This June marked one year since the launch of the Help to Grow: Management Course, a ground-breaking programme that empowers the UK’s entrepreneurs and small businesses with tools, training and inspiration that will unleash their potential and drive economic growth.
To celebrate one year of the programme the Small Business Charter, which is Chaired by Michael Hayman, hosted, Grow Your Own Way: Unlocking Enterprise Britain, showcasing the spirit, talent and leadership of UK entrepreneurship and the role of Help to Grow in empowering the enterprise community.
It brought together business leaders and experts seeking to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial communities around the country. During the event attendees heard from:
- Alison Rose, Group Chief Executive, NatWest Group
- Andrew Harrison, Managing Director Business Banking, NatWest
- Paul Scully MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy)
- Anne Kiem OBE, Chief Executive, Chartered Association of Business Schools
- Shevaun Haviland, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce
- Charlotte Keenan, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
- Dr Pam Yeow, Assistant Dean, External Engagements, School of Business & Informatics, Birbeck University of London
- Paula Whitehouse, Associate Dean for Enterprise, Aston Business School
- Lord Young of Graffham
Attendees also heard from ‘Help to Grow’ alumni, who discussed their experiences in the programme and the benefits it had on their businesses:
- Louise Towler is the Managing Director of Indigo Tree – an independent, family-run shop for inspirational gifts
- Duncan McCombie is the CEO of YES Energy Solutions – an award-winning Community Interest Company dedicated to reducing CO2 emissions and alleviating fuel poverty
- Shabbir Mookhtair is the co-founder of Cook My Grub – an online artisan home-cooked food delivery marketplace
The booming entrepreneurial spirit of the UK in the past decade has ensured that the country has become a world-leading centre of small business creation, and Grow Your Own Way was a significant moment to spotlight the Help To Grow: Management Course, the progress it has made and the work still to do.
Find out more about the programme here.