‘An absolute honour’ says Beverley as she’s picked to run growth programme for Havant SMEs

Havant Borough Council has announced the launch of a new six-month programme aimed at equipping small local businesses with the tools and knowledge to scale up.

Delivering the programme on behalf of the council will be Aspire4Business, headed up by Beverley Poole.

It’s set to provide tailored support for businesses with fewer than 249 employees.

Participants will benefit from in-person workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions, with the option to access digital resources and online training.

The course, which will support 20 companies, will also explore the integration of AI tools and measure growth over 12 months.

“It’s an absolute honour to design and deliver this structured business curriculum directly with Havant Borough Council,” said Beverley.

“We’ll be offering two distinct pathways for early-stage businesses and those ready to scale up.

“It’s designed to help businesses rethink their culture, strategy and growth potential.

“Our aim is to equip participants with the insights and innovation needed to overcome obstacles.

“With as many as 60 per cent of businesses struggling to reach their third anniversary, we need to understand why and provide the necessary support to improve their chances of success.

“It’s no longer a job, it’s a business.”

Cllr Gillian Harris, cabinet lead for regeneration and communities, added: “We’ve seen considerable success with previous local business support initiatives and would like to develop this further with a formal and structured programme.

“Our other similar programmes have had a positive impact locally and we want to build on the momentum and encourage businesses to acquire the skills to be dynamic and enterprising.”

• For more information and to apply, get in touch at economic.development@havant.gov.uk