We hosted our inaugural NL Business Forum event at The Tipsy Cow, Airdrie on Wednesday 26th August 2026, and we couldn’t have been happier with how it went.

When the Forum was created, the intention was always for our events to be welcoming, relaxed and, to a large extent, informal — while still providing individuals, businesses and organisations from across the wider community with the opportunity to make valuable connections.

With 16 attendees from a range of business sectors, including financial advice and mortgages, IT and business consultancy, we had a fantastic mix of people around the table. We were also delighted to welcome representatives from the Federation of Small Businesses, Scottish National Network and Business Gateway, alongside one of Airdrie’s well-established and highly regarded charities, Diamonds in the Community.

It genuinely feels as though we’re at the beginning of creating something positive for North Lanarkshire and the wider community.

Having spoken to a number of attendees since the event, it’s particularly encouraging to hear that some follow-up conversations and opportunities have already come from connections made on the day.

We’re now looking forward to our next event on Wednesday 30th September 2026, again at The Tipsy Cow.

So, what’s next for the Forum?

In addition to organising our September event, we’re exploring the possibility of a regular NL Business Curry Club, developing the website to showcase the businesses and people attending the Forum, and working through several ideas that support what we want the Forum to be about:

Connect. Learn. Collaborate. Give back.

There’s plenty more to come.

Chris Mills

Founder, NL Business Forum