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This week 20 Scottish businesses have kickstarted their new year's resolutions for business growth by starting their journey on the Government funded Help to Grow programme.
Delivered by Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University, Help to Grow is a £520 million scheme offering tailored support to owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It includes Help to Grow: Management, a 12 week growth programme designed to equip business leaders with the skills needed to reach more customers, boost profits, and encourage employment.
Laura Galloway, director of the programme at Edinburgh Business School says: "We are delighted to be delivering the Help to Grow programme and are so enthused by the participants we have for our first group. The broad range of industries and experiences represented is great and the value of sharing experiences is already clear. There is no doubt the ambitions for growth amongst this cohort of firms, and their capacity to achieve these, will be supported and enhanced by the quality of the programme and our commitment to delivering it."
Linda Playfair, who is taking part in the programme said: “I don't have any formal business education or training and have very much taken the learn as I go along approach! I felt a little bit daunted initially, however, the programme is very well designed and easy to follow. Already the first session of the programme has provided me with a number of strategic tools that will be invaluable. The fact that in 12 weeks' time, I will have a bespoke growth plan for my nursery is very exciting!”
In three weeks' time all businesses will be matched with a business mentor to help them develop a bespoke plan specifically for their business.
Chris Gray, another Help to Grow participant said: “We have been incredibly fortunate to have experienced rapid growth and are now putting into place further processes and procedures to build an effective structure for our next stage of growth. Teaming up with a mentor that has experienced the same issues and has worked through them is an incredibly valuable part of the Help to Grow programme. I am hopeful that the mentor relationship will continue outside of the programme as we continue to develop our business.”
Heriot-Watt is one of only four business schools in Scotland delivering the Help to Grow: Management programme. Places are now available on the programme starting on 21st March 2022. To find out more or to apply for the programme visit https://smallbusinesscharter.org/h2gm-registration/