Member Article

Language and Learning Firm Feels the Benefit of BizSmart Business Support Following 80% Growth

A language and learning company that specialises in interpretation support for Deaf people has celebrated an 80% increase in growth, since working with Worcestershire business support provider, BizSmart.

Headquartered in Alvechurch, Birmingham, Sign Solutions, was originally founded in 2003, and has since become an established provider of BSL interpretation via on-demand face-to-face and virtual interpreters.

The firm originally started working with Kevin Brent, Founder of BizSmart, in a consultancy capacity in 2014, before Managing Director, Clare Vale, joined the first cohort of SmartBoards; a peer-to-peer group of like-minded business owners who meet on a monthly basis to help one another overcome challenges and achieve their growth objectives.

Since this time, Clare has benefitted significantly from monthly peer-to-peer learning and 1-2-1 support, driving fundamental changes in the business, including the receipt of a significant 6-figure investment from Midland Engine Investment Fund company, Midven, in early 2019.

As a result, Sign Solutions has successfully doubled headcount from 14 to 25, whilst increasing revenue by 80% to an impressive £1.8 Million.

Clare Vale explained: “Since working with Kevin and joining the first cohort of SmartBoards, Sign Solutions has experienced incredible growth, enabling us to nearly double both turnover and headcount. Although I have always been focused on developing the business, being part of SmartBoards has helped me to establish clear objectives, work through difficult challenges and implement impactful changes.

Therefore, both BizSmart and the SmartBoards concept have proved incredibly valuable to me and I genuinely believe that business owners working hard to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 would find the additional direction and support extremely beneficial; as we have in bouncing back from a 70% loss in turnover.“

Headquartered in Worcestershire, BizSmart has successfully established itself as a leading business support provider by developing a series of proven support programmes with a key focus on bringing like-minded business leaders together via peer-to-peer learning and engagement.

Focused on disrupting the business support industry, the firm has recently launched a new franchise model, which not only provides the opportunity for proven professionals to build and establish their own business support offering under the BizSmart umbrella, but also extends vital support to professionals likely to benefit from peer-to-peer learning and engagement during this economically challenging time.

Kevin Brent confirmed: “We have worked with Clare over 5 years now and have thoroughly enjoyed supporting her growth journey. Research shows that business owners who join peer-to-peer support programmes will typically experience 2-3 times1 the growth rate of those that don’t, proving its value.

Therefore, in launching the BizSmart Franchise, we are not only excited to expand our brand and innovative support programmes but are also looking forward to helping thousands of business owners achieve incredible growth, just as we have seen with Sign Solutions.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Jones .