Greater Birmingham business experts accredited to offer business advice.

128 business experts in Greater Birmingham have been accredited to offer advice to small businesses, as part of the Government’s Growth Vouchers programme.

The programme helps small businesses across England to cover some of the cost of advice on finance, cash flow, management skills and sales and marketing – all key areas that could help firms grow.

Advisers who work in the Greater Birmingham area that have been accredited to deliver advice as part of the programme include Dave Dugdale, Director and Principal Consultant of Dugdale Consulting Ltd, who advises companies on marketing, attracting and keeping customers. Using their own business acumen, they can offer valuable support specifically tailored to each local small business.

Dave Dugdale commented: “Small firms make up more than 99% of businesses in the UK and are critical to the growth of the UK’s economy. As an important area of recovery for the UK Greater Birmingham has a significant entrepreneurial spirit that is represented in the large and growing number of SME’s who are trying to sustain and grow their businesses and create new employment.

“The Growth Vouchers programme gives business owners the opportunity to get independent help to grow and lets businesses hand-pick the best Adviser for their needs. It is important that every SME considers Growth Vouchers if they are planning for a better business”

Small businesses must be based in England and employ fewer than 250 staff in order to be eligible for a Growth Voucher worth up to £2,000 to cover half the cost of strategic advice.

The Growth Vouchers programme has been running since earlier this year and has already helped small businesses around the country receive advice and grow as a result. For more information on Growth Vouchers, visit www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/growthvouchers/