Strive & Thrive - Market Opportunities

Small businesses and SMEs in Greater Manchester face a series of challenges in 2023 – from high inflation and rising interest rates to volatile energy markets and lower consumer demand.

Framing Risks and Taking Advantage of Opportunities

Part of the #HereForBusiness campaign, our Strive & Thrive online workshop on ‘Market Opportunities’ aims to help you understand the key threats to your businesses in this environment and how to build resilience. The workshop also explores low risk ways to expand into (international) near markets and adjacent sectors, allowing you not only to protect your client base and revenue, but to grow them, too.

Industry Experts

Participants will benefit from insights provided by experienced industry experts:

Peter Gaunt (Growth Company) is a business development and strategy specialist with over 30 years’ experience in SMEs and multi-national corporates, including more than 25 years senior management experience up to director level. He has worked within three high growth SMEs and in a senior role at two high growth divisions of larger companies. He has worked for 20 years on SME business support programmes as a coach, trainer, and programme manager.

Philip Blair (Global Scaleup) started his career as a management consultant, working across a range of sectors including utilities, online banking, transport, manufacturing, and telecoms.  Philip started and scaled up the European operation for a global consumer technology business.   He has lived in the US, Denmark and Turkey and worked extensively across Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Richard Dickinson (Growth Company) is professional business coach and advisor with over 30 years’ experience who is passionate about influencing leaders whilst being a reflective and trusted advisor. Richard is always on the go helping people and businesses in the North West to improve. He has a broad range of experience in business management, strategy, sales, and marketing. With an excellent history in advising and supporting various companies in the Corporate and SME markets with a specialty in professional services. Richard was a lead coach for the Northwest Region on the government backed initiatives such as the Growth Accelerator Programme/Business Growth Service. During his time as an advisor, he has helped over 400 companies.

Time / Duration	Element
930am – 945am	Introduction
945am – 1015am	Understanding the situation, the opportunities and threats your businesses faces. Includes practical exercise
1015am – 1045am	Near opportunities. How to farm your existing markets, customers and contacts. Includes practical exercise
1045am – 1115am	New market opportunities. Which “new but near” markets might you exploit without significant cost or risk? Includes practical exercise
1115am – 1120am	New market opportunities from the energy market.
1120am – 1130am	QA and wrap up
1130am	Close

Where is it?