GrowthAccelerator is a unique service led by some of the country’s most successful growth specialists where you’ll find new connections, new routes to investment, and the new ideas and strategy you’ll need for your business to achieve its full potential. UK Flood Barriers is one of the forward-thinking businesses that found the inspiration to leap ahead of their competitors. We tell their story here.
The challenge
With increasing demand for its products and services, UK Flood Barriers were experiencing a period of rapid growth. Although delighted with their year-on-year expansion, the management team was concerned about how to handle finances, stock levels, and routes to market as the company grew. They also needed greater cohesion and a clearer framework to help define UK Flood Barriers’ vision, goals and future direction, as well as an external perspective on the major issues they faced.
The GrowthAccelerator solution
Following a kick-off telephone interview, UK Flood Barriers were taken through bespoke online assessment tool, GROWTHmapper, to help identify their business challenges and needs. They were then matched to a dedicated business coach, Amanda Brooke, who was identified as having the energy, enthusiasm, and expertise required to take the company forward.
Amanda took a creative, flexible, and visual approach, enabling UK Flood Defences to look at the bigger picture and work together in a fun and inspiring way. Making use of drawings, diagrams, and keywords, she enabled the team to open up and discuss sensitive issues within the business.
Key features of the support included:
- Expert facilitation, eliciting key information from participants
- Using the Orbit Diagram coaching tool to help build the growth plan for the business over the next three to five years
- Identification of key business sectors for the company; also developed the concept of internal Profit Centres, each with a distinct strategic theme and marketing activities
- Development of a plan to bring external investment into the business to enable the company to progress to the next level
Progress and outcomes
Following their coaching support, UK Flood Barriers are very much in control of where they are going. The process drew together a talented team of people and helped to align their company ambitions. It also showed them how they can use their expanding human resources to drive change and achieve their vision for 2014.
Whereas previously the company’s plan for growth was focused purely on sales, it is now broader and more robust. Thanks to GrowthAccelerator, the team has had time to stop and reflect on their core challenges and how to overcome them. They have also benefited from that all-important ‘third dimension’—the added value of an expert, external perspective to help them assess, without an agenda, where they can make improvements. If successful in implementing its new plan, the company will be looking at future growth in thousands of percent—but critically, growth that is entirely manageable.
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Driven to succeed? Then grow with us. GrowthAccelerator is where forward thinking businesses go to realise their greatest ambition.
This article is written by GrowthAccelerator and not by the Quartz editorial staff.