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The Directors' Centre and the Business Support/Advice Community

(click here for an overview of how we work with PSFs)

what do we mean by the Business Support/Advice Community ?

Put simply, this community includes:

• Business advisers and their organisations (Business Link, Chambers of Commerce, Institute of Business Advisers, Institute of Management Consultants)
• Banks
• Accountants.

working with the business support community

Over the years we have worked very closely with the business support community. We can provide services to your own teams or to your target clients including:

• Keynote presentations to conferences
• Seminars for small or large groups
• Assistance with policy (especially around business growth and BME communities)
• Coaching and training.

what makes us different?

• We run our own business and all our associates and staff have worked in and helped to grow independent businesses - practical hands-on people that help businesses to grow
• Clients - the type of businesses that work with theDC. Currently we have six clients from the Time Fast Track 100 or Inner Track 100 list.
• Case studies - how businesses have been helped
• 'Ology' - how we do things
• Testimonials - what our clients say
• Reputation - what others say
• Brand - what we stand for.

Business advisers

Our team includes two of the UK's leading authorities on developing the professional skills of business advisers - four of our team have designed and run websites, diagnostics, programmes for Business Links and the BL University as well as ventures with the DTI, Marketing Council, CIM, Durham University Business School, Cranfield, Manchester Business School, Bristol University and Warwick Business School.

Robert's book, Kick-Start Your Business, is considered 'the best book an adviser can own' and has been distributed throughout the Business Link network.

Business Link/chambers of commerce

Robert, Jim, Tim and Kiki have worked at the highest level in developing strategies and programmes with the DTI and Business Link. Key areas include: diagnostics, business networks, coaching skills and black/minority/ethnic policy.

Banks

Robert and the team have been involved in delivering programmes for and to banks that work with small and growing businesses. Robert, created and led the award-winning 'Understanding Businesses' Programme for all of Barclays business managers, and was assisted by a team of 16 including Rosemary Ryan and Keith Morton to deliver the programme.

institute of business advisers (IBA) and the institute of management consultants (IMC)

We have delivered keynote addresses to both organisation's national conferences as well as being published in their magazines (Business Adviser and Professional Consultant).

accountants

We have delivered keynote addresses at the national conferences of key accountants that work with the small/growing business community as well as developed partnerships with several accounting practices to help them work with the small/growing business community...

At a national level we are working with Tenon: they have published their own limited edition version of Kick-Start Your Business; Robert is Programme Director and Rosemary is HR Seminar Leader for their ground-breaking Fast-Track Your Business Programme.

We are currently delivering seminars for the award-winning accounting firm, Clear Vision.

At a local level, we are able to provide marketing and strategy workshops and business surgeries for the clients of forward-thinking accounting firms.

working with training providers to small and growing businesses

The Directors' Centre has a wealth of experience in designing and delivering workshops and seminars for growing businesses.

For a number of years, Robert has been 'Mr Strategy' or 'Mr Marketing' for training programmes for entrepreneurs and has involved other colleagues in this work, including Jim, Rosemary, Kiki, Mike, Timothy and Resli, to deliver their speciality. Clients include etc, Inspira and EntrepreneurAction.

Universities and business schools

Our team continues to maintain close links with the business schools. Robert is Associate Fellow at Warwick Business School (where he used to be Programme Director for training and consultancy) and is Visiting Professor at Toulouse Business School.

Robert, Jim and Tim have all been Programme Director for the Warwick Business School/Marketing Council 'Grow With Marketing' Programme.

We have recently run workshops/events at Said, Toulouse, Warwick, Bath, Cranfield and Bristol Universities/Business Schools.

Robert was recently commissioned to write a paper for London Business School.

We love bringing our no-nonsense approach to business to the university environment.

what next?

If you work for a bank, accountant, Business Link, Chamber of Commerce, university or similar organisation and would like to understand how The Directors' Centre can work with you then contact us on +44 (0)1225 851044.

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