Navigating business support can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure where to start, or what help is available. At Business Lincolnshire, our team is here to make that journey simpler. From first enquiry through to high-growth support, businesses across Greater Lincolnshire can access tailored, practical advice at every stage.
We sat down with two members of the team, Gordon Stewart, High Growth Adviser, and Clair Everest, Growth Hub Adviser, to learn more about their roles and how they support businesses across the county.
Can you explain your job role?
Gordon Stewart - High Growth Adviser
“My role is to work with businesses that we’ve identified as having high growth potential.
We have set criteria to help identify these businesses, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Once we start working with a business, we focus on understanding their challenges and opportunities, and how we can support them through our programme. That support can include coaching, mentoring, and ongoing account management. We stay in touch with businesses throughout their journey, helping them continue to progress over time.
We also run a high growth alumni network, which brings businesses together several times a year. It’s about creating a long-term relationship and continuing to add value beyond the initial support.”
Clair Everest - Growth Hub Adviser
“I’m the first point of contact for businesses looking for support from Business Lincolnshire.
This is a new role, so it’s really about creating a clear and consistent starting point for businesses. Whether they’ve found us through the website, been referred by a colleague, or met us at an event, they’ll usually come through to me first. I have an initial conversation to understand their business and what they need. From there, I’ll guide them to the most appropriate support – whether that’s one of our advisers, an academy, or another programme.
For many businesses, particularly independent or owner-managed ones, I’ll also continue to support them directly by signposting, sharing resources, and helping them find the right next steps.”
What is the High Growth Academy?
“The High Growth Academy is made up of three main elements,” explains Gordon.
“The alumni network, a community of around 300 businesses that have previously accessed high growth support. The Cashflow Story programme, supporting businesses to strengthen financial management. Leadership and management support, including events, workshops and coaching”
“In addition, businesses in the programme can also access the wider range of Business Lincolnshire support, including other academies and accelerators covering areas like manufacturing, digital and innovation.
Businesses aren’t limited to one programme. They can access multiple areas of support, depending on their needs.”
Who do you support?
Clair explains that support is available across the full business journey:
“We support businesses at every stage, from pre-start right through to established and growing companies. If someone is just starting out, we’ll refer them to our Start-Up Academy. If they’re looking to grow, we’ll connect them with one of our Growth Hub advisers. And if they have significant growth potential, they may be referred into the High Growth programme.
For businesses that aren’t necessarily looking to scale but want to stabilise, improve, or solve specific challenges, we still offer support through advice, resources and guidance.”
Gordon adds:
“We do have general criteria for high growth businesses, such as employee numbers or turnover, but there are always exceptions. Every business is different, and we look at the bigger picture when deciding how best to support them.”
What challenges are businesses currently facing?
Both advisers highlighted several common challenges across Greater Lincolnshire:
“Finding the right people is a major challenge,” says Gordon. “Even with strong local colleges and universities, businesses can struggle to find specific skills.”
“Many businesses are still recovering from the financial impact of recent years,” he adds. “Investing in new equipment, premises or expansion can be difficult.”
Clair highlights the pace of change:
“For some business owners, particularly those who haven’t always worked with digital tools, things like social media or emerging technologies can feel overwhelming.”
“There’s been a lack of stability in recent years,” Gordon explains. “That makes it harder for businesses to plan and grow with confidence.”
How does Business Lincolnshire help overcome these challenges?
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, Business Lincolnshire provides a range of targeted support:
- Academies and accelerators focused on key business challenges such as leadership, finance, digital skills and innovation
- One-to-one adviser support tailored to each business
- Fully funded workshops, events and peer networks to share knowledge and build connections
- Signposting to wider support, including sector-specific expertise and regional initiatives
“Our programmes are designed around the challenges businesses are actually facing,” says Clair. “That’s why we’ve developed support across those key areas.”
What does the business journey look like?
“For most businesses, it starts with a simple enquiry,” explains Clair. “After an initial conversation, we’ll guide them to the right support. That might be a referral to an adviser, a programme, or a specific resource.”
From there, the relationship often continues, “Once a business is in the system, they have that connection with us. They can come back whenever they need support – it’s not just a one-off interaction.”
Gordon adds, “It’s about building a long-term relationship. We’re here to support businesses as they grow and evolve.”
Why should businesses get in touch?
Both advisers agree on one key message: just start the conversation.
“There’s no complicated process,” says Gordon. “Whatever stage your business is at, you can get in touch and we’ll help guide you.”
Clair adds, “We’re approachable, we understand the challenges businesses face, and we genuinely want to help. There’s a huge amount of support available and for many businesses, it can feel almost too good to be true. But we’re here to make sure they can access it and make the most of it.”
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you’re starting out, looking to grow, or simply need some guidance, Business Lincolnshire is here to help. Book a call with the team today and start your journey: https://www.businesslincolnshire.com/book-an-adviser/