A ground-breaking peer-to-peer ‘boot camp’ will help more than 100 ambitious firms tackle the barriers to growth.
Following the success of the first Greater Connected event, the Business Growth Hub programme has been rolled-out for 12 months.
Three-day, high-intensity boot camps will offer support through increased peer-to-peer engagement and joint problem solving.
The events, of which there will be six throughout 2017, are aimed at ‘the most dynamic’ creative, digital and tech SMEs in the Greater Manchester area.
Supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Greater Connected has been devised to offer companies with high growth potential the chance to work together.
The first group of 18 Greater Manchester companies to road-test the programme included one of the UK’s leading app development firms Apadmi, digital marketing specialists theEword, sustainable computing pioneers Sunde Technologies, digital content providers Tunafish, coding training company Northcoders and Toast PR agency.
Supported by a team of specialist Hub advisors, key topics discussed included developing strategies for achieving business goals, creating better and more productive teams, navigating internal conflict and improving negotiation, and boosting leadership skills.
Bash Ali, Managing Director of Sunde Technologies, said some new thinking inspired by the programme had now become a core part of his business strategy.
He added: “Greater Connected has provided us with a deeper understanding of the dynamics of today’s modern business and crucially how we can apply these learnings to improve our own performance.”
Katie Peate, head of creative, digital and tech at the Hub, part of MGC said: “Greater Manchester is enjoying a real boom within the digital and tech sectors currently, and we have hundreds of innovative, ambitious and growth hungry SMEs all working flat-out to secure success.
“But busy business leaders need to be able to step back from the coalface and take a longer-term view of their objectives, the wider commercial landscape, and their direction of travel.
“Peer-to-peer problem solving is one very effective way to change someone’s thinking, unlock new business opportunities and drive innovation, but entrepreneurs need a facilitated, focussed and collaborative environment to share ideas and insights.”
Greater Connected is a fully-funded programme meaning that qualifying businesses do not need to pay to take part.