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Boost check-in: Gaining the confidence to grow your business

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Whether you are looking for strategic one-to-one support, developing future leaders, launching a product or scaling up, the Boost mentoring services are designed to offer insight and guidance and help you gain the confidence to make that next step to grow your business.

Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme has access to a large team of experienced and qualified business mentors, who offer their professional time to support Lancashire businesses. With a huge pool of valuable skills and resources to tap into, there is a mentor to fit your business, whatever your growth needs. Read how three organisations have benefitted from mentoring support.

Travelling in the right direction to fund growth

After establishing 247GT in 2013, Brian Sneyd was looking for some support to help manage financial planning and fund growth. The company supplies the aviation industry with ground support equipment and airfield safety equipment. Its clients include JET2, Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airport and Vienna Airport. The business had moved into its own premises in Preston in 2016 and Brian had expanded his team.

Following an initial business support review meeting, Brian was referred to the Boost Growth Mentoring programme. An advisor from Community and Business Partners met with him to find out more about the company and establish what support would best help Brian to grow the firm. Brian was then matched with one of the programme’s long serving mentors, Danny Gordon. The one-to-one mentoring sessions with Danny included planning long term goals and finance strategies, securing funding and discussing general business growth. At the start of mentoring 247GT had a turnover of £645k and a team of six.

Brian has since recruited another staff member and is working towards turning over £1m by the end of the year. The firm now has an improved overdraft and a better arrangement on working capital. Brian has also improved the internal processes for his team and for the business.  He has developed a strong business relationship with his mentor Danny, who still ‘checks in’ from time to time to see how things are getting on.

Gaining the clarity to broaden the business

JSA Psychotherapy Boost’s mentoring service has helped JSA Psychotherapy to target new audiences and gain new revenue streams. The private practice provides a broad range of psychology and psychotherapy services for the legal, corporate, health, local government and education sectors.

It was founded by Julie Stirpe, who initially set up on her own in 2005. She moved into her first office in Burnley in 2011 and set up a board of directors in 2015 for her growing group of businesses. Julie heard about Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme and met with Jaydee Davis who explained how mentoring could support her. Julie was then introduced to Paul Aisthorpe, a mentor experienced in business development and strategy with a vision for business growth. Paul worked with Julie to determine how the board of directors should operate and identify Julie’s responsibilities as group managing director.

Together they formed a growth strategy. Julie said: “It’s been so valuable having Paul to help me. He was able to help us facilitate thinking and clarification and his depth of experience gave us the confidence that he was able to understand our difficulties as well as recognise our achievements.” The mentoring support has also encouraged Julie to develop her company website, create promotional marketing material and develop an additional area of therapy services focussing on mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Julie has now run several Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace seminars across the Northwest, backed by Forbes solicitors.

This ongoing service has enabled JSA Psychotherapy to target a new audience and develop a new revenue stream. Julie has her next steps planned for 2020 which includes recruiting a clinical psychotherapy specialist to support her new area of business.

Seeking support to build from the foundations

Northwest Roofing Specialist Ltd Northwest Roofing Specialist Ltd specialises in roofing repairs and replacement services for commercial and industrial buildings in East Lancashire. Danny Lee set up the business initially as a sole trader in 2014. His customers include distributors, a low carbon energy company and various building contractors.

Danny was looking for support to grow the business further. He first heard about Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme through BNI networking. He met Jaydee Davies, the operational manager at Community and Business Partners a delivery partner for the mentoring services. He was paired with Ged Ennis who specialises in construction and growth strategies. During the one-to-one mentoring they discussed different growth plans and ideas.

Danny gained valuable knowledge from Ged, who acted as a sounding board for his ideas and business plans. He now has over ten more clients, has doubled the team and is planning on hiring more staff within the next 12 months Danny and has developed a very strong working relationship with his mentor Ged and they stay in touch. Through introductions and business contacts, Ged has passed on work and Danny is now involved in several high-end projects with more in the pipeline. He is also in contact with large industrial clients and plans on growing this side of the business.

If you are seeking strategic one-to-one support and would like to know more about Boost's Growth Mentoring programme, complete the contact enquiry form and a member of the Boost team will be in touch to start your growth conversation.

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