Churchgate Academy

GROWGain, Realise, Overcome & Win

GROWIs an inspirational new training programme designed to help Greater Manchester’s business owners achieve their growth plans and overcome barriers to success.

Developed by Churchgate Academy in conjunction with the Business Growth Hub and supported by Cardinal Maritime, the GROW programme works specifically with small to medium enterprises, providing a full range of supporting tools and resources.

These include specialist consultancy advice, online toolkits and access to nationally recognised entrepreneurial guest speakers.

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“ Like most successful businesses, Cardinal Maritime was founded with a clear, transparent and ambitious belief. Our fairy-tale of a journey started just 14 years ago and we find ourselves today as the UK’s fastest growing logistics provider, enjoying a turnover of in excess of £45m.

I am relishing the opportunity to work, as an Ambassador, with ambitious businesses that want to realise their true potential and create significant business growth.

The programme is designed to help equip new and developing businesses with the necessary skills needed to help navigate through one of the most challenging business environments. I truly believe the result will be the creation of the next generation of successful business entrepreneurs”.

Brian Hay, Group CEO, Cardinal Maritime

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GROW - The Seeds of Enterprise Opportunity

The programme is spread over six months, and is designed to develop knowledge and skills across a range of core topics through a variety of activities. The programme will deliver real, measurable results by providing access to some of the UK’s most respected industry specialists and entrepreneurial thinkers. The programme is also structured to build the confidence of business owners by adopting a practical approach to business improvement and growth.

Each stage of the programme has been carefully designed to ensure that it directly meets the needs of those business owners taking part and incorporates:

• A series of action learning sets to help overcome individual barriers to growth • Specialist coaching sessions, providing one to one consultancy in core business

functions• Master classes developed by industry specialists• Access to guest speakers and the wider business community through

networking activity • Access to the Business Growth Hub Mentoring Programme

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What will you get from the programme?

Growth Origins DayThe first stage of the programme is the Growth Origins day, which explores what it means for you and your business to grow, and looks at the current hurdles that you are facing as an organisation. The growth analysis completed as part of the application process will be critical to planning a pathway to guarantee measurable business impact.

Action LearningThroughout the programme, you will be required to complete a series of action learning sets. Action learning promotes a continuous process of action and reflection to enable businesses to start achieving tangible benefits immediately. The sessions will help you to learn from successes and failures, make important changes and critically evaluate your current commercial position.

Master ClassesThe programme is supported by a range of high impact, strategic master classes, delivered by industry specialists. As part of the programme you will be required to attend at least four of the master classes and you can also involve your colleagues by booking additional places. All master classes are delivered at a strategic level and include:

• Strategic Planning for Business Growth Failure to prepare is preparing to fail - ensure your ongoing business growth through effective planning.

• Taking Control of Business Finance Don’t just understand management accounts, understand how to make them work for your business growth strategy.

• Reducing Costs through Operational Efficiency Create a more efficient and profitable working environment.

• Marketing in the Digital Age Understand the need, and learn how to develop a successful marketing strategy whilst embracing the latest technologies to strengthen your market position.

• Creating a High Performance Sales Culture Evaluate how effective your current sales process is, and develop a strategy to maximise company profitability through sales activity.

• Managing New Product Development Identify your sources of innovation, and learn how to reduce risk when preparing to bring them to market.

• Successfully Expanding in to New Markets Step out of your comfort zone by exploring what potential new markets are available to your business, and how you can successfully access them.

• The Art of Strategic Leadership Learn how to develop strategy and people to lead your business in to high growth.

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Specialist Coaching and MentoringThroughout the programme you will be able to access up to 3 specialist coaching sessions to extend your knowledge and skills in key business areas of your choice – anything from strategic planning to sales or finance. The programme will also provide access into the Business Growth Hub Mentoring Programme.

NetworkingGROW will also provide you with the opportunity to network with potential new clients, and benefit from expert guest speakers at a series of networking events.

Growth ResourcesA full suite of online resources will be provided, allowing you the opportunity to communicate with your peers through online forums.

GROW Recruitment

Growth Origins Day

Growth Graduation

Action Learning Set 1 Networking Event 1

Master Class 1

Master Class 2

Master Class 3

Master Class 4

Networking Event 2

Master Class 5

Master Class 6

Networking Event 3

Master Class 7

Master Class 8

Networking Event 4

Action Learning Set 2

Action Learning Set 3

Action Learning Set 4

Action Learning Set 5

Action Learning Set 6

Action Learning Set 7

Action Learning Set 8

Action Learning Set 1

Action Learning Set 2

Action Learning Set 3

Action Learning Set 4

Action Learning Set 5

Action Learning Set 6

Action Learning Set 7

Action Learning Set 8

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Your Commitment

The GROW Programme has been specifically designed to enable small to medium enterprises to achieve sustainable growth. You will be required to make a full commitment to the programme for thirty weeks.

Once accepted onto the programme you will be asked, as a minimum to attend:

• Four Master Classes in areas identified and agreed in your individual growth analysis• All action learning sets• Three specialist coaching sessions in areas identified and agreed in your individual

growth analysis• Three out of four networking events• Graduation event• Business owners must also commit an average four hours per week to implementing

the actions generated from the above activities

Every effort has been made to minimise disruption to your working day; action learning sets will take place at twilight sessions, and an online toolkit has been created for further support.

Eligibility Criteria

The programme is based on attendance by a group of up to sixteen business owners and is available to small to medium enterprises across the Greater Manchester region. The groups will be arranged according to number of employees and annual turnover to ensure the most suitable group dynamics.

Successful applicants must be able to demonstrate business growth or aspirations for business growth that can create local employment opportunities to develop local economic growth.

The specific requirements for the GROW Programme are as follows:

• The applicant must be the primary business owner or co-owner of the business• The business must have been operating for more than twelve months• The business must have between five and one hundred employees. Companies with

less than five employees may be considered on this point based on level of turnover• The business must have a scalable business model that can lead to increased local

employment opportunities• The business owner should not have gained any recent extensive management

qualifications such as an MBA or equivalent• The business must have a business plan in operation

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Churchgate Academy

To apply for the GROW Programme

Contact us for more information, and to receive your initial application form.

Please note the application process will enable a short-listing process which will be followed by an interview to validate your place on the programme.

Developed by Churchgate Academy in conjunction with the Business Growth Hub. Programme supported by Cardinal Maritime.

For full information on the GROW programme:

Telephone: 0161 359 3405 E-mail: info@churchgate-academy.co.ukWebsite: www.churchgate-academy.co.uk 14

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