Boost your leadership skills and your business performance
Funded by:
Give your business a competitive edge with the Help to Grow: Management Course
The Help to Grow: Management Course will help you boost the performance and resilience of your business.
Designed and delivered by entrepreneurs and industry experts at world-class business schools, this leadership course will provide time away from the challenges of running a business to invest in your leadership, and to learn how to take your business to the next level.
91% of course participants would recommend the Help to Grow: Management Course
What is the Help to Grow: Management Course?
The Help to Grow: Management Course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 1 to 1 mentoring and peer networking.
With just one session a week, it is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments. You will finish the course ready to lead on the delivery of increased profitability, innovation and growth.
Business-focused learning
Position your business for success with modules covering vision, mission and values, employee engagement, strategy and innovation and much more.
Learn from your peers
Share experiences and ideas while building a local network with up to 25 small business leaders.
Tailored plan for your business
Work with an experienced small business mentor to tackle your business challenges and develop a tailored growth action plan.
Works around you
Choose the Small Business Charter accredited business school closest to your home, or place of work.
50 hours
of leadership training across 12 weeks
10 hours
of 1 to 1 mentoring
50+ locations
across the UK
90% funded
Government funding means you pay just £750 per person

"This is a thought provoking and detailed course with relevant content in a fantastic mixture of online and in person teaching."
Rosie Boulin-Barrett
Head of Finance at Seacat Services Ltd
Who is the Help to Grow: Management Course for?
Whether you need to identify more efficient ways of working, target new markets, or create a plan to take your business, and your team, to the next level, the Help to Grow: Management Course will provide the knowledge and support you need.
To join the Help to Grow: Management Course you should:
- Work for a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise based in the United Kingdom
- Employ between 5 and 249 employees
- Be a member of the senior leadership team and have direct reports
- For more information, please read the FAQs
What do small business leaders say about the course?
“No matter where you are in your leadership journey, you will get a lot out of the Help to Grow: Management Course. I don’t know anybody that would have done the course and not come away with something valuable.”
Beverley Lewis,
CEO, Welsh Triathlon Limited

“I would 100% recommend the Help to Grow: Management Course. Taking half a day a week to step back from the day-to-day priorities, look at the business overall and reflect where you can make changes has been invaluable.”
Stephanie Wood,
Export Account Manager, Playdale Playgrounds

“The course has broadened my horizons. I would recommend the course to anybody who is looking to scale up their business. You will acquire knowledge and techniques that will set you up for success within your own business.”
Shabbir Mookhtiar,
Founder and Director of CookMyGrub

You will:
- Develop your leadership skills across all areas of business including strategic planning, employee engagement, finance and marketing
- Develop strategies for market segmentation, positioning and targeting to streamline your marketing approach
- Gain exclusive access to a local, regional and national peer network to share practical challenges, ideas and experiences
- Work with your mentor to develop a Growth Action Plan tailored to your business and its unique journey
- Learn how to engage employees on your business journey and plan the future structure of your organisation
- Identify new technologies and digital approaches to enhance innovation and productivity in your business model
- Improve operational efficiency to save time and money
The Help to Grow: Management Course is for business owners, leaders, and senior managers from all business sectors. To join the course, your business must:
- Be a small or medium-sized business based in the United Kingdom
- Employ between 5 and 249 people
- Have been operational for at least one year
- Not be a charity
The applicant must:
- Be a senior decision maker, such as a Chief Executive, Finance Director or Operations Director
- Have at least one direct report
- Commit to completing all sessions
If your business employs between 10 and 249 people, you can send up to two people on the course. If your business employs between 5 and 9 employees, you can send only one person. Read our FAQs for more detail.
The course curriculum has been created by industry experts at world leading business schools. The 12 modules are as follows:
- Strategy and Innovation
- Digital Transformation
- Winning New Markets
- Vision, Mission and Values
- Developing a Marketing Strategy
- Building a Brand
- Organisational Design
- Employee Engagement and Leading Change
- High Performance Workplaces
- Effective Operations
- Finance and Financial Management
- Implementing Growth Plans
Read the course overview page to find out more.
The time commitment is approximately 4 hours per week for 12 weeks, through a combination of in-person and online learning.
In addition, you will receive 10 hours of 1 to 1 support from an experienced business mentor. Your mentor will have extensive practical experience leading or work with SME business leaders on growth, productivity and innovation.
You will have the opportunity to learn from peers and network with businesses like yours.
The Help to Grow: Management Course is delivered by world-class business schools across the UK. Course leaders for each module have been selected for their real-world experience and knowledge in their field.
The business schools are accredited by the Small Business Charter, an award which recognises business schools who provide high quality, tailored business support for SMEs and entrepreneurs.
Small business leaders from nearly every industry sector have attended the course.
Whether you run a marketing agency, a family-owned restaurant, a manufacturing company or a totally different type of business, you will meet leaders or senior managers that regularly experience the day-to-day challenges that you face.
Still have questions? Get in touch:
Email us: questions@smallbusinesscharter.org
Call us Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm: 0203 006 0751
