Why we love being part of the Growth Hub

Meeting people from all walks of life and helping them grow their business is just one of the many reasons why The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Hub experts love coming to work.

Being part of the Hub is more than ‘just a job’ for the team. On any given day, the experienced staff can be found helping budding innovators bursting with ideas or contributing suggestions to boost already booming businesses.

Figures show more than 600 existing, start-up and pre-start-up businesses, with a combined turnover of £31.4 million, claimed free business reviews with the Growth Hub last year.

Kirsty Miles-Musgrave, Operations Manager at the Hub, has a background in television broadcasting and corporate communications. She loves seeing how much the Growth Hub’s reviews can really help.

She says: “Often people say they benefit as much from the review we offer as the support they go to afterwards. The difference conversations can make to people, their business and ultimately their lives, is very satisfying.”

Christina Hunnings, Senior Business Connector, brings a wealth of experience from a career in business intelligence research for multi-national organisations. She has also been involved with projects that tackle unemployment and raising awareness of intellectual property. 

She explains why she enjoys her work at the Growth Hub: “It’s giving people a sounding board and motivation to try out suggestions.”

Her business tip is to focus on the money: “Make sure you plan, monitor and review your finances,” she says, “you should know at which point your business is breaking even and going into profit.”

Tori Knight, Business Connector, describes herself as a ‘true Cornish Girl, born and raised’. She has worked in various sectors from hospitality, finance, to the local authority managing a team providing businesses with regulation advice.  

She says the most interesting part of her job is working with different people and hearing their stories. Her tip for businesses is ‘planning’, “Do as much planning as possible around what you’re looking to achieve. The more you do the better organised you are.”

Jessica Fisher, Business Connector, has been helping people in businesses for 20 years - from the day-to-day practicalities, to analysing customer motivations and what triggers a sale.  

She says: “When people have an idea it helps to talk to someone who is not associated with the business, so they can say ‘if I was your customer this is how I would look at it'.

“We are a really good sounding board and starting point for many businesses.”

Kelly Fegan, Business Connector, has previously been an executive for over 30 years in London. He has also started two businesses of his own - including a long-held ambition of owning his own bar.  

Kelly describes the Growth Hub as a place anyone can come for help. His top tip is to tap into the independent and impartial guidance from the Growth Hub as ‘friends and family will tell you what you want to hear’. Seeking advice from someone external can provide that critical friendship your business needs. 

The Growth Hub has directly supported over 4,000 businesses in the county since it began in 2016, taking more than 5,000 business enquiries and over 15,000 phone calls. 

What business owners said about the team’s support…

'Thank you Tori for inspiring me to dive into action and for the treasure trove of resources!'

'Christina really listened to my ideas and business needs and was able to translate this into an action plan. I've already said 'yes' to the potential of being stretched!'

'Jessica was very understanding and really listened to my business dilemmas, but also ideas. I really valued that time to review and refresh my tactics.'

'Kelly was straight to the point. He helped me work out areas in which I had gaps and issues within my business in order to find me the right help.'

The Growth Hub is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme. The aim is to realise the potential of businesses in the region and to make the economy more resilient, more equal and more prosperous.

Hear the team talking about why they love working for the Growth Hub