How The Growing Club is helping Lancashire’s business women

A year ago, Boost & Co member, Jane Binnion and Rachel Holme launched The Growing Club - a business coaching club for female business owners and founders of charities and social enterprises. The first group of women to sign up has now completed the year long programme to grow their businesses. Here we shine a light on the club and how its members have benefitted.

The Growing Club was launched in February 2016 after Jane and Rachel identified a gap in available business education support. With 10 women signed up, the aim was to see what would happen if they worked together for 12 months to grow their businesses. Jane was a youth and community worker for 20 years and The Growing Club is based on group work models of learning from, and supporting, each other.

The group meets monthly for a taught input and action learning based on a systematic programme of business growth essentials. The work so far has been self-funded, subsidised by Rachel and Jane with moral support from Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub and the Federation of Small Businesses. Jane said: “We seem to have developed a model that really makes a difference and we would love to roll that out. We plan to trial an online group this year too.” Mandy Blackwell of Mandy Blackwell Recruitment added: “I was unsure about the growing club before I started but it has been the best business decision I have made so far.

“My business has grown and I have grown both in confidence and a sense of direction.” And, Laura Sandham of School of Dance, added: “Joining the growing club was the best decision I have ever made.” The group currently meets in Lancaster at the Royal Kings Arms, with women travelling from all over Lancashire. Cohort two started in September 2016 and Jane is recruiting for cohort three now which will start on March 28.

If you are interested in finding out more about The Growing Club visit http://www.janebinnion.com/product/growing-club-cic/ or email Jane@janebinnion.com