicly funded organisations

Importantly, the opportunities aren't all huge contracts. Sell2Wales says around 80% of the opportunities advertised are smaller opportunities.

You can create a free supplier profile, set up alerts and search for opportunities relevant to your business. There is also guidance and support around tendering and procurement.

For a business providing anything from construction and professional services to IT, catering, training, maintenance, creative services or specialist products, this could open up an entirely different route to growth.

7. Get out from behind the screen: networking still matters

North Wales has a surprisingly active business networking scene.

For example, Wrexham Council's 360 Networking is free to attend and is open to businesses across different sectors. The meetings are specifically designed to encourage introductions, referrals, collaboration and local business relationships.

There is also the North Wales Business Network, which runs events across the region, and North Wales Social, which runs networking events, an online networking hour and regional expos.

Look for groups where your potential customers, collaborators or referral partners may spend time. If you want a better idea of which group is right for your business, take a look at their website and their social media channels to get a preview of their latest events.

Networking is not just about selling. It's about building a network of people who know what you do.

8. Look for local expos and business fairs

If you sell to other businesses, exhibiting at a local expo can put you in front of dozens of potential customers and collaborators in one day.

One current example is the North Wales Social Autumn Business Expo, taking place at Deeside Leisure Centre on 22nd October 2026.

For product businesses, makers and creative businesses, there are also consumer-facing opportunities across North Wales.

For example, Mostyn has been running its North Wales Contemporary Craft Fairs giving artists, makers and designers opportunities to sell directly to the public.

There are also seasonal food and craft events, markets and local festivals across the region. You can always find these local events on Facebook.

For product businesses, don't only think of these as sales days.

They can also be useful for:

• testing new products
• collecting customer feedback
• creating social media content
• building an email list
• meeting other makers
• finding stockists
• building brand awareness

And for a physical business, simply being visible at local events can help people remember you.

9. Use North Wales' markets to get your products in front of real customers

If you're selling candles, clothing, artwork, food, gifts, crafts or other physical products, you don't necessarily need a shop. Markets and pop-ups can help you test whether customers will actually buy your products before committing to premises. It's the best form of market research for your business.

North Wales has a strong market culture, with regular markets, farmers' markets, craft fairs and seasonal events taking place across the region. For small product businesses, makers, creatives and independent retailers, these can be a relatively accessible way to meet customers face-to-face, build brand awareness and test what actually sells.

Visit Wales has a guide to some of the best markets in Wales.

Some markets and shopping destinations worth looking into:

• Mold Market
• Wrexham Markets
• Bangor Market
• Ruthin Market
• Llangefni Market

And don't forget the many farmers' markets, Christmas markets, craft fairs, food festivals and seasonal pop-ups held across North Wales throughout the year.

And don't overlook markets simply because you already have a shop or online business. A stall in a neighbouring town can put your products in front of an entirely new audience.

10. Collaborate with another local business

One of the simplest opportunities is also one that costs very little, and one we are seeing more and more of, especially with new businesses.

Think about businesses that share your customers without directly competing with you. For example:

Wedding businesses:
venues + florists + photographers + bridal shops + hair and beauty + stationery + cake makers

Tourism:
holiday lets + attractions + restaurants + activity providers + local shops

Property:
estate agents + trades + interior businesses + removals + cleaners + mortgage advisers

Health and wellbeing:
gyms + Pilates + physiotherapists + nutrition businesses + local cafés

Retail:
clothing + jewellery + beauty + gift shops + cafés

Collaboration could be in the form of cross-referrals, joint competitions, shared events, collaborative products or services, pop-up events or referral discounts.

You don't always need a large marketing budget. Sometimes you need another business with the same customers and a shared vision.

11. Don't underestimate social media as a local business tool

Social media isn't only about going viral. For a North Wales business, local content can be incredibly useful.

Instead of constantly posting only to sell, think about content that makes your business part of the local community. Customers love to see the personality behind the brand.

That could include:

• local events you're attending
• behind-the-scenes content
• collaborations with other local businesses
• local customer stories
• guides to your area
• staff introductions
• community involvement
• local causes you support
• new products or services
• local projects you've worked on

And don't forget to make it obvious where you are.

12. Make Google work harder for your business

For businesses that rely on local customers, your Google presence can be one of your most valuable free marketing tools. Make sure you have claimed and completed your free Google Business Profile.

Keep your:

• opening hours
• contact details
• website
• products/services
• photographs
• location
• business description

up to date. And actively collect genuine customer reviews, these are so important.

A business that clearly explains what it does, where it works and who it helps has much more useful information online.

13. Get listed in more than one place

A website or Google Business Profile shouldn't be your only online presence.

Depending on your industry, look for relevant directories, industry bodies, business networks and community websites to get featured on.

The key is relevance rather than quantity, look for places where your actual customers might be looking.

And yes, that includes local directories such as North Wales Local Directory.

14. If you're a tourism business, think beyond your own website

North Wales has a huge tourism economy, so businesses in accommodation, hospitality, attractions and activities have additional opportunities.

Look at:

• Visit Wales
• local destination marketing organisations
• local tourism networks
• attractions and activity partnerships
• wedding and events suppliers
• local experience providers
• food and drink businesses

Think about what you can recommend to your customers too.

A holiday cottage could create a guide to local walks, beaches, restaurants and rainy-day activities. A restaurant could collaborate with a nearby attraction. An activity provider could partner with accommodation businesses.

This isn't just good customer service, it can create referral relationships and content opportunities that we mentioned in section 10.

15. Use Welsh as a business advantage

You don't have to become completely bilingual overnight to start incorporating more Welsh into your business.

Business Wales provides Helo Blod, a free* Welsh translation and advice service designed to help businesses use Welsh.

Even simple things such as:

• bilingual signage
• Welsh greetings
• social media posts
• packaging
• menus
• website sections

can help a business connect more strongly with Welsh-speaking customers and the wider community.

If you're based in a Welsh-speaking community or serve Welsh-speaking customers, it's worth exploring what support is available.

*Helo Blod translates up to 500 words a month for free.

16. Think about sponsorship differently

Sponsorship isn't only something big companies do. A local business might sponsor a local sports team, a community event, a school initiative or a local charity.

For the right business, this can be about much more than putting your logo on a banner.

It can create:

• local visibility
• social media content
• community relationships
• goodwill
• networking opportunities
• introductions to potential customers

The best sponsorship opportunities are usually ones where the audience overlaps with your target customer.

17. Support local events, and use them to build relationships

North Wales has hundreds of community events, festivals, sporting events, markets and activities taking place throughout the year. If you're a local business, don't only think about whether you can sell something at an event.

Could you:

• sponsor a section?
• provide a prize?
• supply something?
• collaborate with the organisers?
• provide a service?
• create content?
• offer an exclusive discount?
• host part of the event?

Local events can introduce your business to people who might never have discovered you otherwise.

A simple North Wales business growth checklist

If you're not sure where to start, work through this:

If you're just starting:

• Speak to Business Wales
• Check your local council's business support
• Look at the Finance Locator
• Create your Google Business Profile
• Get listed in relevant local directories
• Find one local networking group
• Look into Welsh-language support if relevant

If you're trying to get more customers:

• Check what appears when you Google your business
• Improve your Google Business Profile
• Ask recent customers for genuine reviews
• Check your website
• Look for relevant local directories
• Explore partnerships with complementary businesses
• Attend a local networking event
• Look at local markets, fairs or expos
• Create content that is genuinely useful to local customers

The biggest opportunity might simply be knowing what's available

North Wales has more support, connections and opportunities than you might realise. The trick is knowing where to look.

About the author

Bryoni is the founder of BK Development, a North Wales-based web development and digital marketing business helping businesses improve their online presence with custom-made websites, SEO solutions and marketing. Bryoni is passionate about helping local businesses in North Wales grow, by making the most of the opportunities available to them and finding ways to get their business in front of the right people.

You can find BK Development on North Wales Local here, or visit bk-development.co.uk.