Get Started and Grow

Custom growth plans made with care for your small business

There’s never been a better time to start up and scale up your business than right here and right now in Staffordshire. Partially funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Get Started and Grow offers all business in Staffordshire (up to five years old) the help they need to start up or stay up.

Choose from fully-funded: 

• Accountancy, financial planning and cash flow support
• Free HR advice and support 
• Free legal advice
• Website development 
• Branding and logo design
• Free social media and digital marketing consultancy and support – depending on your business’ needs

There’s no catch. Working with local experts, you’ll be supported with a fully-funded back office support package that as unique as you and your business. There are no "off-the-shelf" packages here.

The scheme supports businesses that:

• are based in Staffordshire. Unfortunately, we cannot support businesses in Stoke on Trent at this time.
• are up to five years old
• are willing to undertake a short business start-up guidance course, such as the Start-Up programme run by The NextGen offering a wide range of start-up support and mentoring. These short and free courses are a great way to network with other local businesses as well as get a great grounding to start your business. Start-up courses are also offered through Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses.

“What really surprised me was that it’s a genuine 1-2-1 service that fits around your business’ growth needs, even if you don’t really know what those needs are!’
There really is such a thing as a free business lunch!” 

Anna-Louise Powell of Anna-Louise Coaching

Guidance

Please view the below guidance before completing our online form.

GuidanceScheme information

Interested?

Express an interest through the form below to receive a short application form (remember to check your ‘junk’ mail). It usually takes less than a week from receipt of your application to funding your expert support. 

Expression of interestFull application form 

Marketing 

Web Design And Development

Elevate your online presence with the Web Design and Development service, offering visually stunning and functional websites tailored to your business. The package includes: 

• Up to 7 content pages to showcase your offerings and services.
• Essential legal pages (Privacy Policy and Terms of Service) to be provided by you, our valued client.
• Common features like contact forms, blogs, and newsletter sign-up forms.
• Use of library images from our extensive database.
• Responsive and mobile-friendly design built on the WordPress platform.

Additional Services Not Included:

• Professional copywriting (available at an additional cost).
• Web hosting (we offer fast cloud hosting as an additional service).
  Typical Delivery Time: 6 weeks

Logo and Branding

Make a lasting impression with the Logo and Branding service, where the consultants will bring your brand identity to life. The package includes 12 hours design time which can include one of the following.

• 3 logo concepts and a final hi-fidelity logo pack based on your chosen design.
• Brand colour schemes and typography aligned with your initial brief.
• Captivating digital designs for social media platforms.
• Printed material design, including leaflets, banners, and business cards.
• Eye-catching signage and point of sale materials.
• Specific numbers of revisions at each stage to ensure your complete satisfaction

Typical Delivery Time: 4 weeks

Social Media Package

The social media and digital marketing support package is flexible to the unique needs of your business and can involve a 1-2-1 half-day digital marketing strategy workshop with our digital marketing expert, followed up by monthly free group coaching sessions and ongoing support. The sessions will help you deliver the digital marketing plan that evolves from your strategy workshop. 

The consultant will walk you through everything from digital marketing tactics for social media, pay per click advertising, search engine optimisation, email marketing, website content development and establishing a CRM system.

The consultant will help you to learn the basics of the skills which are required by your marketing plan, so that you can implement them on a long-term basis. The consultant will be there for you to overcome any challenges that you come across along the way.

You may also request a small library of content to be prepared for you.

Accounting Package

A Qualified accountant can help you to test the profitability of your business idea, help you manage current accounts or help to plan your growth.

This can include cashflow projections, profit & loss and balance sheet forecasts. General accounting advice is also available including the best ways to pay business owners that is tax efficient. Advice on digital bookkeeping systems, including information regarding filing dates for HMRC and Companies House where applicable.

Please note the accountants can’t offer support on start-up loans, grants, or access to funding. You can get help from the Growth Hub for this. 

Legal Package

Fully funded Legal advice for your business 

With a speciality in contract law, help can be given towards terms and conditions, contracts of trade/sale and non-disclosure agreements through to company structure and shareholder agreements.  The consultant will walk you through the legalities of setting up a business and what to look out for along your start up journey.

Human Resource (HR) Package

Get Expert and Legally Compliant HR advice to protect your business, such as:

• Advice on a specific HR issue e.g. how to deal with disciplinary, grievance, performance and dispute issues (includes on-site support where required)
• How to hire your first employee through a compliant recruitment and selection process  
• Expert contracts of employment and handbooks, specifically for your industry in line with the Good Work Plan
• People Management training programmes for Line Managers and business owners
• Redundancy or TUPE transfer advice in times of business change such as growth or workforce efficiencies
• Support with transition to cloud-based HR Software which is GDPR compliant and cyber-secure  

Please note you can only choose one package per business and your business must be based in Staffordshire. Unfortunately, we cannot support businesses in Stoke on Trent. Your business must also be under the age of 5 years old. If your business already has a fully comprehensive website, we regret that you will not be eligible for the website support. You are still eligible for all other areas of support.

More information

Find out How Get Started and Grow has helped businesses so far by watching our video case studies.