When running a business, you need to think about the day-to-day running of operations as well as have an eye on the big issues that can affect your medium and long term plans, while also creating the perfect team to deliver on all of your goals. It can be a challenge. 

That’s why Buckinghamshire Business First delivers a programme of support that has you covered from the day-to-day to the big picture issues, and everything in between. And while we can’t control what a future trade agreement with the EU looks like, we can provide you with the support you need to weather anything that comes your way.

Growth Advice Programme

This comprehensive programme of support will help your business deliver on its growth potential.

At the core of the Growth Advice Programme is bespoke support and advice from our experienced team.  As one beneficiary told us:

“As a result of taking part in the Growth Programme, I not only re-discovered my original momentum, but the business has grown in directions that I would never have imagined. You have helped me to believe in myself, which has created new opportunities for my business and personal development.”

Watch some great video case studies of our Growth Programme participants >

Of those who have taken part so far: 

• 92% would recommend the programme to others
• 96% have taken action to grow 
• 70% have increased their turnover
• 32% have developed new products

This high-performing, highly-rated programme comes at no cost to you, as it is a funded ERDF programme.

What support will you receive?

Your business will receive 12+ hours of targeted support, tailored to your needs, beginning with a one-to-one visit from a Business Adviser and then encompassing a mixture of the following:

• Masterclass session on strategies for growth, delivered by Cranfield School of Management
• Finance Masterclass – the fundamentals of finance and getting your business ready for investment, delivered by Harwood Hutton
• Mastermind peer-to-peer networking session
• Opportunity to meet with a Growth Champion, someone who has successfully grown their own business and will act as a sounding board for you
• Member-to-member workshops on a variety of useful topics

The Growth Advice Programme is part of our wider Growth Programme, which also delivers grants of up to £5,000 to businesses to help them invest in projects to boost growth.

You can also visit the ‘Growing your Business’ section of our website for more resources and information. 

Focus on upskilling you and your team

Our ‘Focus On’ event series is designed with business owners and staff in mind, to help them train in areas that benefit them and the wider business.

There are four events currently scheduled, with more to come throughout the year. Take a look at the below and see how they can support your upskilling efforts:

• Focus on your Sales Skills, Stokenchurch, April 29th.
• Focus on Building your Social Media Strategy. Stokenchurch, May 21st.

Tourism and Hospitality Mastermind programme to support businesses in the sector

The Tourism & Hospitality Mastermind is a unique opportunity for leaders of businesses in the Tourism & Hospitality sector in Buckinghamshire to take time out from the day-to-day running of their business to explore new ideas, tackle challenging issues and grow as leaders – with the support of like-minded peers.

The Tourism & Hospitality programme is fully funded on your behalf and has been developed in partnership by Visit Buckinghamshire and The Chilterns, Buckinghamshire Business First and Be the Business as part of its Collaborative Networks for Tourism and Hospitality programme.

The aim is to bring business owners, leaders and senior managers together to improve business performance through joint learning, sharing, and collaboration.

The Mastermind is an evolution of the work that Buckinghamshire Business First and Be the Business have been doing separately in other areas to great success. These sessions have helped business owners save time and money, make useful business contacts, discover breakthroughs and tackle challenges amongst a network of likeminded peers.

Learn more about this Mastermind programme here, or contact Lucy Dowson at Visit Buckinghamshire and The Chilterns for more details at info@visitbuckinghamshire.org.

Preparing your business for the new rules after the UK-EU transition is complete

Visit our UK-EU Transition page for information and resources related to the new rules that will apply across business sectors from January 1st 2021.

We have Brexit-specialist team members within our Business Support Team, so get in touch with any queries.

Learn more about all of the above

To find out more about any of the above, or to explore even more support on offer, contact our Business Support Manager Ian Mackey and he will guide you in the right direction. Email BusinessSupport@bbf.uk.com or call 01494 927130.