The Help To Grow Management course, run by the University of Brighton’s Business School, celebrated the first cohort of graduates, sponsored by Dynamic.

The mini MBA-style programme is designed for business owners and senior leaders of small and medium-sized businesses, Help to Grow:Management is a 12-week course that helps businesses reach their full potential for growth, resilience and succession planning.

This course, accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is being delivered by the University of Brighton. Working in collaboration with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs, the course covers strategies for growth and innovation, digital adoption, leading high-performance teams, financial management and responsible business practices. With the support of an experienced mentor, participants also create a bespoke growth plan for their business.

The total cost of the course is normally £7,500. However, as it is 90% government funded, the cost of enrolling is £750. Dynamic Magazine are proud to sponsors all female places with a 100% discount, rendering the course free of charge – subject to availability.

The first cohort of women who enrolled on the course via Dynamic Magazine’s offer recently graduated at a ceremony hosted by Dr Adam Jones, Principal Lecturer and Director of Help To Grow, Brighton School of Business & Law, University of Brighton, with graduation certificates presented by Platinum Media Group’s Commercial Director, Lesley Alcock.

Lesley later commented, ”It was a privilege to be able to present these women, all of whom have a passionate desire to improve their business acumen and decision-making, with their certificates. We would love to see the effect this business course has on their companies going forward.”

Dr Adam Jones said “Dynamic Magazine has been a brilliant partner in supporting the Help to Grow Management course here at the University of Brighton. They have helped recruit energetic and vibrant women business leaders who are looking to take their leadership and businesses to the next level.

“Through its structured approach to the development of a business growth plan, alongside peer-to-peer workshop groups and a personal mentor, many Dynamic-sponsored women leaders have already started putting changes into place that support business growth and their own development.”

Chrissie Masters Changemaker Media, Edenbridge

I can’t recommend the Help to Grow 12-week course at the University of Brighton highly enough. The passionate lecturers emphasised repeatedly that, as business owners, we must carve out the time to look strategically at our enterprises. I now take half a day away from the desk every week to review the SWOTs.

The mentor with whom I had 10 hours of one-to-one online discussions has been a major bonus. He is such a positive influence and reminds me that this journey should be enjoyable as well as challenging.

Every module was valuable and to have the workbooks to continue applying the learning to the business will be of immeasurable benefit. These tools gave me belief in my products and services and have informed my business model iterations throughout the course.

To have the support of such a diverse and friendly group of inspirational people, plus the help of the University of Brighton’s network of organisations, industry experts and alumni will bring a vast range of benefits not only to my social venture but to many individuals and the wider community.

Thank you to Dr Kane and his team, Maarten and Lesley at Dynamic Magazine and to Pam Gordon of The Franchising Centre who first alerted me to the course.

Jodi Harford, Tech-Takeback Ltd, Brighton

Tech-Takeback is a not-for-profit electrical reuse company offering refurbished and redistributed tech equipment for the benefit of the local community. There has been huge demand for our unique service over the past two years and we need to grow to keep up.

The Help to Grow programme was perfect timing for me. The sessions effectively guided me through the process of rewriting our business model, and provided a helpful framework for our strategy. As a result, Tech-Takeback has developed a business plan that we feel confident is realistic, financially sustainable and leaves plenty of room for future growth.

Help to Grow has given me the tools to take a more evidence-based approach to planning, which has increased my confidence to develop and deliver my ideas. The input and support of my tutors, cohort and mentor have all been invaluable in increasing my confidence as a change leader. There is a lot to take in, and it does require a significant time commitment, but the rewards are definitely worth it.

I’m very grateful to Dynamic for funding my place and would recommend the course to any female SME leader!

Nay Jackson, Site Visibility, Brighton

My passion lies in using data to support decision-making and in ensuring we have robust performance measurement in place to identify what is/isn’t working. Enrolling on this course was driven by my desire to help the business grow. I also saw this as an opportunity to enhance my own professional development, so I can achieve my career goals.

Help to Grow Management helped me look at our business with a fresh pair of eyes. The most significant takeaway has been the realisation that SiteVisibility needs to focus on narrowing its services, targeting specific industries and audiences, and developing a unique value proposition. By doing so, we can attract the types of business we want to work with; the businesses we can really help with our unique expertise.

The mentoring aspect of the programme was incredibly valuable for my professional development. It increased my confidence in developing a growth plan for our business, which we can implement going forward.

I thoroughly recommend the Help to Grow Management programme to women leaders who would benefit from external support for their own development and that of their business. Whilst finding time to complete the coursework and attend the peer group sessions was challenging, the effort was definitely worthwhile because I now have a clearer direction for our company.