Diane Cannon is setting up a Liverpool branch of the global Alpha Group which holds monthly forums where business people help each other with problem solving and is ‘not for a faint-hearted’. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool business consultant Diane Cannon is launching a Merseyside branch of an international forum for business owners.

Alpha Group describes itself as “not for the faint-hearted” and organises confidential monthly forums where entrepreneurs and managers meet to discuss and help each other find solutions to their strategic business issues.

Double in value

It is a division of US-based Noble Manhattan Coaching and its UK operation and its members are business owners, CEOs and directors of small and medium-sized businesses typically with an annual turnover of £1m or above.

However, the Liverpool group is will welcome interest from firms perhaps not at that level but heading in the right direction.

Said Diane: “Business entrepreneurs meet in a unique, member-driven environment with a view to doubling the value of their business within two to three years, following our proven system.”

City consultancy

Diane is already well established in Liverpool’s business community. Her consultancy, Thunderbird Business Rescue helps businesses “get ready for funding”.

It’s for firms that are looking to secure finance through traditional means such as banks or non-traditional, including crowdfunding or grants.

Diane explained: “I work with all levels of SME businesses from start-ups to fully established businesses.

“I will assist with their plans, strategy, processes, marketing, business development, staff development – whatever they need.

“If I don’t have the expertise then I will enlist someone from the pool of experts I work with on a regular basis.”

Diane also runs the Liverpool operation of national skin cancer charity and patient group Melanoma UK.

Coaching modules

She came across Noble Manhattan when she undertook some of their coaching modules when she was an executive working for banking group Alliance & Leicester in Bootle.

So, when she came across the Alpha offshoot she new it was an organisation she could trust.

“I want to try to help more businesses because everyone I work with seem to have the same problems with issues such as cashflow, sales, strategic barriers, import/export, HR and marketing,” added Diane.

“I want to get all the businesses around a table and help them to help each other by sharing experience and knowledge and in a way where there would be no conflict.”

Diane is holding an Alpha Group “Show & Tell’ session at the Santander Liverpool Incubator in St Paul’s Square on Thursday, June 1, at 10am.

For more information or to book a place, click here.