During the programme you will develop and start to implement a personalised growth plan specific to your business with support from:

• Approximately 100 hours of high quality, practical business and management curriculum, delivered over 12 sessions between September 2013 and January 2014 in Manchester. These sessions help you to develop the practical skills and knowledge that small business and social enterprise leaders need to grow their businesses. The sessions focus on action-based learning which can be applied immediately, and are delivered by a combination of practitioners and experts who have extensive practical experience working with, and understanding the needs of small business leaders.
• One-on-one expert business advice from your dedicated Programme Tutor who will help you translate the issues covered in the curriculum sessions into your business, identifying areas of focus for business improvement, and helping you to define and implement your tailored Growth Plan.
• Specialist workshops on growth topics of interest and relevance to the programme participants. These are delivered by practitioners with extensive expertise in the subject area.
• Networking and peer learning opportunities. We understand that being a business leader can be lonely, therefore a crucial feature of the programme is the unique networks it helps to create. As leaders of small businesses and social enterprises from a wide range of industry sectors, programme participants offer complementary strengths, knowledge and skills to the collective group. The course is taught in a collaborative setting that builds on the real-world experiences of the participants and maximises  opportunities to create and enhance valuable networks.
• Help to access suitable finance through working with relevant organisations.
• Alumni services following graduation from the programme. Participants have the opportunity to participate in workshops, seminars and networking events as part of building a broader community of high growth small businesses and social enterprises.

There are 12 sessions, each running from 13.00 to 20.00 in Manchester. These practical sessions help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to grow your business or social enterprise. These sessions are:

• Orientation: September 6th
• Module 1A and 1B : September 10th & 11th  You and Your Business
• Module 2 : September 24th  Growth and Opportunities
• Module 3 : October 8th  Money and Metrics
• Module 4 : October 22nd  You are the Leader
• Module 5 : November 5th  Sustainable Entrepreneurship
• Module 6 : November 19th  It’s the People
• Module 7 : December 3rd  Marketing and Sales
• Module 8 : December 17th  Strategic Growth Through Operations
• Module 9 : January 14th 2014  Finance for Growth
• Module 10A and 10B : January 28th & 29th 2014 Putting it all Together