Bloom and Grow: Business growth programme for women running micro businesses

The Growing Club is a Social Enterprise based in Lancaster, Lancashire providing female focussed business training and support.

Bloom and Grow is a 12-month programme for women who run a small businesses, social enterprise, or charity, and have been doing so for between 1 and 6 years.

Bloom and Grow, began in 2016 because the co-founder of The Growing Club, Jane Binnion, identified there was little to no support for women running micro-businesses. Time and time again she saw women struggling to grow their organisation, or bring in enough income, despite working 50 to 60 hours a week. She realised traditional business training was not suited to the specific challenges and strengths of most women.

Since 2016, more than 180 women have sucessfully graduated from the programme and grown their business. Our growth programme, Bloom and Grow, is a systematic business growth course tailored specifically for the needs of women running micro-businesses. Instead of short term, intensive training or coaching, this course offers long term, peer-based support over a period of 12-months, through both facilitated business skills workshops, a buddy system and peer-network structure.

The Bloom and Grow growth programme is a 12-month commitment and offers you the following: Monthly facilitated skills workshop, each month building on the previous to take you through a year of sustainable business growth. A safe space to grow your business, working with a cohort of no more than 10 other women just like you. Peer accountability through a monthly 'buddy session' with another participant. A safe space to evaluate and reflect on your progress. To be part of a growing support network of women who have completed The Growing Club's courses.

The course is designed for women who... want to lift their heads from the day to day minutiae, to see the bigger picture; can appreciate working in a female supportive space; cannot afford a coach, but want to grow their business; have not found a coach that works holistically with them; want an accountability partner and peer support; value other people's experiences.

Course dates... The course is a 12 month commitment which requires you to attend monthly skills workshops and a monthly buddy session.

*This cohort will run on the 1st Wednesday of each month, starting 2nd October 2024 *6.30pm to 8.30pm, in Lancaster Dates 2nd October 6th November 4th December 8th January 5th February 5th March 2nd April 7th May 4th June 2nd July 6th August 3rd September(Graduation) If you would like to apply for this course, please fill in your details and we will send you an application form and call you to make sure this is the right programme for you. 

*This course is highly subsidised for women living in the Lancaster District, thanks to support from the UKSPF Lancaster Levelling Up Fund. **If you live outside the district, you are very welcome to join, and will be invited to contribute between £50 and £500 based on your household income.

This will be discussed with you during your initial call. # Please note, if you cannot get to Lancaster, we also run this course as an e-course. Details here https://courses.thegrowingclub.co.uk/