Why Every South West SMB Needs to Attend This Cybersecurity Event
The statistics are sobering:
UK SMBs experienced a cyber attack in the last 12 months
Average cost per incident
For many many small and medium size businesses, that’s not just a financial hit, it’s potentially business ending. Yet despite these risks, most SMB owners tell us the same thing: “I know I should do something about cybersecurity, but I don’t know where to start.”
If that sounds familiar, this article is for you.
The Problem with Most Cybersecurity Advice
Walk into any cybersecurity conference or pick up any industry publication, and you’ll quickly realise something: almost everything is designed for large enterprises with dedicated IT teams and six-figure security budgets.
The advice might be technically sound, but it’s completely impractical for a 50-person marketing agency or a 100-person law firm in Bristol. You don’t need a £100,000 security operations centre. You need practical, affordable protection that fits your business and your budget.
Why We Created This Event
After speaking with numerous South West business owners and decision makers over the past year, we kept hearing the same frustrations:
“I can’t afford to make expensive mistakes”, “I need practical steps, not theoretical concepts”, “I don’t know which providers to trust”.
That’s why we’re bringing together the region’s most experienced cybersecurity professionals for an evening specifically designed for SMB owners and managers.
What Makes This Different from Other Cybersecurity Events
1. SMB Focused Content: Every advice, case study, recommendation is designed for businesses like yours. No million-pound budgets, no dedicated security teams required.
2. Practical Implementation: You won’t just hear theoretical concepts, you will learn how to implement change, with guides you can use immediately.
3. Local Expertise: Our panellists work with South West businesses daily. They understand the regional challenges, the local threat landscape and the resources available to you.
4. Real Case Studies: Learn from local businesses who’ve faced cyber incidents. Understand what went wrong, what went right and what you can learn from their experiences.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Let’s be honest about what’s at stake if you don’t take action.
- Financial Impact: The average SMB cyber incident costs £25,000. For many businesses, that’s several months of profit wiped out.
- Operational Disruption: Ransomware can shut down your systems for days or weeks. Can your business survive without access to emails, customer data, or financial systems?
- Reputation Damage: Data breaches destroy customer trust. In our connected world, bad news travels fast, and customers don’t forget bad experiences easily.
- Legal Consequences: GDPR fines can reach 4% of annual turnover. Even for smaller businesses, that can be tens of thousands of pounds.
- Personal Liability: As a director or business owner, you have legal responsibilities for data protection. Ignorance isn’t a defence.
The Questions You’ll Get Answered
Our expert panel will address the questions we hear most often from SME owners:
“What’s the minimum I need to do to protect my business?”
“How do I train my staff without scaring them?”
“Is cyber insurance worth it, and what should I look for?”
“How do I know if a cybersecurity provider is any good?”
“What should I do if we get hit by ransomware?”
“How much should I budget for cybersecurity?”
“Do I really need Cyber Essentials certification?”
Who Should Attend
This event is specifically designed for:
- SMB owners and directors who need to understand the risks and make investment decisions
- Operations managers responsible for day-to-day business security
- IT managers who need practical guidance and local resources
- Finance directors who need to understand and budget for cybersecurity investments
Anyone responsible for compliance in SMBs dealing with customer data
The Reality Check
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: cyber criminals don’t care about your business size. They don’t care that you’re “just a small company” or that you “don’t have anything worth stealing.”
Your customer database is valuable. Your financial information is valuable. Your business operations are valuable. And if you can’t access them because of a cyber attack, your business stops.
The good news? You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to protect your business effectively. You just need the right guidance and a practical plan.
What Happens Next
Cybersecurity isn’t about achieving perfection, it’s about being harder to attack than the business next door. The criminals will move on to easier targets.
This event will show you exactly how to become that harder target, without breaking your budget or overwhelming your team.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. .
Can’t make it but know someone who should attend? Forward this article – they’ll thank you for it.
About This Event
“Protecting Your Business in the Digital Age: Essential Cybersecurity for South West SMBs” takes place on 02nd October 2025, 6pm-9pm at Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol. Attendance is free, however advance booking is required.
This event is organised by Impact IT Solutions. For more information or group bookings, contact marketing@impactitsolutions.co.uk
Book your free place in two easy steps
Advance booking is required, book via Eventbrite or email us for more details.
Sources:
1. UK Government Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2023. Reported by Infosecurity Magazine.
2. Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2023. Published by Hiscox Insurance.
