News & blog

Heather Hayes – Chief Executive, Cheshire and Warrington Growth Hub

By Heather Hayes

Chief Executive, Cheshire and Warrington Growth Hub

The reaction to the launch of the new Cheshire and Warrington Growth Hub has been phenomenal – with scores of businesses wanting to understand how we can help and, just as importantly, how they can help too.

Because the Growth Hub is fundamentally about local businesses supporting other local businesses – it’s a virtuous circle which will help companies grow and be successful.

We at the Growth Hub are looking for two kinds of business to get in touch.

First and foremost we want businesses to contact us if they need advice and support to fulfil their growth ambitions.

But crucially, we also want businesses to come forward if they think they can be part of the network of advisers to whom we can refer those growing companies.

Part of the role of the Growth Hub team will be to refer the businesses seeking advice with the businesses which can offer advice. It’s a kind of match-making service for local companies.

And, early next year, there will be access to grant funding to help to pay for that advice.

We will, of course, be directly advising companies ourselves and sign-posting them to the many different organisations – local and national – which can offer support to businesses of all types and sizes.

We’re already busy helping Cheshire and Warrington companies in just this way. Sitting down with them, understanding their issues, giving them advice from our own team of qualified business advisers and, where necessary, pointing them in the direction of others who we feel can assist with their particular needs.

We take a bespoke approach to a company’s needs (because we know every business is different) and we take time to understand properly a company’s issues and opportunities.

So the Growth Hub will be a focal point for Cheshire businesses to support other Cheshire businesses, with grant funding becoming available next year to help pay for that support.

And under-pinning our approach is our ambition to provide simple solutions to sometimes complex challenges – we help companies navigate the vast network of business advisory services which are out there.

So whether it’s access to finance, skills and training, exports and new markets, sales and marketing or simply about how to find the best location for your business, we’re there to help.

And given the reaction we’ve already had to the Growth Hub, we’re very confident we’ll exceed our target of supporting some 2,500 businesses with that kind of advice over the next two years.

Running a business can be difficult enough – we’re here to make it easier. So pick up the phone and speak to your Growth Hub adviser now about how we can help you grow your business.

Businesses looking for advice should call 03300 245007 or email  support@candwgrowthhub.co.uk.

For further information go to www.candwgrowthhub.co.uk