Professional services firms are being urged to consider the benefits of promoting an intensive support programme for business owners to their clients.
During the past three years, hundreds of businesses across the South East Midlands have accessed SEMLEP’s Growth Curve programme which helps company owners to strengthen their leadership skills and develop strategies for long-term growth.
The fully-funded programme is offered to firms for free and features an initial 180 minutes of support and advice from a business adviser, information about grants and funding opportunities and university-led masterclasses.
SEMLEP business adviser Ruth Roan said:
“Ultimately, the Growth Curve programme is a business review, so professional services firms should view us as a free value-added service for their clients.
“Growth Curve helps organisations to look at where their business is and where they want it to be. It helps them to plan for the future and learn about funding opportunities.
“So, if you’re an accountancy firm and have clients you know are in need of funding and investment, you would enhance the service you offer them by informing them about the support that SEMLEP and Growth Curve can provide.
“By doing this, professional services firms can play a key role in helping their clients to grow. That’s great for their relationship and ultimately means the professional services firms themselves will have more high growth clients.”
As part of the programme, SEMLEP has been working in partnership with the University of Northampton, University of Bedfordshire and Cranfield University on a series of masterclasses.
The next online masterclass will be led by the University of Northampton in May and will include three sessions focused on the topics of Leading Your Business Forward, Profitable Growth Through Marketing and Growing Your Business in the Digital World.
Ruth added:
“Business strategy courses like these can cost thousands of pounds so the fact that businesses in this area can access nine hours of a university masterclass for free is a fantastic opportunity.”
The funding for Growth Curve will soon come to an end so businesses only have until June 30 to take advantage of the programme.
It is open to firms which are experiencing or projecting high growth in the next two to three years, have a minimum of two employees and a current annual turnover of £100,000 with projected 20% annual growth minimum.
Firms which have already benefited from it include audio visual solutions teams, online content creators, architects and interior designers, healthcare staffing organisations, security technology installers, accountancy firms and activity centres.
Growth Curve and its Growth Curve Peer Networks are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
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To register for support from the Growth Curve programme fill in the enquiry form at www.semlepgrowthhub.com/growth-curve
