Growth Platform, the city region’s growth company, is offering  130 SMEs the opportunity to take part in the New Business Resilience Programme for post-COVID recovery. Tony McDonough reports

Small and medium-sized firms across Liverpool city region are being offered the chance to have a free expert assessment of their business and take part in a tailored workshop.

Growth Platform, the city region’s growth company, is offing 130 SMEs the opportunity to take part in the New Business Resilience Programme. It aims to help the firms that drive the economy play a full role in the post-COVID recovery.

Accountancy firm BDO will deliver the free programme and business owners and entrepreneurs are being encouraged to sign up. Running until May 2021, it will give business leaders the opportunity to rethink their strategy and vision.

Each business leader will benefit from research into the internal and external threats which impact their organisation via a specialist diagnostic assessment undertaken by BDO. They will then be asked to take part in a tailored workshop which will support them in identifying challenges, aligning their plans and designing the actions they need to take.

On completing the workshop, leaders will be given the support, guidance and tools they need to develop practical business plans which will look to drive growth via a number of routes including accessing funding options, entering the export market and engaging in R&D. The programme is open to businesses that meet the following criteria:

• Be part of an SME business based in the Liverpool city region.
• Member of their SME business’ senior management team.
• Employ between 10 – 250 employees.
• Turnover £1million – £30m per annum.
• Have the availability to dedicate time to completing a short workshop session.
• Have an aspiration to grow in the coming years.

Janice Mears, head of Business Growth, Growth Platform, said: “The Business Resilience Programme is yet another great addition to the suite of business support programmes Growth Platform is rolling out to get the region back on the right path to economic recovery.

“Current market conditions mean that there is a lot of pressure on SME leaders to make important decisions quickly. Unsurprisingly this can lead to decision fatigue and individuals losing sight of what is really important to their business and employees in an uncertain business climate.

“This new programme is designed to simplify the choices SME leaders have to make, while helping them focus on the things that will achieve lasting resilience and sustainable growth.”

Mark Sykes, partner at BDO and programme lead, added: “Unfortunately, we can’t change the uncertain times many businesses are navigating at the moment, but what we can do is change how business leaders respond to the uncertainty by giving them the tools, insight and guidance to take positive action for themselves and their employees.”

Click here to find out more about the Liverpool City Region Business Resilience Programme.