Scaling your business
Your business is established but you need support to take it to the next level.
Ready to scale your business but need help?
Now you’re in a position where you can sustain growth in your business without feeling the impact in other areas, you may be looking at ways to accelerate this further. To achieve this, you might require support with moving premises, investing in technology or seeking out new markets.
Regardless of your ambitions, it is worthwhile formalising existing processes that may have been more fluid while the business was growing from a start-up. This will create fixed structures that will form a solid foundation for handling accelerating growth.
In addition, this will allow you to evaluate your processes. Doing so could highlight ways in which you can streamline operations and improve efficiency, which will have a positive impact on your finances.
You may also want to explore investing in robust software and systems. These will help you to overcome rising organisational challenges, including tax and regulatory requirements, as well as those associated with a growing workforce.
We want to support businesses that are scaling up as large organisations are important to driving innovation, nurturing skills and creating new opportunities in our region. Whether you are located here or looking to move to the area, our expert team provide personalised help aimed at supporting scaling up businesses to achieve their aspirations.
Scaling a business:
5 questions to ask
- Can I support accelerating growth within my business?
- Do I have sufficient cash flow to support a higher level of growth?
- Is there the right infrastructure and workforce locally to sustain your plans
- Are there opportunities to expand globally?
- What systems do I need to maintain quality and service while scaling up operations?
Scaling a business: Common questions
There is a range of support that scaling businesses can access through their Local Enterprise Partnership, the Government and local authority. This can include assistance with business rates and grants for investing in equipment and infrastructure that will positively impact jobs in the region. There is also support for businesses that want to upskill their workforce, as well as create opportunities for apprentices.
Make UK can provide consultancy and training for large businesses, and Innovate UK, Sparkfund and the British Business Bank are trusted sources when considering finance options your expansion plans. In addition, if you are looking at new export markets, the Department for International Trade can provide assistance in this area.
Financial support for scaling businesses in the York and North Yorkshire region is frequently changing. You can speak with our team about your growth plans and find out more about what you may be eligible for.
North Yorkshire County Council has a business engagement officer who acts as a channel through which businesses can engage directly with the planning and infrastructure team. This ensures that large-scale projects and planning applications are clearly communicated, and allows for an open and constructive dialogue to be established.
The York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (Y&NYLEP) are also working closely with businesses to share intelligence and ensure that they have a voice when it comes to local concerns over skills, access, infrastructure & supply chain.
As well as the opportunity to access financial assistance, there are many benefits to locating your business in North Yorkshire. As well as outstanding transport links and access to crucial supply chain companies, our region has a wealth of skilled worker and a quality of life that is the envy of many. You can book an appointment with one of our growth managers, who would be delighted to go into more detail and discuss your individual business needs.
Being more sustainable makes good business sense. It can foster respect from customers and employees alike, and can positively affect your bottom line too. There are some simple steps that your business can take including recycling, looking at energy use, reducing travel for meetings and reviewing your supply chain.
As part of the Local Enterprise Partnership, we are closely linked with Circular Yorkshire. Here you will find a range of case studies from other businesses adopting a more sustainable approach and our six benefits to business.
You need to ensure that a person from outside the UK has permission to work in the UK if you employ or intend to employ them. You also need to ensure that and documentation that they supply is genuine and that workers from specified countries are registered with the Home Office’s Worker Registration Scheme.
In addition, now that the UK has left the EU, migrant workers from the EU must apply for the new settlement scheme. Full details and a toolkit for employers is available from the government website.
Our region aims to cultivate innovation in a diverse range of sectors including food and drink, low carbon digital, bioscience and manufacturing. Our Growth Managers can put you in touch with relevant organisations and highlight the financial opportunities that will support your plans.
Innovate UK is also set up to accelerate innovate and drive investment into research and development. They can help you to connect with the right people to turn your ideas into commercially successful products and services.
Small to medium-sized enterprises can access the Skills Support for the Workforce Programme. This a free service aimed at enabling businesses to achieve their growth plans by upskilling their existing workforce. The service can work with you to identify skills gaps and recommend tailored training solutions.
In addition, businesses can look to use their apprenticeship levy to upskill their existing employees. More information can be found in our guide:
The Department for International Trade has designed its new Internationalisation Fund to help SMEs who are looking to grow their businesses internationally. It offers match funding of between £1,000 and £9,000. You can find out more about the fund and how to apply on our Import and Export page here.
Articles
Help is one call away: how the Growth Hub helpdesk can support you
Are you thinking about starting, growing, or scaling your business? Hear about how the Growth Hub helpdesk can help you by providing the latest business support, tailored to your needs.
New support for York and North Yorkshire businesses as leading regional media figure joins the Growth Hub
Mike Pennington, a familiar name in the UK media industry, has recently joined the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub as a Business Relationship Manager. In 2023, he'll be bringing his expertise to businesses in our region and connecting them with the Made Smarter scheme.
York, North Yorkshire and East Riding employers urged not to miss out on free skills training
Employers across York, North Yorkshire and East Riding are being reminded that it’s their last chance to take advantage of free training and support through the Skills Support for the Workforce Programme before the it ends in March 2023.
Events
15th February 20239:00 am - 5:00 pmFREE
15 Feb - Harrogate Co-Lab: Business Support Drop-In Session
This free drop-in service based in Harrogate can help answer your questions and direct you to relevant business support, resources and programmes.
22nd February 20239:00 am - 4:30 pmFREE
22 Feb - Pitching Perfectly - To win new business
Are you a small to medium sized food or drink business that wants to win more business and need to plan the perfect pitch? This full day workshop will help you understand what buyers are looking for and give you the confidence to pitch to them.
01st March 20234:00 pm - 6:00 pmFREE
1 March - Ian Howard- The Enterprise Growth Roadmap
In this two-hour session, Ian Howard will introduce The Enterprise Growth Roadmap. Regardless of where you are at right now, whether you are just launching your business, trying to make sense of the number of opportunities available to you or looking to attract external investment, the Enterprise Growth Roadmap Planning Workshop will help you create a framework to develop your own growth strategy together with some simple steps to help you implement it.
Resources
Glossary of Climate Change Terms for Businesses
A free digital glossary defining the key climate change terms relevant to businesses, to help you understand and engage with sustainability resources and support.
2022 Seminar Recordings
We have recently hosted a programme of in-person seminars and other events, some of which were professionally recorded and can now be viewed on our website.
Seminar Recording : Access to finance: Funding growth
This workshop will provide guidance on cost based pricing, calculating your costs before deciding an appropriate margin, as well as covering market based pricing asking questions such as: What value do you add? What are you worth? How do you position yourself?
