Boost Bulletin! (formally a view from Boost!!!)

Going to try and get this out on time (ish). Looking back at last month, there was quite a lot of activity with Boost and Co partners (new and old) so going to fly though a taster of some of these, with the odd other thing.

Moore and Smalley and the fabulous Stephen Gregson! These guys were our FIRST boost and co (er) right back in 2013, always positive, supportive and helpful. Great to simply touch base, I'm now waiting on that blog Stephen!!!

Northern Power Women Role Model event, powered by NatWest! If you have read these before you will know I'm a massive fan of their work and loving their monthly podcast. This was a collabroation with Boost, NatWest and Northern Powerwomen and was a lively debate around the ever relevant issue of financing business growth, particularly female led businesses and how we start to interpret some of the findings from the recently published Government report - The Rose Review. Rachel Kay also did a nice write up on this (link to a linkedin article within an article!!!).

Door 4, another Boost and Co partner and another nudge and catchup. Speaking with Leon is like a breath of fresh air, he is SOOOOOOOOOOO passionate about making his business work and so aware of his responsibilities in turning this into a reality. He is also a very vocal advocate for GREAT business support and its benefits.

PowerUp (your business in the North), this was a Northern Powerhouse event, one of a series going around the region, this one was held at Cotton Court (also Boost & Co) and was again looking at finance for business growth, with contribtions from BEIS, British Business Bank, Ourselves and..... a real business, thanks Ben from Relative Insight (@RelativeInsight). Some new faces as well, so some future fabulous conversations no doubt!) I'm also talking to BEIS about how we amplify some of this activity through the Growth Hub.

Three (3) Boost & Co conversations, running out of time again so a quick mention to these people for being so open to collaboration, looking forward to working with you in the future, and who knows your business may already be up in Boost lights!!! Thank you, Paul Woodburn (Wallmark, Nelson & Johnson), Matthew Lincoln (Northern Monkey), Andy Platt and Alison Butler (Simply Corporate Limited) - I loved every single conversation and looking forward to working with you.

Catching up with the winner of Cotton Court's Start up competition. Myself, Rob and Amy met with Craig Wilson to see how things were going and look at prioritising his prize winnings. Rob was on top form but Craig you were on Fire! Really looking forward to watching you go from awesome to awesome(er).

All in this business support soup together!!! We held our second Lancashire Business Support Forum, this is the opportunity for all our business support providers and Boost & Co partners to get together and remind themselves of all the "other" amazing support offers available to business in Lancashire and get to know each other, this time we had explicit reminders from Access to Finance (thanks Philip), Skills Hub and Skills Support for the Workforce (thanks Lisa and Chris) and Propel to Grow (thanks Mike), as usual too much information/passion too little time, so my poor chairing meant it overran (just a little), happily only one person had to leave, sorry Paul!

Ok another ramble through, with far too many others to mention.

Podcast recommendation this month, the Cumbria Growth Hub, there's a whole back catalogue, I had no idea they did one! Great work Cumbria (just one of the benefits of getting together as a growth hub collective!!!)

So as always, be inspiring, be amazing and if you are looking to grow your business get in touch (if you haven't already!)

Andrew :)