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The leadership programme supporting North East SMEs to thrive

Described as a ‘mini MBA’ by past participants, the Help to Grow: Management programme offers the opportunity for SMEs to gain critical leadership skills, access personalised mentoring and develop a tailored and actionable growth plan.

Hosted here in the North East by Northumbria University, Help to Grow is delivered over a 12-week curriculum, through a mix of face to face (4 sessions) and online modules (8 sessions). 90% of the total cost is subsidised by government, making it a cost-effective option for small and medium sized businesses with big ambitions.

SME leaders from Northumberland to Tees Valley, and from a diverse range of sectors, have completed the programme to date and cited a range of outcomes and benefits for their personal and organisational growth.

Esther McHugh, Business Manager at construction consultancy Helm, commented: “Following a tricky corporate rebrand, we were also facing some challenges with talent attraction and retention when I embarked on Help to Grow.

“The programme teaches you the theory you need to develop the business, but importantly it also works with you to create an action plan. Even though you know your own business inside out, this course gives you the vision to readdress your strategy and ensure that you are moving with the times.

“The learning provided not only helped us to tackle the challenges we were aware of, but also helped us to predict future challenges before they arise and streamline our operations accordingly. I have become a better leader as a result and have increased confidence levels when it comes to suggesting and implementing change. I am now in a position to bring a fresh perspective and creative new ideas to the company.”

Trevor Pill, Managing Director at specialist healthcare communications agency, Onyx Health, undertook the programme following a period of rapid growth and personal transition. He said: “When I started Help to Grow, our main priority as a business was to improve operationally and become more streamlined, improve productivity, and grow our profitability as a result. At the same time my role was evolving, as I transitioned to leading the agency.

“The topics were very accessible; everything was communicated in a clear, practical and no-nonsense way. The learning sessions are led by people with credible industry and commercial experience, so it’s all ‘real world’ stuff and directly applicable, rather than theoretical business speak – something which is very important to me.

“I also found the mentoring sessions brilliant. My mentor was a great sounding board for the ideas I was developing for the business and provided an objective perspective. I always left each mentoring session with an action to take forward.”

Kelly Maxwell, Founder of Kelly’s Heroes Private Tuition Ltd, also completed the Help to Grow programme with Northumbria earlier this year; she said: “If it hadn’t been for the programme, I can honestly say I don’t know where the business would be now. Help to Grow came along at the perfect time and in hindsight, you only dedicate a very small amount of time in comparison to the results you can achieve from completing the course.

“The programme was a fantastic way to develop my leadership and management skills as well as developing marketing strategies. It helped to provide me with the time I needed to take a step back and really focus on the business, rather than just working ‘in it’ every day.”

The next Help to Grow: Management cohort starts in September 2023. To find out more about the programme and potential benefits for your business, please contact the Help to Grow team: bl.h2gm@northumbria.ac.uk

Find out more online or express your interest here

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumbria University .