Further help for city small businesses

Applications surgery to help small businesses apply for free growth programme.

Small businesses across the West Midlands are being given a helping hand to get their applications in for the Aston Programme for Small Business Growth, with an introductory event in Birmingham on Wednesday 7th January 2015.

The event, which takes place from 8am at Innovation Birmingham, Faraday Wharf, Holt Street, Birmingham, will give businesses one-to-one advice for completing the application process for the new programme, which runs from February – June 2015. Individuals can attend with specific application queries or drop into the event to receive general information on the programme.

Modelled on the successful Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Programme, which has been delivered by Aston Business School in the Midlands since 2011, the new programme has been specifically designed to support owner-managed companies with one or more employees.

Delivered by leading practitioners and faculty members from Aston Business School, the free programme draws on the expertise of leading visiting speakers and case studies from Aston’s network of over 200 growth business leaders.

Participants will attend a series of workshops covering a range of topics including marketing, innovation, leadership, HR, operations management and finance. They will have access to one-to-one support from a business mentor, develop a Plan for Growth for their business and have the opportunity to network with like-minded business owners.
The Aston Programme for Small Business Growth is open to registered businesses or social enterprises based in the West Midlands that are making trading revenue and have at least one full time employee.

Businesses can register their attendance at the applications surgery at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/business-application-surgery-in-birmingham-tickets-14846756047.

Interested businesses need to apply before 12 January 2015. For further information visit www.aston.co.uk/smallbusinessgrowth or email [email protected].

The Aston Programme for Small Business Growth is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.