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 PRESS RELEASE 

BGP Response Programme - a specialist business programme to help SMEs during the COVID-19 crisis

Cranfield University’s Business Growth Programme (BGP) is offering free virtual workshops and drop-in clinics with business counsellors to help SMEs triage and stabilise their organisations. The programme has been reshaped and launched online as the BGP Response Programme to support SMEs, offering structure and guidance during this critical time.

 

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Upcoming events

 

WEBINAR

2 June 2020 | 08:00 - 09:30

Breakfast Club - Unlocking the Lockdown

 

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Blogs

 

virtual-team

 

Powering up your virtual team

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Maintaining productivity when your team are forced to work from home

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 WEBINAR ON DEMAND 

Sales and Marketing in an Uncertain World

15 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

 

WATCH NOW

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

 

 

 BLOG 

Powering up your virtual team

20 April 2020

Creating High-Performing Teams is not always an easy task, it is a hard job to get it right even when the team are working in the same environment.
Ben Hunt-Davis knows how painful and long this journey can be and how many obstacles the team, the coach/leader and each individual has to go through in order to succeed as a team. He and his team managed and were rewarded with the gold medal for the Rowing Men's Eight at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000.

READ

 

 

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 WEBINAR ON DEMAND 

Create a Structure for Success

21 April 2020 | 15:30

 

WATCH NOW

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

 

Past events

WEBINAR

21 May 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Keeping Your Team Engaged and Productive

In partnership with Zena Everett.

It’s hard to stay focused with everything that’s going on at the moment, not least because we are turning into zoom zombies.

Being productive is not about putting in more hours, it’s about prioritising and executing on the tasks that have the greatest impact. Our brains are in survival mode, making prioritising and concentrating even harder than usual. If you want your team to stay engaged and motivated, you have to give them engaging and motivating work to do.
Good managers will use this time to help their teams adapt and grow, developing new habits and working styles when working remotely that will energise them long after the crisis has past.

Content:
  • Prioritisation and daily focus: chasing antelopes not field-mice
  • Beat Parkinson’s Law and Student Syndrome - intensive bursts of deep work, shorter deadlines, more regular check-ins, not check-ups
  • Increasing collaboration and giving people the opportunity to solve problems and make a real impact
  • Building trust by improving feedback
  • Managing the work flow – improving communication, reducing bottlenecks, controlling distractions
WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

14 May 2020 | 15:30-17:00

Returning to the workplace - an HR guide

In partnership with Becky Boston, Emphasis HR & Training

As we move into the next phase of lockdown, there is a great deal of uncertainty about how employers will adjust to the new guidelines that have been laid out. In particular, there is likely to be a great deal of interest in how people can safely return to work and the implications of avoiding public transport.

We are extremely fortunate to be joined by Becky Boston, Co-Founder of Emphasis HR and Training Ltd., once again. Becky will be providing guidance in the following areas:

  • Working and travelling safely
  • Flexible/home working
  • Annual leave
  • Short time working/redundancy
  • Employee wellbeing

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

12 May 2020 | 15:30-17:00

Taking Stock - How COVID-19 has impacted my business

'Re-inventing my business model now and planning for the bounce forward phase later'.

Let’s hear from the entrepreneurs. How have businesses managed to adapt to the unprecedented times? How have they used key principles that could be applied to your business?

We are looking forward to hearing from a wide range of businesses. In this session, we hope to learn how to move forward into the next phase of this crisis.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

7 May 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Taking Stock - Where are we with this crisis?

The world has changed since the UK went into Lockdown on the 23rd March. But what have we learned so far and where are we on the journey through this crisis?

We are discussing this with an expert panel from Cranfield University, SEMLEP and British Business Bank to give you access to the latest thinking.

Marketing: Jonathan Wagstaffe (BGP Alumnus, Visiting Fellow Cranfield University)
Leadership: Professor David Denyer (Cranfield University)
Government Support: Ruth Cozens, Growth Hub (SEMLEP)
Economic Outlook: Professor Joe Nellis (Cranfield University)
SMEs and Entrepreneurship: Dr Stephanie Hussels (Bettany Centre)
Finance: Lewis Stringer, Senior Manager, UK Network – East & South-East Midlands, British Business Bank

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

5 May 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Taking Stock - Key Lessons from Webinar Series in April

With 13 events in the BGP Response Programme Webinar series, we have learned a lot from our SMEs and speakers.

Dr Stephanie Hussels and Sabrina Sommer will take stock, identifying the key lessons that will be relevant for the upcoming weeks and months.

We will summarise what you need to know about :

  • Managing your (virtual) team
  • How to manage meetings effectively
  • How to communicate and sell in the uncertain times
  • What is important in terms of cash-flow management and employee management
  • And many many more...

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

30 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Performing Under Pressure: Optimising physical resilience during COVID -19

Most of us do not tend to perform better under pressure (Weisinger and Pawliw-Fry 2015) but those who thrive are able to deploy a good repertoire of coping mechanisms which help to build resilience and the capability to ‘bounce back’ in stressful situations.

Whilst it is important to look after our cognitive and emotional well-being, especially as business owners in the current COVID – 19 pandemic, the physical dimension is also an often neglected but critically important component of performance.

Dr Veronica Burke talks about:

• How physicality impacts upon performance

• Mental workload and the importance of variability

• Stress and cortisol control

• The impact of exercise

• The life balance matrix

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

29 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

The Importance of Kindness: Now and Beyond COVID-19

With so much negativity surrounding us, kindness is currently more important than ever. Among many other things, COVID-19 has forced 'social distancing' into our vocabulary and into our lives. As humans we thrive on our connectivity with others, something that social distancing in severely hindering. Kindness can promote empathy and compassion; which in turn, leads to a sense of interconnectedness with others.

Debra will be providing an insight into why kindness is so important - now and beyond COVID-19. Some of the areas that Debra will be exploring, include:

• Being receptive to kindness to ensure recovery.

• Why communication and talking is a form of kindness.

• How we demonstrate kindness - including being kind to ourselves.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

28 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Cash is King: How to Manage Your Cash Flow During COVID-19

Martin Spiller, Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University and Director of Systemagic, provides his thoughts and advice on how to approach the current climate, how to manage cash, his approach to cutting costs and more importantly the need to bring in cash and adding the side hustle as quickly as possible

In this thought-provoking webinar, Martin outlines his approach on how businesses can survive and then ultimately build to thrive in difficult times.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

23 April 2020 | 15:30-17:00

(In)solvency: What every owner-manager ought to know (but nobody tells you)

In the last couple of weeks, businesses in the UK have been completely shaken by the impact of COVID-19. How business owners respond to the challenges that they now face will be based on the nature of the business, their financial position and the financial assistance that the government can provide.

Richard Parsons, BGP Counsellor and Founder/ CEO of Stratifi, provide insights into all things related to Insolvency, focusing on the following topics:

  • Understand your options
  • Learn what’s possible
  • Create the best possible position
  • Vital don’ts and do’s
  • Protecting yourself

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

22 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

COVID-19: Handling the Employee Impact

Smith & Williamson will provide an overview of the Job Retention Scheme and practicalities associated with this process, including employment law considerations. Equally, they will provide guidance on how to best adapt to employee wellbeing during this period within a flexible working environment.

David Yewdall, John Manis and Barrie Brown from Smith & Williamson will participate in this webinar together with employment law specialists, Sarah Chilton and Beth Hale, from C M Murray LLP.

This webinar will cover:

• Job Retention Scheme.

• Employee considerations and practicalities.

• Employment law interaction.

• Employee wellbeing.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

21 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Create a Structure For Success: Develop a right-sized Accountability Chart

John Morris is an EOS Implementer, Vistage Chair and co-chair of the People, Talent & Leadership Committee at the ScaleUp Institute. John helps leaders with a growth mind-set build brilliant businesses.

John will help you to establish the new/right structure to move your business forward in the next 6 to 12 months. This webinar will help you to:

1) Create clarity in your business, not power and hierarchy.

2) Implement the right structure first, people second.

3) Identify the 5 critical roles that you need each person in your business to be great at everyday.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

16 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

From Agghhh to Ahhh: The Mindful Approach to Personal Resilience

Mental and emotional resilience is always an important skill in life, but right now it is even more crucial that we learn how to build inner strength and develop our capacity to bounce back. In this session, we look at how mindfulness practices help develop our resilience, and how our nervous system influences our ability to respond in times of stress. The session includes some practical exercises, as well as the theory on why they work and how they help us become more resilient.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

15 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Sales and Marketing Communications in an Uncertain World

The BGP Response Team presented this webinar in collaboration with Jonathan Wagstaffe from Growva to provide our SME community with timely and relevant information to understand how to react to these unprecedented times.

Jonathan covers the following topic areas in this webinar:

1. How to do marketing communications outside the business

2. How to do communications within the business.

3. How to sell at an uncertain time.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

14 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

High-Performing Teams in a Virtual World

Creating High-Performing Teams is the goal of any leader, but while many managers claim they have succeeded, it is a hard job to get it right. And that is even when the team is physically together all the time.

Ben Hunt-Davis knows how painful and long this journey can be and how many obstacles the team, the coach/leader and each individual has to go through to succeed finally. He and his team managed and were rewarded with the gold medal for the Rowing Men's Eight at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000.

Ben has spent the last 16 years specialising in leadership and team development and in 2012 he co-founded Will It Make The Boat Go Faster?, a performance consultancy which seeks to transform organisational performance through the adoption of elite sport principles and strategies. Ben and his team have a highly practical approach which focuses heavily focused on the application of performance habits, mindsets and beliefs. Their aim is to ensure that participants genuinely apply new ways of working and behave differently to achieve greater results.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

09 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Managing COVID-19 from a HR Perspective

With information and guidelines changing daily, navigating through these uncertain times is certainly challenging. Accessing accurate and up-to-date information may simply be adding to your ever-growing list of challenges as a business owner.

Becky Boston, BGP alumnus and co-founder of Emphasis Ltd, provided insights and answered questions on the following matters:

- the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grant calculation

- everything you need to know about furloughing staff

- managing mental health remotely

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

08 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Tips and Tricks for Efficient Meetings: Running a Level 10 Meeting

As many of us settle into home-working routines, quality communication has become more important than ever. Despite this, workers frequently come away from online meetings feeling frustrated with a sense that they may have wasted their precious time.

John will offer a framework for a well-run meeting that will increase communication, accountability, team health and results: virtually and face-to-face. Some of the strategies that John will cover include:

1) Aligning your people to achieving the company vision.

2) Focusing on the priorities and 'rock's' that make a difference.

3) Tackling key issues.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

07 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Forecasting in times of uncertainty

As a business owner, you may be wondering how to complete a cash flow forecast during these uncertain times. Martin Spiller, Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University and Director of Systemagic, has looked at this question through the lens of former US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld. He suggests that business owners should work out their cash flow by examining the ‘known knowns’, ‘known unknowns’ and ‘unknown unknowns’.

In this thought-provoking webinar, Martin  provides insights into what this approach means, and shares his top tips on how to forecast effectively.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND 

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

 

WEBINAR

02 April 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Coronavirus - Managing Business Cash Flow

Many businesses will already be feeling the financial impact of COVID-19, and there is a particular concern around effective cash flow management. This webinar highlighted some of the actions that businesses can take to ease some of the financial burden, including a section on loan schemes and financing. Also focusing on taxes, the session covered topics such as:

●The extension to the Time to Pay arrangements.

●Opportunities to maximise cash flow through VAT payments on Account and Bad Debt Relief.

●Corporation tax payments on account and Research & Development tax relief.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

WORKSHOP

01 April 2020 | 08:00-9:30

Navigating your business through COVID-19 

Interactive business workshop for owner-managers of SMEs to work through three key areas of their business that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

WORKSHOP

01 April 2020 | 13:30-17:00

Triage Workshop - BGP Club Members

3.5 hour workshop in small groups with dedicated business counsellors to work in depth on three key areas of the business that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and develop an action plan.

WEBINAR

31 March 2020 | 15:30-16:30

(In)solvency: What every owner-manager ought to know (but nobody tells you)

In the last couple of weeks, businesses in the UK have been completely shaken by the impact of COVID-19. How business owners respond to the challenges that they now face will be based on the nature of the business, their financial position and the financial assistance that the government can provide.

Richard Parsons, BGP Counsellor and Founder/ CEO of Stratifi and Paul Addison, Director of Haines-Watts, provided insights into all things related to Insolvency, focusing on the following topics:

  • Understand your options
  • Learn what’s possible
  • Create the best possible position
  • Vital don’ts and do’s
  • Protecting yourself

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

WORKSHOP

31 March 2020 | 8:00-9:30

Business Workshop

Interactive business workshop for owner-managers of SMEs to work through three key areas of their business that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

WEBINAR

26 March 2020 | 15:30-16:30

Managing COVID-19 from a HR Perspective

With information and guidelines changing daily, navigating through these uncertain times is certainly challenging. Accessing accurate and up-to-date information may simply be adding to your ever-growing list of challenges as a business owner.

Becky Boston, BGP alumnus and co-founder of Emphasis Ltd, provided insights and answered questions on the following matters:

· When and how to furlough employees.

· What to do with employees on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

· How to manage remote workers.

 

WATCH ON-DEMAND

Please be advised that information discussed during this webinar was correct at that time but may have changed since.

WORKSHOP

24 March 2020 | 18:00-19:30

Business Workshop

Interactive business workshop for owner-managers of SMEs to work through three key areas of their business that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

BettanyCentre

Cranfield's Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship focuses on the study and facilitation of entrepreneurial growth and aims to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of high growth businesses by closely linking research, education and practice. Learn more...

 

Marques-SoM

Cranfield Executive Development

Executive training courses and programmes for owner-managers of SMEs. Learn more...

 

Designed specifically for the development of owner-managers, the Business Growth Programme helps you create the future you want for your business and for yourself.

Learn more

Essential Management provides the senior team with the key tools needed to effectively manage functional departments and resources within SMEs. 

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Finance Fundamentals equips managers who have financial responsibilities with the key concepts and abilities required to manage finances at an SME level.

Learn more

Sales Essentials for Success gives you the tools to build and create a sales function that is strategically directed and controlled

Learn more

The Digital Marketing Masterclass gives those with marketing responsibilities the understanding of how to leverage digital technology to drive business growth in the context of an SME. 

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