seoBusiness leads digital debate

By seoBusiness

03 Nov 2020

reboot-2020.jpeg

 

Tech sector champion Digital Lancashire hosted a series of debates to discuss the digital future of the county, inviting seoBusiness to share its insight and experiences.

Director Kam Kothia took part in the Reboot Blackburn event, giving his thoughts on how the town could capitalise on the strength of its talent.

Kam drew on his vast experience, including 22 years as a director of web development agency seoBusiness as well as more than a decade of running online technology shop Time2, in addition to his work with a number of business and community groups in the town.

The panel also featured representatives from Blackburn College, Blackburn Rovers FC, The Making Rooms and other tech businesses and businesses working in the technology sector.

Digital Lancashire is an organisation designed to encourage collaboration in the community and to promote the county’s successes. The organisations hosted Reboot 2020 to help define what the digital sector currently looks like in Blackburn and Lancashire in order to shape its manifesto for the future.

The debate began by collecting experiences of working through the global pandemic – and every contributor had a story to tell, some positive, some more difficult.

As Kam described: “Some businesses have done really well, but others did go down. Family businesses built up over more than 20 years – they’ve become our friends and overnight their business has gone. It’s really quite sad.”

Jenna Gardner of Blackburn College also discussed how the lockdown had revealed how many young people don’t have ready access to computer, smartphones or high speed internet.

But Kam and the panel were also able to share stories of companies who have grasped new opportunities that have come their way, including both seoBusiness and Time2, which increased sales throughout the lockdown.

The panel then discussed how Blackburn companies could work together more effectively, and there was a general agreement that while the town is full of talented individuals and high-achieving businesses, there is little sense of community to bring them together.

One idea put forward is to take the lead from Manchester, which has become a powerhouse by working together under one umbrella, not as individual towns.

The sector could also do more to engage with professionals outside of the sector, as statistics show that around two-thirds of the 20,000 employees with digital jobs work within companies outside of the sector.

The panel ultimately agreed that Blackburn, and Lancashire as a whole, is filled with talented individuals and brilliant businesses, and by working together more closely the sector could retain more of its talented individuals and become a thriving community which works together to become stronger as a whole.

Tom Stables, Digital Lancashire chair and organiser of the programme of events, said: “Nobody anticipated that 2020 would indubitably and profoundly change the world in which we operate on so many levels, so we felt a Reboot was essential to give the digital community an opportunity to come together, talk and tell us how we can best support the sector. “Reboot 2020 reminded us of what we already knew: Lancashire’s digital sector is world-class.”

 

Latest news

1

University of Cumbria and BAE Systems launch flagship scholarship BAE Systems scholarship

University of Cumbria and BAE Systems launch flagship scholarship

11 Jun 2025

2

College restaurant honoured with top culinary award from prestigious chefs’ guild Karen Lilley Front Of House Lecturer David McKown David Lyon Scholars Manager And Blackburn College Principal Dr Fazal Dad

College restaurant honoured with top culinary award from prestigious chefs’ guild

10 Jun 2025

3

Cosmetic manufacturer lets new unit on Frontier Park, Burnley Badgequo have agreed to let the site on Frontier Park

Cosmetic manufacturer lets new unit on Frontier Park, Burnley

10 Jun 2025

4

SQ Digital celebrates 25 years and enters new era with CEO appointment Kamal Essa

SQ Digital celebrates 25 years and enters new era with CEO appointment

09 Jun 2025

5

New chair appointed to Atlas BFW Management Graham Cowley

New chair appointed to Atlas BFW Management

09 Jun 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley College Industry Hub, Burnley, BB120AN

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
12 Jun 2025 - 12 Jun 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up
LBV Hub Networking
12 Jun 2025 - 12 Jun 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Midnight Oil: The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Scaling Strategies with Brad Waldron
BU-June-Event-BRAD-1.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Jun 2025 - 18 Jun 2025

Midnight Oil: The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Scaling Strategies with Brad Waldron

Blackpool Football Club, Bloomfield Rd, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, FY1 6JJ

08:30 - 11:30

Chamber Business Lunch – June
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
20 Jun 2025 - 20 Jun 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – June

Lancaster House Hotel, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4GL

11:00 - 13:30

90 day Business Planning Workshop
LBV Event Header.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
20 Jun 2025 - 20 Jun 2025

90 day Business Planning Workshop

Bolton Arena, Arena Approach, Horwich, BL6 6LB

09:00 - 16:30

Moonlight and Memories Walk 2025
MMW.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Fundraisers
21 Jun 2025 - 21 Jun 2025

Moonlight and Memories Walk 2025

St Catherine's Hospice, Preston, PR5 5XU

18:00 - 23:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin