SMALL BUSINESS LEADERS ENCOURAGED TO ‘THINK BIG’ AND SUPPORT FELLOW LONDON SMES’ GROWTH

Chair of the Small Business Charter, Michael Hayman DBE, is urging London SME leaders to ‘think big’.

The call was made to SME leaders who gathered in the capital after benefitting from business growth programme, the Help to Grow: Management Course – an event attended by the Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, Kevin Hollinrake.

Representatives from a variety of different sectors attended the event from across London and the South East, but they all had one thing in common; they had all completed the Help to Grow: Management Course – a 12-week, 90% government-funded course designed to help business leaders and senior managers increase resilience, innovation and growth within their organisations.

The event, at County Hall in Waterloo, included informative talks from leaders across a range of sectors on ways to set and meet ambitious goals as well as secure financial help for their business. They included David Abrahamovitch, Founder and CEO of café and coffee shop chain Grind, Charlotte Keenan, Head of Corporate Engagement International and 10,000 Small Businesses UK at Goldman Sachs, Jeremy Smith, Head of Enterprise Delivery at NatWest and Andrea Reynolds, Founder and CEO of business funding firm Swoop.

Building an entrepreneurial mindset was also a core theme of the day, addressing the psychology of management, teamwork and motivation. Business leaders explored how they can improve job satisfaction to support increased productivity. Professor Adrian Furnham, a world-renowned organisational psychologist and consultant, also gave advice on how to become a more resilient business leader to keep employees engaged in their roles.

Speaking at the event, Small Business Charter Chair Michael Hayman DBE said: “Move fast and break things was once the mantra adopted by many businesses, but we see in our alumni today a desire to move fast and fix things. For a prosperous, thriving society, we must invest in the small businesses that are at the heart of our communities.

“Thinking big means thinking beyond ourselves and ensuring as many SME leaders, from all backgrounds, are given the tools they need to succeed. It involves seizing the day with grit and positivity and by realising the incredible potential that everyone has. Spreading the word about Help to Grow: Management is a great place to start.”

Charlotte Keenan, who runs 10,000 Small Businesses in the UK at Goldman Sachs added: “SMEs are the engines of our economy and the future of Britain. The resources Help to Grow: Management give small businesses are fantastic. Speaking to alumni today I could see how highly they value the course in not only learning new skills but growing their networks. I’m told 91% of them would recommend it to a friend – I can see why.”

The Help to Grow: Management Course is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments, providing business leaders with more than 50 hours of online and in person training including 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring.

Mosharraf Hossain, the CEO of disability coaching and mentoring business Global Inclusion Consulting, added: “Help to Grow: Management is a life-changing course that has given me the confidence and tools to navigate the challenges of starting my own company, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty. It has enabled me to strategise, design operations, and explore new markets – including setting up a new office in Bangladesh. I am truly grateful for the transformative impact of this course on my business journey.”

Help to Grow: Management is delivered by the Small Business Charter accredited business schools. In London alone, 320 SME leaders had finished the course by February 2023 across seven regional universities including Kings College London, Birkbeck University of London, London South Bank University and the University of the Arts London*.

Individuals completing the course automatically join the Alumni Network, where they have access to content and partner offers, support of a UK-wide peer network and entry to exclusive events.

Business leaders can find out more about Help to Grow: Management and sign up for the course in their area by visiting: www.smallbusinesscharter.org/help-to-grow-management.