Clare Cooper, co-founder of microbusiness The Home Straight, was the first person to purchase a ticket for the launch Small is Beautiful conference.

Founded with her sister, Olivia Roberston, an occupational therapist, in April last year, The Home Straight's core offer revolves around helping older people and their families navigate their way through the daunting process of moving and downsizing, or advising on adapting their homes to allow them to continue living there safely and independently (known as ageing in place).

For Clare, it was a no-brainer to attend Small is Beautiful. 'Our business is all about bothering with the small details, taking the time to make small steps with our clients to help them adapt to the next stage of their lives with compassion and integrity. The conference was a real pull for me because I'm really interested in just how the groundswell of interest is around being small and staying small, rather than getting bigger, faster, all the time.'

Another aspect of being a microenterprise which Small is Beautiful will explore, highlights a further area of interest for Clare and Olivia, who are keen to offer services that have a lighter footprint on the planet. For them, that is also part of their personal 'small is beautiful' ethos.

This relates in particular to one of the areas of their business they are currently developing – how 3D printers can create bespoke solutions for individual needs.

Clare explains: 'In partnership with the University of Dundee, we held our first workshop recently, with local folk, to talk them through the possibilities of using 3D printing technology to produce simple items of adaptive equipment, such as grab rails, toilet frames or shower stools. We took a printer with us so people could see for themselves how it works. This technology will mean that instead of mass producing these items, which may not be quite right for the user and wasting resources along the way, we can make bespoke products, as and when people need and want them.'

With 25 per cent of Scotland's population expected to be over 65 by 2020, and with the roll-out of self-directed support and an anticipated reduction in the level of state support, Clare and Olivia feel that their service to help older people downsize or age in place, will become the way to go.

Clare hopes that the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, views and inspiration with other micros at Small is Beautiful will help them to explore more ways to stay small and work smart for their business and offer the opportunity to help build the influence of a set of values that are increasingly relevant to people across Scotland.