Brilliantly Brave Secures UK Government Digital Development Grant

We're delighted to announce that Brilliantly Brave has been awarded a significant Moray Digital Development Grant, funded through the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund. This support marks a pivotal moment in our journey, enabling us to create an integrated digital ecosystem that will revolutionise how we serve our stockists, customers, and most importantly, our community.

From Kitchen Table to Digital Transformation
Since launching Brilliantly Brave in early 2024, we've secured stockists from across the UK and received industry recognition including six Henries Award nominations. However, this rapid expansion has highlighted the limitations of our current systems.

Like many small businesses, we started with basic tools and manual processes. We’ve been writing orders on paper at trade shows, manually updating spreadsheets, and cobbling together free solutions to manage our inventory. While this got us started, it wasn't sustainable for growth - especially given our commitment to channelling 100% of profits into mental health initiatives.

The Challenge of Growth
The challenges we faced were becoming increasingly apparent:
    •    Multiple disconnected systems leading to duplicate data entry
    •    Manual stock management across different sales channels
    •    Paper-based order processing at trade shows and events
    •    Limited ability to track and analyse business performance
    •    Time-consuming administrative tasks reducing focus on impact

Every hour spent on manual administration is an hour we can't spend developing new mental health initiatives or developing design for cards or licensing. This grant allows us to build systems that will dramatically reduce that overhead, ultimately enabling us to channel more resources into our core mission.

Comprehensive Digital Solution
The grant will fund the development of an integrated digital infrastructure including:
    •    A robust e-commerce website
    •    Real-time inventory management synchronised across all sales channels
    •    Digital order processing systems for trade shows and events
    •    Enhanced cybersecurity measures
    •    Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools
    •    Mobile-first solutions for on-the-go management
    •    Integration with accounting and fulfilment systems

This isn't just about being able to build this website. We're creating an entire ecosystem that will transform how we operate. For example, when a stockist places an order at a trade show, or we sell cards at one of our live events, it will automatically update our inventory, generate invoices, and adjust stock levels across all channels - all in real-time.

Supporting Growth and Impact
The digital transformation project directly aligns with the grant's core objectives:
Reducing Operational Costs:
    •    Automated order processing reducing manual administration
    •    Streamlined inventory management preventing overstock
    •    Integrated systems eliminating duplicate data entry
    •    Digital documentation reducing paper waste

Increasing Profit Margins:
    •    More efficient order processing reducing fulfilment costs
    •    Better stock management minimising waste
    •    Automated systems reducing administrative overhead
    •    Enhanced analytics enabling data-driven decisions

Improving Market Share:
    •    Professional online presence enhancing brand credibility
    •    Better service capabilities attracting more stockists
    •    Enhanced communication tools building stronger relationships
    •    Digital marketing capabilities reaching new audiences

The Role of Business Gateway Moray
We're particularly grateful to Business Gateway Moray for their support throughout the application process. Lorna and Shannon have always been incredibly supportive, inspirational and informative, always there when we have a query, and have saved us both significant time and money over the past year. Their guidance was instrumental in helping us articulate how digital transformation could amplify our social impact while building a more sustainable business model.

Business Gateway Moray understood immediately that this wasn't just about business efficiency. They helped us demonstrate how digital transformation would enable us to increase our social impact by creating more capacity for mental health initiatives. This grant is truly transformational. It gives us the tools we need to scale our impact while maintaining the personal touch that makes Brilliantly Brave special. Every efficiency we gain means more resources we can channel into supporting mental health in our community.

Public Events and Real-Time Inventory
A significant part of our business involves direct sales at community events across Moray. From the Moray Blue Light Festival to Forres' Toun Mercat, and even a successful stint at Tesco Elgin, we consistently see strong public response to our cards and mission.

These local events are incredibly important to us. Not only do we sell hundreds of cards, but we get to share our mental health mission directly with our community. The challenge has always been managing inventory across these different channels.

The new digital system will transform how we handle these events. Each card sold will be instantly scanned and logged, automatically updating our online inventory in real-time. No more manually adjusting stock levels or risking overselling. Whether someone buys a card from our website, a trade show, or a local event, our stock levels will always be accurate and up-to-date.

Data-Driven Decision Making
Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects - for us at least! - of this digital transformation is the enhanced analytics capability. The integrated system will provide detailed insights into sales patterns, customer behaviour, and marketing effectiveness across all channels.

This data is gold dust for our stockists and licensing partners. We'll be able to tell stockists exactly which designs are performing best, backed by real sales data from multiple channels. For our licensing partners, this means we can guide product development based on proven consumer preferences.

The system will track not just what's selling, but where the sale originated - whether through Google, Facebook, Instagram, or direct traffic. Understanding these patterns helps us make smarter decisions about everything from stock levels to marketing spend. But most importantly, it helps us maximise the profits we can channel into mental health initiatives.

The Moray Digital Development Grant – Round 2 is 100% funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and supporting local business growth.

We look forward to sharing our digital transformation journey with our community and demonstrating how technology can amplify social impact when aligned with purpose.

About Brilliantly Brave
Brilliantly Brave is a purpose-driven greeting card publisher based in Moray, Scotland. Founded in 2024, the business creates beautifully designed cards that celebrate diversity, promote mental wellbeing, and directly fund community mental health initiatives. By channelling 100% of profits into local support services, we're pioneering a new model of social enterprise that proves commercial success and social impact can go hand in hand.