Following the success of last year’s Cumbria Business Growth Hub Peer to Peer Networks, funded through Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, we are excited to announce that we have been awarded further funding to support eligible businesses through the Peer Network initiative for the next year.

Are you looking to:

• Overcome business challenges, discover benchmarking and explore new solutions to problems
• Identify and take advantage of business opportunities
• Develop and cultivate a trusted network of business peer connections
• Evaluate your business style and develop your business skills
• Share experiences and ideas with likeminded business people
• Solve challenges with peers not consultants

The interactive networking sessions are structured in order to ensure each business gains the opportunity to address their business opportunities and challenges and work collaboratively to identify practical solutions in a confidential setting. Further professional support also helps you apply these ideas to your business. All sessions are facilitated by action learning specialists and you will also be signposted to other business support programmes to maximise the support on offer.

“Although I was initially unsure about committing to more Zoom based interactions, I found the Cumbria Business Growth Hub Peer-to-Peer network programme very helpful for me personally and for The Rowley Estates business overall.  The format of each participant presenting a dilemma or issue for their business in their designated session was thought provoking and we all learned things about our circumstances from considering business issues raised by others in our group.  It was also really beneficial to develop new relationships and opportunities with other local business owners in a collaborative framework which helped us to learn that we are not alone in facing challenges”, – Christine Rowley, The Rowley Estates

So if you are an owner or senior manager of an SME business and meet the following criteria don’t hesitate to contact us while places are still available:

• Operating for at least one year
• At least five employees (full time or part time)
• Turnover at least £100,000
• Aspirations to improve, grow and develop your business
• Able to commit a minimum of 22 hours over a 3 month period

Each facilitated Network group will consist of 11 businesses with six groups in total, focused on engagement, collaboration and driving their businesses forward. Places are limited on each of the networks with 2 already having been fully allocated with business looking to take full opportunity of engaging with and becoming connected with likeminded business people through the series of facilitated, interactive sessions.

This is opportunity won’t be available for long. So, if you’re interested in getting involved and discovering the power of Peer to Peer networks – contact us now at lesleyr@cumbriachamber.co.uk for more information!