Hub Mentors share their knowledge and experience in free online panel sessions

Hub Mentors, the business mentoring service created by Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership (GFirst LEP) and The Growth Hub, is coming to the digital world this week. For the first time, you will have the opportunity to join a free panel session with three of the brightest business mentors in the region.

For this first edition of the Hub Mentors Panel Sessions the main theme will be “Short term survival tactics: understanding and applying key support strategies”. The feedback gathered from our COVID-19 Business Impact Survey led us to consider this topic as the very first one to address in these virtual sessions.

Financial and HR concerns in these uncertain times were, understandably, expressed by a majority of respondents to the survey, so we felt compelled to request our incredible lineup of mentors to step in and share their knowledge and experience with Gloucestershire’s business audience. We are delighted to confirm that, once again, they answered our call for help with promptness, willing to lend a hand to the business community with their invaluable insights.

The key speakers for this first session will be:

• Andrew Blair, owner and director of 24 Keys marketing agency.
• “Successfully applying furloughing”.
• is the owner of a cloud-based marketing and accounting practice, with over 16 years of experience as Managing Director and Finance Director in the media sector. He will cover work furloughs and the process the company must follow to apply them: how they work, how to apply for them, what self-employed workers can do, and which are the alternatives (if any) to furloughing.
• Russell Warner, founder of Westend Office Suites.
• “Rent and business rates relief schemes”.
• Russell is a Chartered Accountant and has worked in a number of financial roles in the industry.He currently runs Westend Office Suites which provides office space for new and growing businesses near Stonehouse. He will speak about rent relief and business rate relief schemes: what is the process to apply for them, how much they are worth, landlord’s say and compensation, etc.
• Andy Kime, business guide at The Growth Hub.
• “Grants and loans for SMEs”.
• With over 17 years of experience in the banking business, Andy has worked in some of the largest international financial organisations. At present, he is one of The Growth Hub’s business guides, as well as a Hub Mentors collaborator. Andy will address the financial help available in the form of grants and loans for SMEs: what options are available, how to apply, which is the body offering each scheme, and what could be the best route for each SME.

To register for this free online panel, visit the following link (limited places):

https://bit.ly/hub-mentors-panel-1

And stay tuned because Hub Mentors is planning new panel sessions for the weeks ahead. These sessions will cover a variety of topics – from financial planning and risk management to effective marketing – and will be focused on better preparing yourself and your business for the future.

You can follow Hub Mentors on twitter and LinkedIn for more information about this programme. Or contact them directly via email at mentors@thegrowthhub.biz.