Cumbrian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can learn how to develop, grow and boost the county’s economy as part of a six-month growth programme.
The Cumbria Forum, delivered by Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), works with SMEs in the county to benefit the businesses and the region as a whole.
The Forum includes masterclass events, two-day workshops and a full six-month growth programme delivered by LUMS, the next of which starts on Tuesday, March 24.
Ewan Pullan, LUMS Programme Manager for the Cumbria Forum, said: “The programme has helped dozens of Cumbrian businesses grow and develop, as a result boosting the county’s economy, creating jobs and benefitting the wider area.
“It is open to small and medium-sized companies from most sectors of the Cumbrian economy, and we would encourage them to become involved and take advantage of everything the Cumbria Forum has to offer.”
The business growth programme equips delegates with the tools and knowledge needed to drive business growth. It provides a space for owner/managers of Cumbria SMEs to step away from their businesses and develop themselves in a supportive environment, with help from peers as well as leading academics and business experts.
It draws key elements of academic research from LUMS into how entrepreneurs learn and grow, and provides a trusted peer-to-peer network and activities to stimulate self-development and business growth.
Roger Jackson, Director of Financial Planning at Financial Management Bureau (FMB), is one of many Cumbrian business people to benefit from the Cumbria Forum, which enabled the Kendal-based family firm to develop a strategy for future growth.
He said: “It has helped us to innovate and develop new offerings, such as a lower cost, more streamlined service that’s designed to appeal to clients of the future. What really prompted this in my mind was the ‘Four Ways to Grow Your Business’ session. By pulling our ideas into those boxes and breaking it down, we’ve been able to identify how to respond to changing demographics by getting people into the right mindset: ready to transition from the more streamlined route to full financial planning in the future.
“The Forum appealed to me straight away because I was aware of the University’s prowess, especially the Management School, which is ranked very highly.”
The Cumbria Forum is a business growth programme, part of the Cumbria Growth Hub, and delivered by Lancaster University Management School. It is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and available to ERDF eligible businesses.
Lancaster University Management School will be hosting two drop-in events in partnership with Cumbria Growth Hub to allow businesses meet representatives from LUMS and the Hub to see what business support is on offer to them, including the Cumbria Forum.
They will take place on Wednesday, February 26, and Wednesday, March 25 in the Marketing Suite, Kingmoor Business Park, Carlisle, between 11.30am and 1.30pm.
For more information about the events or Cumbria Forum call 01524 593709, or email cumbriaforum@lancaster.ac.uk
