The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Bablin Molik, believes it is essential that small business leaders in Wales are given “opportunities to connect with others and take a step back to see the bigger picture”. The comments were made as she addressed founders, CEOs and senior managers from some of Wales’ most ambitious small and medium-sized enterprises at an event organised for alumni of the Help to Grow: Management Course.

Business leaders gathered at the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator Hub Cardiff, to hear advice from leading experts, including SME coach, leadership expert and lecturer on the Help to Grow: Management Course, Dr Suzanne Ross, and share ideas on how to tackle some of today’s most pressing business challenges.

The evolving role of a business leader was the core focus of the event, recognising the transition  founders need to make as leaders when their business grows in order to maintain a thriving culture and sustainable level of productivity. Sessions included topics such as ‘Overcoming barriers to success’ which highlighted the personal and team development techniques required when on an entrepreneurial journey.

Those in attendance spanned different sectors but shared one thing in common; they were all graduates or current participants of the Help to Grow: Management Course – a 12-week course designed to help business leaders and their senior managers to increase resilience, innovation and growth within their organisations.

Speaking at the event the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Bablin Molik, said:

“SMEs make up 99% of UK businesses. They also employ more than 16 million people and generate more than two trillion pounds in revenue. In short, SMEs not only play a crucial role within our communities here in Cardiff but in the UK’s wider economic performance. This is why supporting them is so critical.

“The Help to Grow: Management Course teaches the value of continuous learning and growth for bolstering commercial and personal resilience against any headwinds that come our way. It’s why programmes like this one, which provide opportunities to connect with others and take a step back to see the bigger picture, are so vital to our SME community here in Wales.”

Alex McWhirter, Practice Manager at North Cardiff Dental and Implants, added:

“The event has been great. I’ve seen people from my Help to Grow: Management cohort again and discussed what progress we’ve all made – as well as what more we can do in the future. It’s also been a brilliant opportunity to remind myself of the learnings I took from the course and get inspired.”

Thomas Wilkinson, Group Operations Director at Barcud Shared Services, added:

“Today has been a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to network and learn from one another. The sessions, just like the Help to Grow: Management Course itself, have allowed us to look into a mirror at ourselves and reflect on what we’re doing as businesses. It’s been a really productive day.”

Delivered by Small Business Charter accredited business schools, including Cardiff Business School at Cardiff University and Cardiff School of Management at Metropolitan University, the 90% government funded Help to Grow: Management Course is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments. It provides business leaders with more than 50 hours of online and in person training, including 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring. Individuals completing the course automatically join the Help to Grow: Management Alumni Network, where they have access to content and partner offers, support of a UK-wide peer network and entry to exclusive events.

Business leaders can find out more about Help to Grow: Management and sign up by visiting: www.smallbusinesscharter.org/help-to-grow-management.