SME businesses are operating in uncertain times. In order to assist businesses across the Liverpool City Region, Growth Platform’s Business Resilience Programme is providing SME leaders with the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day and rethink their approach to challenges so they can turn them into opportunities.

To stimulate the local economy within the Liverpool City Region and support regional businesses back to growth, Growth Platform will be working with accounting and business advisory firm, BDO to deliver a series of workshops for 130 regional businesses providing them with the knowledge, insight and tools they need to stabilise and grow.

Growth Against the Odds Event: Is Business Growth in 2021 all About Developing a Resilient Mindset?

BDO and Growth Platform will be running a webinar on Monday 22 March, 8.30am-9.45am to share further details of the programme and for you to hear perspectives from business owners who have participated in the programme.

In this webinar hosted by Liverpool City Region Growth Platform and BDO, you will hear from Richard Wilde, CEO of Milexa Group and Fast Track 100 Alumni and Bill Heckle, Owner at the Cavern Club, for a discussion on:

  • The challenges facing SME businesses based in Liverpool City Region in 2021
  • What business resilience actually looks like, and how business leaders can drive stability and growth across their business
  • Practical tips on how business leaders can return to taking a more strategic role in their business having spent the last 12 months firefighting

You’ll have the opportunity to take part in a live Q&A session and learn more about the regional support on offer from Growth Platform.

Panellists include:

  • Bill Heckle, Owner, The Cavern Club
  • Richard Wilde, CEO, Milexa Group and Fast Track 100 Alumni
  • Janice Mears,  Head of Business Growth, Growth Platform
  • Mark Sykes, Partner and Head of Entrepreneurial Businesses, BDO

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What is the Business Resilience Programme?

The Business Resilience Programme is an initiative that is funded by the Combined Authority and has been developed by Growth Platform as part of a suite of measures to support Liverpool City Region businesses as they push for growth and seek to realise new opportunities.

The programme has been developed with the accounting and business advisory firm, BDO, to provide SMEs leaders with the tools, resources, and most importantly, the support they need to get their businesses back on track amid a turbulent year. They will gain the opportunity to rethink their strategy and vision in order to come back stronger from the current economic challenges, to build resilience in their business; and to identify future growth opportunities.

Outputs will include:

  • An assessment of the health of the business, looking across people, markets, finances and operations
  • Benchmarking against competition and best in class measures
  • Strategic challenge and prioritisation for the next steps the business should take

By supporting SME leaders in stabilising their businesses and identifying growth opportunities, Growth Platform hopes to stimulate economic growth in the region which will translate into jobs and a brighter future for the region and its population.

How does the programme work?

  • 130 SME leaders will be selected to take part in the programme upon completing an application form via the Growth Platform website here.
  • Each business leader will benefit from research into the internal and external threats which impact their organisation via a specialist diagnostic assessment undertaken by BDO.
  • They will then take part in a tailored workshop which will support them in identifying challenges, aligning their business plans and designing the actions they need to take to stabilise and get their organisation back to growth.
  • On completing the workshop, leaders will be given the support, guidance and tools they need to develop practical business action plans which will look to drive growth via a number of routes including, but not limited to, developing new markets and products, accessing funding and growing profitability in the business.

Who is eligible for the programme?

The programme is open to businesses that meet the following criteria:

  • Be part of an SME business based in the Liverpool City Region
  • Member of their SME business’ senior management team
  • Employ between 10 – 250 employees
  • Turnover £1million – c.£30 million per annum
  • Have the availability to dedicate time to completing a short workshop session
  • Have an aspiration to grow in the coming years

What tangible outputs will I receive from the programme?

  • On completing the workshop element of the programme, SME leaders will be equipped with a key business actions designed to prioritise activity where it will have the greatest business impact, as identified from the diagnostic findings and growth aspirations for their business. Each plan is tailored to the SME in question
  • In addition, BDO will provide programme after care which will see it continue to support businesses in actioning their bespoke business plan and reaching their growth goals. This could involve support at senior management meetings, or regular reviews of progress with BDO.

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