Salford programme helps 250+ SME leaders transform their business
More than 250 SME leaders have now completed a University of Salford programme designed to help businesses scale more sustainably through better leadership, systems and strategic planning.
Help to Grow: Management helps senior decision-makers step back from day-to-day firefighting and focus on productivity, operational improvement and long-term growth in an increasingly competitive business landscape.
Salford Business School began delivering the government-backed course five years ago, combining academic insight with real-world business experience. It has now supported 252 businesses across more than 60 sectors, helping leaders strengthen decision-making, improve operational resilience and build stronger foundations for growth.
The latest cohort brought together SMEs from sectors including engineering and manufacturing, professional services, health and care, construction, facilities management, fitness, beauty and the creative industries.
Over 12 weeks, participants took part in workshops, one-to-one mentoring and peer learning, using the programme to develop clearer growth plans, introduce more structured systems and strengthen leadership within their organisations.
Business leaders reported immediate benefits, including stronger financial and operational decision-making, clearer organisational structures, more confident brand positioning, and greater readiness to adopt digital technologies and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and support future growth.
Lorna Waterworth, director at Art of Maintenance, a Salford-based firm providing property maintenance and facilities services, said: “It felt like divine intervention when this course came along. It helped us reset our mindset and rediscover what we stand for as a business, giving us renewed clarity and confidence for the future.”
Hemant Patel, founder and CEO of Anumana, a Wilmslow-based data and AI consultancy, said: “The mentoring was a real lightbulb moment. It helped me clearly define what makes us unique and align that across how we operate and communicate as a business.
“Everything has come together, and it finally feels like it has clicked. We are now in a much stronger position and excited about the future.”
Chaye Hall, founder, Official True Beauty, a Manchester-based hair and skin product brand, said: “I had the ideas and a structure in place, but Help to Grow was a real ‘yahoo’ moment for me. It has helped me build my network, strengthen my thinking and given me the confidence to start exploring export opportunities, particularly to the US, while continuing to grow our manufacturing here in the UK.”
Dr Ann Mulhaney, associate professor for Change Management at the University of Salford, said: “This latest cohort marks an important milestone for the programme as we pass 250 SME leaders supported over the past five years.
“What has been particularly encouraging is seeing how businesses are using the programme to strengthen leadership, improve operational discipline and create more sustainable foundations for growth.
“The calibre of leadership, openness to challenge and willingness to reflect has been exceptional. Over the 12 weeks, we’ve seen participants move from firefighting to making confident, informed decisions about how their businesses grow, lead their people and adopt new ways of working.”
Help to Grow: Management is delivered through a national network of 64 accredited business schools, with the ambition to support 30,000 SMEs across the UK.
The 12-week, 50-hour programme is 90% government-funded, reducing the cost to £750 per participant. On completion, participants join a national alumni network, providing ongoing opportunities for support, collaboration and continued development.