Growth Hubs Across the West Midlands Join Forces to Evolve Their Range of Advice

Leaders of a series of business guidance organisations from across the West Midlands have joined forces to evolve their range of advice with Brexit looming.

The heads of the Coventry and Warwickshire, Greater Birmingham and Solihull and Black Country Growth Hubs will be focusing on greater collaboration across the region in a bid to boost its economy from the ground up over the coming months.

Each has been working within its local business community to provide a single point of contact for businesses to access information, advice and support since 2016.

However, with a rapidly evolving economy and a number of major challenges on the horizon for businesses in general across the UK such as Brexit, as well as opportunities such as HS2 and the Commonwealth Games, leaders Craig Humphrey, Ian McLaughlan and Jaspal Sohal have looked at how to better link up their respective work.

Craig, Managing Director of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub, said: “The economy is currently throwing up a number of challenges for businesses across a huge range of sectors to contend with, but it is also creating real opportunities."

“We want to tap into this and offer our services across the whole region. Each of the three Growth Hubs has the same aim to help local businesses grow with the best impartial advice and guidance, but we have different expertise and ways of doing things."

“We want to see how we can cross our work over with the aim of improving services to clients."

“With Brexit having been an ever-present thought for businesses over the last two years and with a resolution potentially not far away, business owners are looking for a wider range of advice than ever before.”

The three Growth Hubs work with businesses of all sizes on issues ranging from grant assistance, help in finding premises, technology advice and more.

They are part of a network of 38 Government funded Hubs covering the whole of England.

Jaspal Sohal, Head of the Black Country Growth Hub, said: “We can do a lot more to assist the West Midlands business community when we work together."

“Each Growth Hub has different strengths and by learning from one another, we will only improve our processes and increase our understanding of the regional economy.”

Ian McLaughlan, Manager of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Growth Hub, said: “It makes complete sense, particularly in this business climate, for us to work together."

 “The size of your company or how long it has been going isn’t an issue, we want to enable businesses to tackle whatever their barriers to growth are."

“Whether that is finance, personnel, process or market related, there are solutions out there for every business"

“Often these can be achieved without expenditure, it is just a case of being aware what is out there and that is where your local Growth Hub can help.”

If you require business support, contact your local Growth Hub on:

Coventry & Warwickshire: 0300 060 3747 

Birmingham & Solihull: 0800 032 3488B

Black Country: 01902 322 995