Grow Smart: The Small Business Leadership & Acceleration Programme

Venue:
The Rine Hotel, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare
 
Date:
06/10/2026
 
Note:
6,13,20,27 Oct. & 3,10 Nov.
 
Time:
9.30am - 4.30pm
 
Category:
Management Development
 

The “Grow Smart: Small Business Leadership & Acceleration Programme”, delivered by Local Enterprise Office Clare, provides an excellent opportunity for SME owners and managers to enhance their leadership capability and develop the strategic skills required to compete successfully in existing, new, and international markets. This established, international best-practice programme will take place in Autumn 2026 and is delivered through a combination of in-person, skills-focused workshops over six weeks, complemented by tailored one-to-one mentoring.

€100
Only 3 remaining
 
 

Grow Smart:The Small Business Leadership & Acceleration Programme

The “Leadership Strategy for Business Growth” Programme, delivered by Local Enterprise Office Clare, offers SME owners and managers a valuable opportunity to strengthen the leadership skills and strategic knowledge required to compete effectively in existing, new, and international markets.

Programme Delivery

This programme is delivered over a six-week period and consists of six full-day, onsite classroom workshops focused on practical skills development. The content is structured around two complementary themes:

  • Implementation of Strategic Business Plans
  • Personal and Professional Development

Programme Commencement

The programme begins with a pre-training registration and assessment phase. This includes participant profiling and information gathering, supported by a comprehensive three-part online self-assessment covering:

  • Current Business Performance
  • Business Growth Potential and Ambition
  • Management Competencies and Development Needs

Workshop Content

Module 1: Leadership & Strategic Planning                                                    

  • Programme Overview, Objectives & Outcomes
  • Introductions
  • Leadership & Management effectiveness
  • The Holistic Business Model
  • Strategic Planning Frameworks
  • Business Systems Mapping
  • Setting Goals, Targets & Dashboards
  • Output: Initial Leadership Profile

Module 2: Behavioural Productivity; Managing SELF and Others

  • Leadership as management in action
  • Communication, confidence & motivation
  • Organisational culture & emotional intelligence
  • Building teams and delegation
  • Recruitment, induction & performance management
  • Employment law essentials
  • Handling difficult conversations constructively

Module 3: Financial Management

  • Understanding financial statements
  • Cashflow, funds flow & profitability
  • Costing & pricing
  • Financial ratios & KPIs Scenario planning
  • Case studies exercises
  • Output: 2-Year Financial Overview + Pricing Strategy Review

Module 4: AI Compliance, Prompting and Practical Tools A hands on “live-lab”; please bring your laptop

  • Understanding AI capabilities & limitations
  • Safe use of data & privacy considerations
  • Using the P.R.O.M.P.T framework for business
  • Building your first simple automation/GPT
  • Output: AI Readiness Plan & Automation Checklist

Module 5: Marketing & Social Media Visibility

  • Identifying the right platforms
  • Social media strategy & content pillars
  • Digital storytelling & brand trust
  • Engagement metrics & optimisation
  • Building a 90-day content rhythm
  • Output: Social Visibility Plan + Content Calendar

Module 6: Target Markets, Value Proposition & Strategic Growth Plan

  • Defining your target market with precision
  • Crafting a compelling value proposition
  • Drafting the Strategic Growth & Development Plan
  • LEO supports, next steps & scaling opportunities
  • Output: Strategic Growth & Development Plan Guidance LEO Speaker: Linking your Growth Strategy with LEO Supports

Programme Mentoring Module

Attendees are encouraged to take up the opportunity of mentoring which is available by booking a suitable time All mentoring is usually conducted on Zoom or MS Teams Mentoring is designed to support implementation of programme learning in real business scenarios and supports the creation of a work based assignment.

Dates & Location

All workshops will be delivered in-person at The Rine Hotel, New Market on Fergus, Co Clare V95 EPF5 . Sessions start at 9.30am and finish at 4.30pm, refreshments and lunch are included.

  • Tuesdays 6th, 13th, 20th ,27 Oct  & 3rd, 10th Nov

About The Trainers

Optimum Results is an international award winning specialist SME Training & Consultancy firm which builds the skills of Owner Managers to optimise the potential of their businesses. Operating to ISO9001:2015 standards, we have a fulltime team of 22 people, 18 subject expert Associates and a wide network of sector specific partners. For 28 years we have delivered tailored services to more than 30,000 clients (250,000+ including online services) across 22 Countries. The Optimum Results’ Management Development Programmes have been peer reviewed by the European Union’s Training Foundation (ETF) and classified as being “International Best Practice”