Is your business looking to get more traction? Or are you experiencing rapid growth? Perhaps you're looking at ways to be more productive or develop a new market?
Whatever stage your business is at, Enterprising Ashfield can help - and all support is paid for so there's no cost to your business.
Our Growth strand can help you review and grow your business with a suite of assistance and programmes. We deliver our help via supportive 1:1 business mentoring, expert workshops, peer learning, leadership training, sector-specific support programmes and a grant.
As well as the two strands of support listed below, you can also access a grant typically up to £2,000 (match funded by the business - larger grants available on a case by case basis) to subsidise the buying-in of professional services involving coaching, mentoring, training and/or knowledge transfer to help improve your business.
Take a look at the two main strands of support we offer;
WOW Programme
Designed for businesses that wish to develop & grow but haven’t had business support before. We’ll take you through a micro-group short programme of guided business-review workshops and 1:1 mentoring. This will allow you to ‘Work Out What’ your business needs to do by pulling together your business experience with the ‘lightbulb moments’ gained from the programme.
Our free online WOW sessions take place each month with our Business Advisor Adrian. You'll look at what value you're giving your customers and how you engage with them, and include overviews of good financial management and marketing practice. Adrian will also be able to advise on areas of support you may be able to access through the Enterprising Ashfield project.
If you'd like to book a space on the next WOW session email adrian.williams@ntu.ac.uk
Enhance Growth Programme
The Enhance Growth programme is designed to help ambitious smaller businesses and organisations in Sutton and Kirkby in Ashfield to grow, but in a way that isn’t as time-intensive as programmes like the UK Government’s Help to Grow course.
The focus is on Business Strategy, Leadership and Sustainability – plus we’ll also support junior staff members to develop, if you have employees. This dual approach strengthens all levels within your organisation to enhance business potential.
The programme will help you with:
- Understanding and (re)evaluating your business model
- Developing the ‘value proposition’ of your business and aligning that to marketing
- Getting to grips with the considerations you need to address in your growth strategy
- Becoming a great business leader
- Ensuring your communications succeed for your business and your staff
- Transitioning your business to a caring organisation that has sustainability embedded into operations
If you'd like to find out more about Enhance Growth support and if it would be suitable for your business email adrian.williams@ntu.ac.uk
Once you’ve received some support, we’ll also invite you into our Enterprising Ashfield alumni group – an online and in-person forum for peer support and information sharing, to help build a local entrepreneurial network.
Our Growth programme is available to businesses within eligible postcodes in Ashfield. Visit our eligibility checker page to see if your postcode makes you eligible for the project.
If you’re not eligible for the Enterprising Ashfield project please take a look at other ways NTU can support businesses and employees.
I found the structure of the program to be really helpful, splitting the topics weekly allowed me to action the given tasks each week before new information came in. I also found the informal approach to be inviting as it allowed the group to interact openly and honestly. It definitely did help me, it helped me see what areas I needed to give attention to, to grow the business.
The project is delivered by NTU, in partnership with Ashfield District Council and is part-funded by the Government’s Town Fund.
Business & Enterprise Support in Mansfield & Ashfield
Find out more about our links with the local area and how we can work with and support local businesses.
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