鈥淚t was so nice to go on a course where there was so many people who were in exactly the same situation.鈥�
In 2023, Lois received a letter from HMRC stating that The Bifolding Door Company qualified for a funded business course, Help to Grow: Management. And, as part of it, she鈥檇 create a specific growth plan for the business.
Working for the company her father founded, Lois had general business knowledge but was keen to develop both the company and her skillset, especially as she was working across multiple roles.
Lois says: 鈥淚'd class myself as office manager stroke operations manager 鈥� within a family business it's very hard to put yourself in a particular role.鈥�
Mentoring sessions: Personalised feedback on challenges and strategies
Lois joined a hybrid course with Manchester Metropolitan University鈥檚 Centre for Enterprise, attending a mix of online and in-person workshops over 12 weeks.
Each participant receives one-to-one mentoring, and Lois found these face-to-face meetings particularly helpful 鈥� she鈥檚 since kept Thursdays as a day for working on business growth:
鈥淸My mentor and I] met every couple of weeks and often our sessions lasted two hours.
鈥淚'd left the Help to Grow: Management course with my growth plan, which had received positive feedback, and I presented it to my mentor. It was so nice to speak to somebody who had experience within business but was a third party.
鈥淵ou are off on a Thursday to work on the business [when attending Help to Grow: Management sessions] and I'm going to use that particular day to always work on how to grow the business.鈥�
Looking to the future: A marketing student to help drive innovation
Following the course, Lois decided her first focus would be on marketing The Bifolding Door Company, and she asked one of the course leaders for advice on employing a marketeer. He suggested a student might be the perfect fit, putting Lois in touch with Manchester Metropolitan鈥檚 careers team.
鈥淸At the interview] Ethan came to me with all of his already-researched ideas and I remember thinking, who better than somebody who is studying the most modern ways to market?
鈥淚t's key for businesses to get young people in because they are the ones with the ideas, with the innovative thoughts.
鈥淚 feel like the opportunities on both sides are brilliant.鈥�
Business strategy over 12 weeks: Practical, small group workshops
During the 12-week course, leaders cover topics from finance to marketing, and:
- develop strategies for growth, including entering new markets and launching new products/services
- learn how to build an agile business that is resistant to future shocks
- explore ways to improve employee engagement and productivity
- develop a personalised growth action plan
- learn how to effectively engage with customers to enhance sales
Each participant also receives 10 hours of one-to-one business mentoring.
Help to Grow: Management is 90% funded by the UK Government, so the cost is 拢750
The Centre for Enterprise is running two groups this autumn, with a face-to-face course starting in October and a hybrid course starting in December. Group size is limited to 25 people. Click for more information.听
You can hear Lois鈥� experience of the Help to Grow: Management hybrid course