Last Thursday marked a significant milestone in my journey as a small business owner. What began as a desire to sharpen my business skills has grown into a national opportunity to give back to a programme that has shaped so much of what we do at Adaptive Accountancy.

Enrolling in the Help to Grow: Management Course

Back in 2021 (I think!), I enrolled on the Help to Grow: Management Course at Sheffield Business School. Aimed at SME leaders, the course provided practical insights and a fresh perspective on what it takes to scale and run a bigger business.

Beyond the content, one of the most valuable aspects was the peer group experience. I was lucky to be surrounded by a diverse group of driven business leaders who each brought something different to the table. Their input and encouragement helped lay the foundation for everything that came next.

Speaking at the Regional Help to Grow Event

Thanks to the support and connections made through the course, I was invited to speak at the regional Help to Grow event in Leeds. It was a fantastic experience to share ideas and meet even more small business owners in the area. The energy and innovation in the room were contagious.

Opportunities Open Up

From there, more opportunities followed:

• I co-delivered the Finance module of the programme alongside the brilliant Katey Curtis at Huddersfield Business School.
• I was invited to contribute to articles for the Small Business Charter—a great way to support SME education while improving our SEO.
• And last week, it all culminated in a major milestone: speaking at the National Help to Grow event.

National Stage: The Help to Grow Conference

It was a pleasure to reconnect with some familiar faces, like the always-charismatic Duncan McCombie, one of my original peer group members. He’s doing incredibly well and it’s inspiring to see his continued growth.

We had a great chat with Byron Dixon OBE, whose business journey was our case study during the programme. Meeting him in person was a full-circle moment I won’t forget.

I even had a brief meeting with the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Gareth Thomas, before heading off to deliver my talk.

Speaking on Employee Engagement

I had the honour of speaking on Employee Engagement, alongside the renowned Adrian Furnham. Adrian’s expertise is unmatched—he’s written more books than I’ve had hot dinners—and it was a genuine privilege to share the stage.

During my talk, it was encouraging to see light bulb moments among the audience—faces changing as the content resonated. The Q&A session was full of thoughtful questions, and I was approached afterwards by attendees who found the talk insightful. That kind of feedback is always rewarding.

What Help to Grow Has Meant to Me

What started as a simple step to learn new business skills has become so much more. It’s led to national speaking opportunities, peer-to-peer collaboration, and an even deeper commitment to improving the SME landscape here in the UK.

If you’re an SME leader thinking about taking the plunge, I can’t recommend Help to Grow enough.

Are you looking for an accountant who brings strategic thinking and real-world business experience to the table?

Let’s chat. At Adaptive Accountancy, we go far beyond the numbers to help your business grow.