Running a specialist family business can mean being so focused on the day-to-day that it is easy to lose sight of how the business looks from the outside. 

For Julie Griffiths, who runs a specialist acoustic and soundproofing business, Pinnacle Sound, with her husband, the Help to Grow: Management courses provided an opportunity to step back, learn from other business owners and look at the company with fresh eyes. 

Her journey began with Help to Grow: Management Essentials, which Julie saw as a chance to test whether the programme would offer genuine value to her business. 

“It was a precursor to the Help to Grow: Management Course, to see if it’s going to offer me anything valuable. 

“Time is precious. You end up spending your time marketing, chasing new customers. The online course was a chance to step back and analyse the business.” 

Essentials helped her recognise that there is always more to learn, regardless of how well a business is performing. 

“We’re doing good. We’re not doing anything wrong, but it reinforced that we can always do better.” 

That mindset encouraged Julie to continue her development through the full Help to Grow: Management Course at the University of Winchester Business School. 

A new perspective on the customer

One of Julie’s biggest takeaways from the Help to Grow: Management Course was the importance of looking at the business from the customer’s perspective. 

Her business is highly specialised, and its website had traditionally focused on its expertise and achievements. The course challenged that approach. 

“At the beginning of the course there was a moment where it clicked, and I realised ‘It’s about your clients and you’re the solution to their problem’.” 

Julie put the learning into practice almost immediately, changing the look and messaging of the website. 

“We made it more client-focused, and now it’s very visual and shows the problem that people have.” 

The change has influenced more than the website. Julie says the way the business communicates with customers has changed too, with a greater emphasis on being informative, honest and managing expectations. 

Learning from other business owners

For Julie, the value of the programmes also came from the opportunity to learn alongside other business owners. The sessions delivered by Astrid Davies and Galina Williamson were particularly impactful not just because of the content, but because of the conversations it sparked. 

She found that being surrounded by people facing different challenges helped her question her own assumptions and consider new approaches. 

Making time to work on the business

The full course built on the foundations Julie had gained through Essentials, giving her practical tools that she could apply to her own business. 

Time management was particularly valuable. With the demands of running a small company, Julie had previously found it difficult to dedicate time to activities such as marketing and content. 

Her mentor from Help to Grow: Management encouraged her to allocate time deliberately and stick to it. 

“My mentor taught me to allocate time to the business. I set my own targets so I don’t get overwhelmed and make sure the work we do is done at the best level.” 

Every business leader on the Help to Grow: Management Course receives ten hours of 1-2-1 mentoring , and Julie found this to be one of the most valuable aspects of the course.  

A journey of continuous improvement

A new website launched

Analysed ways for the business to improve and grow

Looking back, Julie sees the two programmes as complementary stages in the same journey. 

Essentials gave her a low-risk opportunity to explore the programme, reflect on the business and learn from other owners. The full course then gave her the opportunity to take those lessons further and put them into practice. 

“It was all about learning, improving and hopefully growing.” 

For Julie, the biggest benefit has been the change in perspective: stepping outside the business, challenging established ways of working and thinking more carefully about how customers experience the company. 

“It actually made me look at our whole business differently. It was a bit of a wake-up call.” 

She believes that willingness to keep learning is just as important for a small business as any individual strategy or tool. 

“It’s never too late to learn, and I recommend the courses to any business leader at any stage of their journey.” 

For Julie, Help to Grow: Management has provided the opportunity to pause, learn from others and take a fresh look at the business. First through Essentials, and then through the Help to Grow: Management Course. 

Ready to Grow?

With 60 business schools around the UK, there will be a Help to Grow: Management Course starting near you soon.