Looking to Grow your business?
Berkshire Growth Hub advisers help businesses to navigate a complex landscape and find the support they need, from ongoing challenges to long term growth.
Top Tips to build on your success!
Our services are funded by Government meaning you can access free, impartial and confidential 1-2-1 advice.
Our experienced advisers have all ran their own businesses Our team | Berkshire Growth Hub and can provide guidance on vital areas of business such as planning, marketing, finance and more. If you need more specialist help, we will always direct you to the right resources.
“Words I would use to describe the Berkshire Growth Hub’s Business Advisers? Supportive, succinct, friendly, level-headed and insightful.”
Tom Daniels, Operations Director, Green Bike Food Co.
Book your 1-2-1 with our Business Advisers
Does your business need support?
We know the past two years have been and continue to be a challenge. Having a discussion with our advisers can set you on the right path for the future whether you need support with a current specific challenge or broader strategic advice.
Years of experience working with businesses, their service partners and key intermediaries alongside up to the minute research, means we know what businesses need to help them grow.
Read our key tips on topics businesses are currently discussing.
1 – Set the direction for your business
Now could be the time to clarify your vision. When did you last step back to focus on what your business is all about? What is your mission or what to do you want it to be?
Tips:
- enroll on the government’s flagship executive development leadership and management course, Help to Grow: Management. The course will help you develop a bespoke business growth plan to help your business reach its full potential. Plus, you’ll meet other, like-minded business leaders. Help to Grow: Management – UK – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Book a funded 1:1 session with a Growth Hub Business Adviser to share your thinking and get impartial support. About us | Berkshire Growth Hub | Business Support
- Explore options for finance to grow your business using the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator facilitated by The FSE Group.
2 – Building the best team
Staff retention is vital for any business to succeed, and now could be the time to really get a handle on post-pandemic staff and recruitment challenges. In an economy where employment is high, taking care to keep good people will be cheaper than having to try and recruit. Where you do need to recruit, knowing the available options is important.
Tips:
- Access Berkshire Opportunities – the online resource gateway for employers to know more about apprenticeships, T-levels and the Enterprise Adviser Network. [insert website or QR] Berkshire Opportunities Homepage
- The University of Reading can support you through the Reading Internship Scheme programme which connects you to our undergraduate students through 4 – 8-week part/fully-funded internships. (50% funding for profit-earning organisations or 100% for charities) Finding an internship | University of Reading
- Research ‘The Marketplace’ for Berkshire-based HR specialists who can help to develop and update your approaches to team management, culture and hybrid working. [insert website URL or QR code] Marketplace | Berkshire Growth Hub | Business Supplier Directory
3 – Reduce your business footprint
One of the biggest costs facing businesses is now energy, and further increases are anticipated. Added to this, there is increasing pressure on businesses, from legislation and customers, to implement carbon reduction measures.
The biggest barriers to moving further forward with major energy efficiencies is the cost of technology and knowing where to start.
Tips:
- join the government commitment to Net Zero at the UK SME Climate Hub and access energy saving advice. [insert URL UK – SME Climate hub (businessclimatehub.org)]
- reduce the upfront cost of many different energy-saving measures (and the time to recover your investment) with a match-funded grant of up to £5,000 from Low Carbon Workspaces [insert URL or QR code] Low Carbon Workspaces
4 – Secure your export strategy
Moving into new markets is the most powerful route to business growth. But, how well do you understand the market dynamics, consumer behavior and the competition for a potential new, overseas market?
Tips:
- Access funding to support your export activity, with a grant of up to £9,000 from the Department for International Trade. DIT Internationalisation Fund (great.gov.uk)
- ESPA can match your company with a placement student who can support with a grant-funded project such as international research or international marketing. Find out more here.
- Minimise risk and learn more about exporting with the online resources at Great.gov.uk great.gov.uk
We’re here for you
We’re here to help, by offering government funded, impartial and confidential support to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Berkshire.
With an impartial and confidential 1-2-1 conversation, our experienced advisers can direct you to the right resources and guidance on vital areas of business.
And your local authorities can also help:
West Berkshire Home | West Berkshire Business Hub (businesswestberks.co.uk)
Reading Business Support (livingreading.co.uk)
Wokingham Business and growth (wokingham.gov.uk)
Bracknell Forest Bracknell Forest for business | Bracknell Forest Council (bracknell-forest.gov.uk)
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead My Royal Borough
Windsor
Please link to their inbox (business@rbwm.gov.uk)
They are keen to hear from businesses in the borough to understand how the council can better support them.
Wokingham
Wokingham Borough Council is keen to support all businesses in the Borough, giving you the right tools and information to thrive and grow. We have a dedicated Business Engagement Team working with the business community to support businesses like yours. If you need help with:
- Planning
- Employment and skills opportunities
- Office space
- Business rates
- Climate emergency and sustainability including waste and recycling
- Travel planning and alternative travel options
- Selling to the council
Our Business Engagement Officers Ravi, Matt and Gary can be contacted directly at economicdevelopment@wokingham.gov.uk – we’d be delighted to hear from you and have a discussion around your needs.
Reading borough council
Reading ranks fourth in LSH’s 2022 Vitality Index which assesses which of the UK’s largest cities are the best to live and do business in – and have the strongest growth prospects.
We have developed local solutions that assist growth, inward investment and business retention through mature, focused partnership activities with both private and public sector, and can help your business with:
- Research support and local business intelligence
- Skills development for business
- Support for recruitment and employment needs
- Introductions to local property agents
- Marketing and promotion of Reading
- B2B introductions, contacts and networking
- Ongoing support for business established in Reading
- Help with the practicalities of relocation
- Membership of our business groups: Reading Business Network, Reading Tourism Forum, and two Business Improvement Districts
- Links to local government and regional business agencies
Please contact:
Susanne Brackley, Economic Development Manager, Reading UK
Email: sue.brackley@reading.gov.uk
Tel: 07817 826433
Web: https://livingreading.co.uk/doing-business
Bracknell
Bracknell Forest is a borough of opportunity and a place of growth. Start-up businesses are encouraged to begin their journey here and established businesses are given the room to grow. Bracknell Forest Council together with a number of partners are committed to making the borough one of the most business-friendly places in Europe. Our aim is to support the borough’s people and environment whilst maintaining and strengthening our vibrant business community. We provide a wide range of services in the borough and can offer help with:
Licensing
Environmental health and safety
Planning
Building control
Commercial property
Economic recovery
Business rates
Please contact out Economic Development department directly at economic.development@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Information can also be found on the Bracknell Forest Business webpage and the Economic Skills Development Partnership webpage.
Slough
Slough Borough Council’s economic development service is committed to ensuring new businesses can get support to start up, and that businesses of all sizes can access support to grow.
This service area includes:
- leading on the council’s business support, economic development, economic recovery and inward investment activity across Slough
- business relationship management
- business improvement districts (BID) development.
We promote economic growth by building on:
- productivity and growth of local businesses
- strong mutually beneficial partnerships with key stakeholders
- a vibrant town centre, cultivated in partnership with retailers and Slough BID.
We work with partners and stakeholders to make sure Slough’s economy thrives and provides its residents with:
- jobs
- opportunities
- learning provision
- links with business
- economic wellbeing for all.
If you own a business located in Slough or you are thinking about starting a business, and you would like to find out more about the business support and advice services available, please email the economic development team at invest@slough.gov.uk
West Berkshire council
West Berkshire Council’s Economic Development team are here to help businesses grow and thrive in the district. We offer support with government backed grants and funding, business promotion, jobs and employment and links with other essential council departments such as planning and highways.
Please visit our dedicated business website to see the latest information and current projects, you can also sign up to our newsletter to get a monthly update of everything that is happening. We are always looking to hear from our district’s businesses, so if you have any feedback, questions or ways we can work closer together, please don’t hesitate to reach out via our email economicdevelopment@westberks.gov.uk.’
