Support scheme is helping the region’s creative sector deliver a perfect pitch

Businesses operating in creative industries across Hull and East Yorkshire are

signing up for free guidance and support to help them increase their commercial

clout.

Creo Plan, which has been conducting high-tech desktop and ground surveys for

utilities and service networks over more than 20 years, says the Creative Growth

initiative has generated the confidence to strengthen a push into international

markets.

Summit Media, a retail performance marketing specialist which has been operating

for more than 20 years, sees an opportunity to share ideas on growth with other

creative SMEs and to develop team skills.

Both businesses joined the first cohort of a project set up to lead the further

development of a sector identified as embracing more than 1,430 firms in the region,

employing around 13,420 staff and contributing over £527m of Gross Added Value to

the local economy.

Andrew Richardson, the Creative Growth Manager at the HEY Business Growth and

Skills Hub, said: “These are amazing figures and they highlight the need for the

region to continue to support local businesses to grow even more.

“We’re seeing ambitious and growth-orientated creative businesses coming forward

because others have recommended the programme for the quality of the advice and

support and the access to external investment.”

Businesses are booking now for the second cohort, which will start with a welcome

event on Tuesday10 th September, and a third round beginning in October.

Participants complete six workshops with additional peer learning sessions and one-

to-one support from experienced business mentors, which remains available beyond

the end of the programme.

The workshops take place in the University of Hull’s Business School or at the

premises of creative businesses and cover growth dynamics, marketplace motives,

innovation, finance, the art of pitching, and investment.

Lee Leggett, R&D specialist and Chief Drone Pilot at CreoPlan, said the programme

will bring immediate benefits as the company prepares to showcase its services at

global telecoms events Connected Britain and Connected Germany.

He said: “We met the Creative Growth team at Chamber Expo in Hull and we

followed up afterwards. The work we have done with them has really helped me

improve my pitching skills and I’m a lot more confident in selling as a result of that.

“We’re looking forward to Connected Britain and Connected Germany in the coming

months and we’ve also been invited to exhibit at an event in the USA.”

With the programme open to businesses from sectors including marketing and PR,

IT, audio and visual media, design, fashion, crafts and performing arts, Jasmine

Bradshaw welcomed the opportunity to learn from other creatives in her role as

Client Success Manager for Productcaster, the technology arm of Summit Media.

She said: “One aspect of this is the business impact in terms of being able to grow,

help with growing the client base and advice on business growth as a whole.

“There are people who work across other creative sectors and everybody has

different skills that they bring to it. There was a jewellery business, also video and

filmography and radio. It’s very different from what I do on a day to day basis. and it’s

really interesting to hear about their growth.

“On a personal level it’s given me more confidence to do pitches because it really

makes you think about what you are saying and you get a report back which enables

you to consider it in more depth.”

Feedback from other participants indicates that the programme is helping to develop

entrepreneurial, management and leadership capabilities and behaviours within

SMEs to grow successfully in the creative economy.

Andrew said: “The businesses taking part are working together to develop an

understanding of what drives growth in the creative industries and equipping

themselves with the knowledge and skills to realise value. Overall it’s a great

opportunity to work towards commercialising creativity.

“Such growth will create new jobs in the emerging technologies and help to identify

market opportunities arising from the digital economies of the future.

“We have interest from all the sectors on our target list. They are all experts in what

they are doing but they can struggle to make time to consider what growth really

means for their business.

“We provide the support to encourage them to think about what they might do next,

and we’re pleased that people who have already taken part are helping help us

communicate the benefits because word of mouth between businesses is very

powerful.”

The Creative Growth Hull and East Yorkshire programme is being delivered by HEY

Business Growth and Skills Hub in partnership with Hull City Council, East Riding of

Yorkshire Council, and the University of Hull. It is one of 12 funded across England

by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS).

To find out more about the Creative Growth programme visit https://bit.ly/3MoX3GJ

or email creativegrowth@heybusinessgrowthskillshub.com

Picture details:

Christina Colmer McHugh (left), Entrepreneur in Residence and Course Facilitator at

the University of Hull, with members of the first Creative Growth cohort at one of the

workshops.