Choose a trading model
Understand different models and which fits your mission and market.
Spot income opportunities
Explore options like products, memberships, events, space hire, licensing and partnerships.
Plan a simple pilot
Design a low-risk test with clear goals, budget and measures of success.
Price and learn fast
Check costs and margins, gather feedback quickly, and iterate before you scale.
About the webinar
Trading can make community businesses more resilient. In this webinar, you’ll look at community business trading models and a range of traded income streams—from products and services to memberships, events, space hire and partnerships. You’ll learn from real examples and what they have in common, like building on existing skills, facilities and local connections.
You’ll then focus on “the power of the pilot”: how to test an idea at small scale to check demand, pricing, delivery and risk.
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Different trading models and when to use them
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Common traded income models (products/services, memberships, licensing, events, partnerships and more)
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What successful community businesses build on
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How to design a pilot: who it’s for, what you’ll offer and how you’ll charge
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Basics of unit economics: costs, pricing and margins
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How to gather feedback and improve before scaling
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Get clearer about which trading routes are realistic for your community business
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Prioritise ideas that create both impact and income
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Reduce risk by testing with a time- and budget-capped pilot
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Make more confident decisions on pricing and delivery
This session is a webinar format but with opportunities to interact and respond. You’ll be invited to share ideas, respond to quick polls and ask questions throughout. Our trainer will explain key concepts and real-world examples, then guide you to reflect on your own foundations.
This webinar takes place on Zoom.
Anyone is welcome to join. The following people will find this webinar especially useful:
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People leading or supporting a community business who want to grow income from trading
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Suitable whether you’re exploring a new idea or improving an existing offer
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No specialist finance knowledge required
About the trainer
Louise Treacher works with charities, social enterprises and community organisations to become more resilient, financially sustainable and operationally robust. With over 30 years’ experience in operational management, organisational change and financial oversight, she supports organisations through training, facilitation, governance support and financial management guidance.
Louise specialises in diversifying and stabilising income (including earned income and enterprise activities), strengthening governance and financial controls, and improving budgeting and reporting—helping leaders turn strategy into sustainable action.
Impact skills for anyone
Our workshops are designed for people looking to create impact, but anyone, anywhere can join.
Completely free
This workshop is free to anyone that is interested in joining.
Expert-led course
Hear from a specialist in diversifying and stabilising income at purpose-led organisations.
Essential knowledge in less than 2 hours
Get the important information to help you lay the foundations for building new income streams.
Feedback about SSE workshops
87 %
of people score 8/10 or above for quality of facilitation
84 %
of people score 7/10 or above for usefulness
758
Workshop places booked in 2025
FAQ
If you have any questions that are not answered here, please feel free to contact us.
Yes, we can offer any of our workshops or completely bespoke training on request. Please contact us to discuss the options.
You are very welcome to book for multiple people but each individual joining the workshop must be booked on to join, even if sharing a computer. You can select your number of tickets when you make your booking.
You can cancel or change the booking for this free webinar at any time. Please inform us if you are not attending.
If you wish to make a change or cancellation please contact us and state the name of the workshop and email address used to make the booking.
This workshop takes place online via Zoom. Once you have booked your place you will receive joining instructions in your confirmation email and in reminders closer to the time of the workshop.
All currently available dates are listed in the Book now section. We run most of our workshops repeatedly throughout the year, so if you cannot see further dates, they may not have yet been scheduled. Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page to be kept up to date.
Yes we will record this webinar. If you would like a link to the recording, make sure you register for the webinar.
At the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), we back people with purpose. With practical learning that makes sense in the real world. With funding that grows as you grow. With mentors, peers and people who’ve been there and done it. We don’t care where you started. We care about where you’re going and the difference you want to make in your life, in your community, and in the world.
Find out more about SSE here.
You can see the times under the dates in the Book Now section. All the workshops are on London, UK time.
If you have a question that is not answered on this page, please feel free to contact us.
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