Is your business growing? Are you looking for advisers? Are you looking for funding?

Join us in January, for free. This 3-month project is for entrepreneurs who have started a business and are keen to grow. We will help you with a toolkit, mentors and access to professionals to get you to your next stage.

Over the three months this project, Confidence to Grow, will help you:

• Drive growth and implement strategy through a well-functioning board in a sustainable way
• To prepare for running formal board meetings including the importance of the agenda, board makeup, format, action points, and then practice with two formal board meetings
• Compare the options available for raising finance and the different types of finance
• Continue to improve your future leadership skills for building and growing the business
• To understand your duties and responsibilities as a director and adapt good practices
• Know what to look out for and the risks involved in contracts and agreements with customers and shareholders
• Negotiate and understand what to expect from professional services including legal, accountancy, brokers, funders, mentors
• Build your appreciation of the importance of personal role development, mentoring and help you choose a NED/advisor who will add value to your business through their skills and experience. Dispel the myth that you are too small for a NED
• Build your network of peer-to-peer support

We are bringing together experts, business leaders, non-executive directors and mentors in a lively full-day workshop in Leeds City Centre on Tuesday, 25 January 2022. We will help you to hold your first board meeting with the help of a mentor and then follow through with their personal support over the next two months, till end March 2022.

This is a tailored mentoring programme with experienced business leaders and a progression from the LEAP, BUILD and AD:VENTURE programmes.

Leeds City Council and Lean-In Leeds are supporting this programme, so we are looking for entrepreneurs with a Leeds City postcode.

(Postcodes in the metropolitan district of Leeds include Adel & Wharfedale, Alwoodley, Ardsley & Robin Hood, Armley, Beeston & Holbeck, Bramley & Stanningley, Burmantofts & Richmond Hill, Calverley & Farsley, Chapel Allerton, Cross Gates & Whinmoor, Farnley & Wortley, Garforth & Swillington, Gipton & Harehills, Guiseley & Rawdon, Harewood, Headingley & Hyde Park, Horsforth, Hunslet & Riverside, Killingbeck & Seacroft, Kippax & Methley, Kirkstall, Little London & Woodhouse, Middleton Park, Moortown, Morley North, Morley South, Otley & Yeadon, Pudsey, Rothwell, Roundhay, Temple Newsam, Weetwood, Wetherby)

Thanks to Walker Morris for providing a venue for this event.

Tentative Agenda (some details may change)

09.00 – 09.30 Registration and meet your peers

09.30 - 09.40 Welcome and format for the day

09.40 – 10.40 What I wish I’d known about business plans

Speaker: Zandra Moore, CEO and Co-Founder Panintelligence TBC

10.40 – 11.00 Roles of the Board

Speaker: Gordon Bateman, CEO, CRSI

11.00 – 11.15 Coffee

11.15 – 11.45 Board Meetings and why you need them

Speaker: Stuart Watson, NED, Clipper Logistics plc

11.45 – 13.00 Investment ready

Speakers:

• Helen Oldham, Founder, NorthInvest
• Richard Carter, Director, EQ Credit Services

13.00 – 13.45 Lunch

13.45 – 14.25 When do I need a lawyer or accountant?

Speakers:

• Julian Horrocks, Business Mentor
• Chris Etherington, Partner, RSM

14.25 – 15.15 Building and leading your future team

Speaker: Anna Sutton, Co-Founder, The Data Shed

15.15 – 15.30 Tea

15.30 – 16.00 The role of the NED or Mentor

Speakers:

• David Stern, Independent Chairman/Non Executive Director
• Lisa Reading, Owner and NED, Mango Moments Ltd

16.00 – 16.30 Individual discussion with Mentors

16.30 -16.45 Summing up, actions and feedback

16.45 Network and close

* Since this service is being offered by Next-Up to both mentors and entrepreneurs for free, Next-Up shall not incur or be under any liability arising from or in connection with this service or any future advice or relationship. As all the mentors are giving their time and input for free, no mentor shall incur or be under any liability to any entrepreneur whatsoever. If entrepreneurs and mentors want to continue the relationship beyond the end of the programme, they need to carry out their own due diligence for this.