What the local Growth Hub can do to help your business take off

By York, North York, East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership

How’s Business, the Growth Hub for the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership, is the place to go if you are looking for help and support with your business. The Growth Hub contains a wealth of advice, and is connected to the web of support opportunities and funding available across the region. The Growth Hub is Government backed but impartial, so you can be sure that you are getting the best advice around, and best of all, the Growth Hub services are free to access.

How does the support work?

The Growth Hub has a team of Growth Managers who have availability now for face-to-face appointments with businesses. They’re able to work across a wide variety of issues, whatever you’re facing, and will help you take the next step, whatever that may look like for you.

Growth Managers will discuss the issues you want to focus on, and explore some things you may not have considered. They will work with you to develop solutions or introduce you to people who can help and, if appropriate, they’ll point you in the direction of available funding. The Growth Managers act as critical friends and mentors, they’ll help you work through issues such as how to get into an export market, how to restructure to remain competitive, what you should be doing to improve the profitability of your business and even things like how to write a strategic marketing plan. Nothing business related is off-limits, they’re the business fairy godmothers you’ve always wanted.

Who are the Growth Managers and what are their specialist areas?

Angela Harris has worked in a variety of roles in her career and run successful businesses herself. She is particularly interested in the areas of hospitality and tourism, retail, food production, strategic development of business, business operation and strategy including marketing, operational development, HR and appraisals, managing people, and training.

Nicholas White started out his working life as a farmer, and ran a successful agricultural business which is still in the family. His areas of expertise include farming, food chain, business and enterprise planning, developing family businesses, business structure, succession planning, charities and businesses in the community sector, intellectual property, and cooperatives.

David Ryden has extensive experience of working for multi-national companies. His expertise lies in business development, sales, turning failing businesses around, new product launches and manufacturing, and how to close businesses down.

What types of businesses are covered?

The Growth Hub is set up to help businesses of all sizes. If you are looking to get your business up and running, there are a wealth of resources and articles on the website, https://howsbusiness.org If your businesses is already established, get in touch to discuss your needs. If it is funding you are after there is a telephone funding diagnostic service available. If you want to go that little bit deeper the Growth Managers might be the people to help you. They can even help if you are thinking of moving your business to the region.

What geographical areas are covered?

The How’s Business Growth Hub is able to help businesses in York, North Yorkshire and East Riding with the Growth Managers operating primarily in Hambleton, Ryedale, Scarborough and Richmond. If you are outside those areas, do still get in touch and they will point you in the direction of the right people to help you.

How do I get in touch?

Visit the website https://howsbusiness.org Call the telephone service on 01609 797471, or e-mail for an appointment with a Growth Manager: support@howsbusiness.org

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