30 business focus
Physiotherapy for your business
'It makes a huge difference to know that there is someone who actually cares about your business and is willing to go the extra mile to help you succeed'
Over 700 businesses have successfully engaged with the Business Growth Hub in Berkshire since early 2014, giving them advice, guidance, support and expertise to help scale-up and grow.
As a primary point of contact for Berkshire’s ambitious businesses, the government funded Business Growth Hub reports the following successes since it was established in 2014:
• delivered tailored strategic advice to over 200 businesses
• 109 business owners and managers benefited from leadership training at Henley Business School
• invested £488,000 in grants matched with just under £1 million of private investment
• leveraged a further £1.756 million debt and equity investment into clients' companies
• helped create or safeguard 80 jobs.
Susan Elliott, MD of VitalSix, who delivers the Business Growth Hub in Berkshire said: “Our aim is to help ambitious business leaders unleash their potential, whether that is setting up a new business, developing a new product or service or having reached the point to take a high-growth business to the next level.”
The Growth Hub has a range of free services for all businesses including information about starting a business, signposting to sources of help and advice, business review clinics and short workshops. For those businesses with the highest potential to scale-up, grow and create new jobs, the High Growth Service is available too. This includes:
1 Advice and guidance
Working with you to agree a comprehensive and timely programme of work, the Growth Hub will help challenge your thinking to make sure you have the right strategy, operational plans and funding in place to maximise your chances of success.
MyPrintCloud benefited from coaching to focus on strategy, governance and finance. Based in Slough, MyPrintCloud has developed a web-to-print e-commerce system that is leading the way for affordable SaaS web to print. With a grant of £40,000
businessmag.co.uk Susan Elliott
secured through the Growth Hub, matched with £80,000 from MyPrintCloud, they have been able to develop and launch their new product in two major overseas markets.
2 Funding and support to scale up
The experienced team at the Growth Hub will help ensure plans stand up to the scrutiny of potential sources of funding. We work with the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator and other sources of funding such as crowdfunding platforms for equity finance and peer-to-peer lending providers. We also partner with local and national service providers including UK Trade & Investment, Innovate UK, the University of Reading, apprenticeship and skills programmes.
3 Business leadership training support
The Growth Hub delivers a leadership training programme for senior management teams in partnership with Henley Business School. The Berkshire Business Accelerator is an intensive
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2016
programme for leaders and senior teams to develop and hone skills and provide a focus for growth planning.
“Our directors attended the Accelerator programme to help us to think differently about our next steps to grow the business,” said Dermot de Courcy Robinson, MD of MAXX Design, a 20-year-old award-winning design business based in Newbury. “It was a challenge to our thinking, a refocus on our strategy and a fresh inspiration to drive the business forward. We believe that this has given us a significant competitive advantage.”
Tracey Sanderson, director of sensory and consumer research, Sensory Dimensions also found the Accelerator programme of great benefit. Established in 1989, Sensory Dimensions is a leading sensory science and consumer research consultancy. Rapid growth has put new demands on individuals within the organisation. “I came away feeling empowered and able to put a framework in place that could enable me to arrive at the answers I was seeking much quicker,” said Sanderson.
A survey conducted in March 2016 among Growth Hub clients found that 91% were highly satisfied or satisfied with the Growth Hub services and 95% would recommend the Growth Hub to other businesses and colleagues.
One respondent commented: “The Growth Hub provides some great resources for small business owners who can find setting up and running a business quite isolating and challenging at times. It can feel overwhelming in the beginning and having the support and resources of the Growth Hub is invaluable.”
“It was like physiotherapy for the business ...” said Dr Aine Aherne, managing director of environmental consultancy Envirodat. The Growth Hub became the critical agent for change at a time when the business had grown 30% in one year. “The Accelerator programme was invaluable. We’ve changed how we think about the business and now have a focused strategy to continue to grow the business.”
Register now with the Growth Hub to find out how we can help you scale-up your business.
Details:
berkshirebusinesshub.co.uk info@berkshirebusinesshub.co.uk 0118-9357115
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