An evaluation exercise undertaken on the Business Improvement and Growth (BIG) Journey, an executive development programme delivered through the Centre for Employment, Competitiveness and Growth at the University of Kent, has revealed an average increase in sales turnover by 18.8% and growth in employment of 13.6%, adding £2.8m to the Kent business economy and 111 new jobs.
As Dr Simon Raby, Programme Manager, comments “we reviewed the impact of the programme before, during and after with participant businesses and noted the impressive performance gains. We congratulate these businesses on the hard work they have put into their growth and development plans”.
As a couple of business owners and participants of the programme testified:
“Our turnover has grown by a 1/3rd as a direct result of the programme”
Martin Young, Managing Director, Positive Noise
“We’ve got £30k of new orders as a result of the programme”
Helen Fairley, Director, 6|2 Design
In addition to financial improvements, participants of the programme reported that they had changed their approach to leading and managing their business, had increased levels of energy and enthusiasm and had since recommended the programme to other business owners:
“We’re now ambassadors for the programme, and have recommended it to others”
Linda Doherty, Finance Director, Secure Engineering
The BIG Journey is an executive development programme for ambitious owner-managers who want to improve and grow their business, delivered in partnership with a private business consultancy Telos Partners. For further information on this story please contact Dr Simon Raby, Programme Manager, by email S.O.Raby@kent.ac.uk or telephone 01227 824740.