Supported by:

ENTREPRENEURS’ FORUM

SCALEABILITY Lead a fast-growing business and have the ambition to grow it quicker?

JOIN THE SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY entrepreneursforum.net/scaleup

SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY The Scale-up Leader’s Academy

THE SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY Great entrepreneurs are not great because they started a company, they’re great because they were able to scale it. They run businesses with established growth strategies and scalable business models, meaning they’re not only much more likely to survive, they will thrive. That’s why the Entrepreneurs’ Forum has developed the Scale-up Leader’s Academy, to compliment the help we already give our members, the North East’s most aspirational business owners. Scaling–up isn’t easy for any business. It takes planning as well as strong leadership and management skills. There will be an increase in the

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INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH The Scale-up Leader’s Academy

number of employees, customers, products and services provided, as well as the possibility of multiple locations to operate.

The Scale-up Leader’s Academy delivers practical advice in a compelling and easy to understand way. Exploring what it means to scale-up, it will prepare you to face the challenges of business growth and help you to build an actionable plan that will achieve your goals. Benefiting from a mix of inspirational events, scale-up coaching workshops and the opportunity to learn from those who have been there and done it all before, as the leader of a high-growth company, we will help you to draw up a blueprint from

which you will be able to accelerate your growth sustainably.

hold each other to account and share advice and learning.

By bringing together experienced entrepreneurs, business leaders, specialists and coaches, we will help you to grow your business faster, in a supportive environment where you can openly share your experience and make valuable new connections.

Engaging your team along the way will allow you to implement change immediately and transform the way you work.

With a mix of scale-up coaching and peer-to-peer mentoring for you, and relevant business expertise and inspiration for you and your senior management team, the Academy will not only help you to avoid costly mistakes, it will show you how to put some simple ideas into practice. Working with your peers throughout, you will openly review progress, support your fellow entrepreneurs,

To apply to join the Scale-up Leader’s Academy and for more information, contact: Steven Gibson Entrepreneurs’ Forum steven@entrepreneursforum.net

0191 500 7780

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SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY The Scale-up Coach

THE SCALE-UP COACH Ian Kinnery, Gazelles International Coach.

Ian Kinnery is no stranger to success as either a business owner, a business leader or a business coach. Ian was enjoying a lucrative career in the corporate world when he realised the greatest buzz he got was in helping businesses and the people who ran them to grow and develop. More than 25 years as the head of several major businesses, owned either privately, publically or by Ian himself, a degree, professional qualifications and a formal postgraduate business education were the preparation for Ian’s coaching career. In 2005 he joined the world’s leading coaching firm and quickly became one of its most effective performers worldwide.

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INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH The Scale-up Coach

As European Coach of the Year, a global trainer and a multi awardwinning coach, Ian has presented at several international coaching conferences. Ian is also one of just four Gazelles International Coaches here in the UK. Gazelles International Coaches (co-authors of ‘scaling up’) focus primarily on the development of mid-market companies using the Four Decisions™ as the framework for growth. They are many of the

most experienced, most effective coaches in the world, supporting companies and business units across the globe as they ‘scale-up’. Having owned and scaled up his own business, Ian is acutely aware of the challenges that business owners face. His simple, structured approach has allowed him to develop skills and techniques over time, that can help an entrepreneur realise the dreams they had when they first went into business.

In 2005 Ian Kinnery joined the world’s leading coaching firm and quickly became one of its most effective performers worldwide.

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SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY The Business Experts

THE BUSINESS EXPERTS Sharing many years of experience, our business experts will be offering you and your team practical advice in an easy to understand and actionable way…

Bob Keiller, Culture and Values Bob does business properly. He treats people well, is open and honest, shows respect but holds staff accountable for delivery. Its building businesses with these strong core values and a positive culture that has defined his career, which includes completing the management buyout of PSN from Halliburton in 2006, scaling and selling PSN to Wood Group in 2011, then leading Wood Group’s operations in more than 50 countries.

Floyd Woodrow, Authentic Leadership One of the youngest soldiers ever to be selected for the SAS, Floyd will be sharing his experience of working at an elite level and leading under extreme pressure. Now a celebrated business author, company owner and director, Floyd has walked many different paths and his leadership ‘compass’ is a tool that will help everyone in your team to stop wasting precious time and start transforming dreams into reality.

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Simon Hartley, World-Class Teams Simon is a globally respected sport psychology consultant and performance coach who has worked with gold medallists, world record holders and world champions, as well as in business, education, healthcare and the charity sector. Since 2011 he has published seven books and will be helping you to understand the six key characteristics of world-class teams and how to use these to take your team from ‘good’ to ‘great’ to ‘world-class’.

INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH The Scale-up Leader’s Academy

Simon Middleton, Building a Brand Founder of new menswear brand Blackshore, an award-winning madein-Britain manufacturer, Simon is a strategic brand advisor and the author of three books including the best-selling guide to small business branding: Build A Brand In 30 Days. As an entrepreneur, writer, and brand advisor Simon speaks at events around the world, advising businesses and organisations on how they can develop stand-out brands.

Richard Lane, Sales Masterclass Co-founder of scale-up business durhamlane, Richard's mission is to help people and organisations achieve high revenue growth by developing commercial skills and mindsets and improving sales processes. With over 20 years of commercial experience, Richard understands how to blend valuable theory with real-life examples, as well as providing actionable steps for you and your team. The creator of a proven sales methodology, he continues to help hundreds of SME’s and blue-chip companies with “Selling at a Higher Level”.

Jonathan Gold, Getting Investor Ready Co-founder and managing director of Rivers Capital, Jonathan is a specialist in seed and growth investment. He has a background in technology development and licencing, as well as in marketing and sales. Jonathan has established several venture funds attracting capital from public and private sources, including the Rainbow Seed Fund and a range of funds in the North of England. Setting up and serving as chief executive of Northstar Ventures, he oversaw the creation and establishment of the £10m Proof of Concept Fund and a £23m Co-Investment Fund.

Jeremy Snape, The Winning Mindset of Leaders A former England cricketer, Jeremy is now one of the world’s leading names in performance psychology and from elite football, cricket and rugby to the corporate arena, his expertise is behind some of the world’s most successful teams. Starting on 4th February, Jeremy’s 12-week online coaching programme features lessons, insights, tips and techniques from international sports stars, coaches, neuroscientists and performance experts, giving you the ultimate performance hack to transform the way you lead yourself and others.

To apply to join the Scale-up Leader’s Academy and for more information, contact: Steven Gibson, Entrepreneurs’ Forum, steven@entrepreneursforum.net 0191 500 7780 9

SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY Our Promise

OUR PROMISE If you join the Scale-up Leader’s Academy, we promise:

1. To raise your aspiration and help

4. To examine what your organisation

you grow your business quickly and sustainably.

2. To help you prepare your company for

major growth by understanding what the scale-up journey will involve, the challenges ahead and some of the tools that can help you on your way.

3. To explore the biggest barriers to

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business growth, looking at the impact in each area once you are successful in achieving your growth ambitions.

needs, what must change and how you can develop an actionable plan that helps you to cope with the change scaling-up brings.

5. We won’t tell you what to do, but we

will get you ready to scale-up and at the ‘starting-line’ with peer support around you and a clear strategic plan, so that you can succeed in achieving your business goals.

6. To continue providing you with

inspiration and a helping hand long after the programme is complete.

INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH Your Commitment

YOUR COMMITMENT By joining the Scale-up Leader’s Academy, you promise:

1. To attend all Scale-up Leader’s Academy sessions. 2. To be open and honest with yourself, your coaches

and mentors and within the group.

3. To commit to at least two actions during each scale-up

session, that you will implement and report back to the group on.

4. To provide data on your company’s performance and

complete research and feedback forms throughout the programme, to help us monitor and evaluate the Academy’s impact.

To apply to join the Scale-up Leader’s Academy and for more information, contact: Steven Gibson Entrepreneurs’ Forum steven@entrepreneursforum.net

0191 500 7780

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SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY The Mentors

THE MENTORS

Our panel of experienced entrepreneurs are here to support you throughout every step of the Academy, and beyond…

James Robson, Exwold Technology Founder of Exwold, James has built a business that operates from four sites and employs around 120 staff. With turnover in excess of £10m and customers around the world, Exwold has come a long way in its 20+ year history. An accredited coach and 2016 Entrepreneurs’ Forum Mentor of the Year, James has received an MBE for his services to North East business and dedicates a lot of his time to supporting other aspirational companies.

Nigel Mills, The Lakes Distillery Managing director of Mills Group for 25 years, Nigel grew the brand to more than £80m turnover, plus additional service sales of £80m. When he sold to Tesco in 2011, Mills had 2,200 staff, 77 convenience stores and eight supermarkets across the UK. Having owned a successful 4-star hotel in Cockermouth for the past 23 years, Nigel recently embarked on a new journey to build a world-class whisky distillery - The Lakes Distillery - and received a CBE for services to entrepreneurship and business in the North East and Cumbria.

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Experienced entrepreneurs helping you every step of the way.

INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH The Mentors

*These mentors are a selection of the mentors available to support you.

Dr David Cliff, Gedanken Gedanken, the German word for thoughts, is David Cliff’s business consultancy and coaching company, helping people with the thought processes and strategies they need to find a clearer direction and to improve performance. David’s MBA and Doctorate in Business Administration are matched with over 35 years of management and personal development experience, making him a hugely experienced professional coach. David was named North East Mentor of the Year in 2017.

Pamela Petty, Entreprenising (formerly of Ebac) Pamela spent 30 years in the family business, developing new processes to help Ebac grow. As managing director she reduced production cycles and her leadership allowed the manufacturing business to successfully compete with overseas companies. Leading a successful RGF bid to support a £7m project, Pamela brought the production of washing machines back to the UK, creating up to 200 new jobs.

To apply to join the Scale-up Leader’s Academy and for more information, contact: Steven Gibson Entrepreneurs’ Forum steven@entrepreneursforum.net

0191 500 7780

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SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY Entrepreneur Profiles

GILL BURGESS Managing director of r//evolution.

The Scale-up Leader’s Academy has been fantastic for me. Here at r//evolution, we had been growing, but I wanted to accelerate this growth and was looking for a ‘blueprint’ that could help. The Gazelles approach used throughout the Scale-up Academy is clear and very focused - just what I was looking for. The combination of taught content and peer discussion has been very powerful, and has meant that I’ve gained practical tips that we’ve implemented pretty quickly and relatively easily, as well as a strategic overview, covering the core areas of People, Strategy, Execution and Cash. There is still a lot we have to work on, but having this toolkit is certainly making a difference.

The Gazelles approach used throughout the Scale-up Academy is clear and very focused - just what I was looking for.

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The peer support has been invaluable, and some of us are already talking about setting up an informal group that we continue after the main programme has finished, so we can continue to help one another. Overall, I’d certainly recommend the Academy to any business owner who is committed to growth. For me it has been time well invested.

INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH The Scale-up Leader’s Academy

RAMAN SEHGAL Founder & managing director of ramarketing.

The last year has been amazing for ramarketing. As a business we’ve really found our niche and our team has worked super hard to drive year on year growth of 70%, which is phenomenal. The Scale-up Leader’s Academy came along at just the right time for me and has really opened my eyes. Not only has it introduced me to a lot of brilliant people I now regard as friends, it also helped me to realise that lots of entrepreneurs are going through very similar challenges to me and I’m not on my own.

The group sharing has been hugely valuable, both receiving advice and offering help to others.

The group sharing has been hugely valuable, both receiving advice and offering help to others. The coaching sessions have given me a lot to think about and, although I haven’t used everything I’ve learnt yet, even the little tweaks I’ve already made are proving to be invaluable.

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SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY Entrepreneur Profiles

JOANNA FEELEY Managing director of Trend Bible.

The Scale-up Leader’s Academy has had a transformative effect on our business over the course of a year. The process of learning from inspiring speakers, learning new growth strategies and embedding that knowledge with a business coach is a really unique format. The most impactful part for me has been being able to access one-to-one time with a dedicated mentor and crucially, getting to openly discuss growth issues with other business leaders. Every month, we’re all trying to implement the knowledge we’ve acquired, and so there’s a ready-made network there for discussing what worked and how best to apply it.

The most impactful part for me has been being able to access one-to-one time with a dedicated mentor and crucially, getting to openly discuss growth issues with other business leaders.

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Running a business can be a pretty isolated experience but the Academy has provided me with an approachable, encouraging environment to tackle the challenges we all face as high growth business leaders.

INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH The Scale-up Leader’s Academy

DOMINIC LUSARDI Co-founder of Animmersion.

At Animmersion we’ve always had ambitions to scale-up so we jumped at the chance to join the Academy, and it’s definitely been worthwhile. As a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, we knew we’d be surrounded by similar minded people, but it’s been a breath of fresh air to work on our challenges with other entrepreneurs. Taking ideas from the programme and other business leaders, and applying them to Animmersion, has definitely influenced our growth. The coached sessions helped us to stay focused on the key issues, rather than getting dragged into the detail, and we now have a clear plan that isn’t overly technical, but has true scale-ability.

Taking ideas from the programme and other business leaders, and applying them to Animmerson, has definitely influenced our growth.

We think we’ve identified a cost-effective framework that will hopefully allow us to triple turnover in the next five years, without having to re-evaluate plans at every stage.

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SCALE-UP LEADER’S ACADEMY The Challenges

THE CHALLENGES The Scale-up Leader’s Academy will help you to build a successful scale-up strategy for your business. One that minimises risk and helps you to overcome the barriers to long-term sustainable growth:

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

SKILLS & CULTURE

FINANCE & FUNDING

We will help you to shape the vision of your business and build your leadership capability.

Studying the motivations of staff and discussing the best ways to find and retain the right people with the right skills will help you to drive your business forward.

By identifying the right combination of finance and improving your liquidity, you can better fund your high-growth ambition.

SALES & MARKETING

OPERATIONS & TIME MANAGEMENT

Exploring techniques and tips that can help you to access new customers and expand into new markets will not only impact positively on your cash flow, but drive long-term growth.

Everyone is time poor, but by correctly allocating resources, prioritising and bringing clarity to the processes within your business, you can improve productivity and support fast-growth.

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INSPIRING FUTURE GROWTH Entrepreneurs’ Forum

ENTREPRENEURS’ FORUM ALTRUISTIC

INSPIRATIONAL

EXPERIENCED

Founded in

Hosting over

Run by a team of

2002 35

6 10

by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.

entrepreneurial events every year.

PEER SUPPORT

COLLABORATIVE

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

100 mentors generously offering their time to help their peers.

Working alongside business owners, corporate companies, colleges and universities, local Government, the media and other business support organisations to connect and help North East entrepreneurs.

INTERNATIONAL

Entrepreneurial members come from all sectors and are growing

Almost

FASTER

than the average North East business.

experienced entrepreneurs, working in a range of different sectors.

300 +

entrepreneurial members, employing over

23,000

people, with a combined turnover of more than.

£2.3 BILLION

HIGH-GROWTH

10X

and a board of

40%

of Forum members export (vs 4% of North East companies).

To apply to join the Scale-up Leader’s Academy and for more information, contact: Steven Gibson Entrepreneurs’ Forum steven@entrepreneursforum.net

0191 500 7780

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