Our impact

Since 2017, Be the Business has supported thousands of small- and medium-sized businesses across the UK through a mix of free online resources and programmes, including our Be the Business Mentoring and Board programmes. In that time, we have seen real and tangible results.

10,900+
business leaders have participated in our programmes
4,621
business leaders have taken part in one of our face-to-face leadership and management programmes
Over £350m
productivity uplift for businesses that participated in Be the Business interventions
Over one million
unique users visited our website

Hear more from our programme participants

Bethan Thomas – HotTea Mama

 

I’ve now got a platform for our next stage of growth

Bethan Thomas was struggling to manage her company’s rapid growth with a small team. With help from a mentor she gained a more strategic focus and delivered impressive results..

Be the Business Mentoring

 

Being the CEO of a growing business can be a very lonely place

Rapid growth and multiple opportunities might sound like a great combination for an ambitious SME chief executive. But Adam Watts, CEO of EFT Group, knows that having the right people, doing the right things, is essential for success..

Be the Business Mentoring

Jenner Collins

 

Six heads are better than one

The Be the Business Boards programme is helping dynamic small businesses to meet challenges, manage growth and become even more successful..

Be the Business Boards

 

An incredible multifaceted learning experience

A driving force for senior leaders joining the Be the Business Boards programme is their desire to share their own experience to help small businesses to grow..

Be the Business Boards

Marcus Trofimov

 

The biggest benefit is their role as a sounding board

Buying out his angel investor just before the pandemic hit left Marcus Trofimov without his mentor at a crucial point in the company’s development..

Be the Business Boards

 

It has helped us deal with problems in a completely different way

Jilbruke and Jenner Collins have big plans, but their focus on engineering challenges had blinded them to the commercial aspects of their business..

Be the Business Boards

Anton Pergua, Holden Knight Education

 

In business, you don’t know what you don’t know

Having previously gone it alone and firmly embraced trial and error, Anton Peruga has discovered the power of having access to a pool of like-minded professionals through our Boards programme..

Be the Business Boards

Lisa Smith, founder of Ginger Bakers

 

There is nothing I wouldn’t want another person to see – even a competitor

Cumbria bakery Ginger Bakers has been through a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but now founder Lisa Smith is back on track and ready to build..

Be the Business Boards

 

To have a business mentor of this standard is like a dream come true

When dance teacher Ella Mesma spotted a new opportunity, she sought out a mentor to help her develop the business skills she needed to launch..

Be the Business Mentoring

Mark Holden, Inn Cornwall

 

Shielding, but far from isolated from his team

Pub director Mark Holden turned to Be the Business when lockdown forced him to develop a new approach to leadership and communication..

Be the Business Mentoring

Jake Lavelle, JPL Flavour Technologies

 

My mentor’s experience gave me leadership confidence

When JPL Flavours started to take off, managing director Jake Lavelle realised he needed to take steps to improve his management skills and mindset..

Be the Business Mentoring

Mentoring scheme

 

Mentoring felt almost like business therapy

Despite a career that included lots of great experience, Nicola Seferta realised extra support was needed in order to get stuck into a new role..

Be the Business Mentoring

Richard Wilde

 

We were suffering from growing pains

Growing a business requires adjustments to people and processes. Milexa managing director Richard Wilde brought in a mentor to manage the transition..

Be the Business Mentoring

Becoming a mentor

 

Could you be the mentor someone’s looking for?

Experienced mentor Keith Softly tells us all about how mentoring works, what’s involved and why he believes other senior managers should get involved..

Be the Business Mentoring

Joanna Swash, Moneypenny

 

Business books are no substitute for talking to someone who has done it

Anton Hanley is ambitious and eager to learn from others who’ve trodden a similar path. The Mentoring for Growth programme proved to be an invaluable experience..

Be the Business Mentoring

Rupert Cross

 

It’s been like a top-level coach working with a top-level sportsman

When Andrew Connors started mentoring Rupert Cross at the end of 2019, neither of them knew just what a challenging time lay ahead..

Be the Business Mentoring

Brothers Matt, Joe and Liam Carr with dad at family business Carrs Pasties

 

A Siemens business mentor re-united our family firm behind the same vision

Family-run Carrs Pasties has been manufacturing baked goods for over 80 years, but for brothers Matt, Joe and Liam, taking over hasn’t been straightforward..

Be the Business Mentoring

Chris Mayne

 

I’m making quicker decisions now

When Chris Mayne stepped into a leadership role at navigation engineering company Forsberg, a mentor helped him introduce new ideas to the business..

Be the Business Mentoring