All this fantastic support - available for free!

Henley-in-Arden-based LettingaProperty.com was formed in 2008 as a PropTech business to exclusively service private landlords using a digital platform. Ten years later, it is booming with 2018 bringing further expansion in premises, workforce and client-base.

Such growth would not have been possible without business support received from Warwickshire County Council. Here, LettingaProperty.com founder Jonathan Daines outlines the breadth of that support - and urges all small business to find out how the county council can help them.

"The whole suite of support from the council has been brilliant."

Early in 2018 we had a problem at LettingaProperty.com. It was a problem familiar to any small business which has become established and is performing well. The next step - further growth - requires expansion.

That is a big step in every way and we were not sure how to go about it. We have exciting plans for the business and all the expertise and required within it, but how best to make it grow was something entirely new to us. We needed some good advice.

We found it. Almost a year on, we have expanded exactly as we needed to - thanks to business support from the Economy & Skills team at Warwickshire County Council.

I spoke to Jon Bass at the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub and he referred us to the county council’s inward investment team. Since then the whole suite of support from the council has been brilliant.

First and foremost we needed bigger and more modern premises. Jon introduced us to inward investment officer Steph Williams and within a week Steph found us an absolutely perfect office - within our village! It hadn't even been advertised so how she knew about it I don't know, but Steph was fantastic. First job done.

Then we spoke to business skills advisor Fay Winterburn. We met Fay once and she immediately got exactly what the business was about and what we needed. She understood our need to scale up and, like Steph, had an immediate solution. Fay talked us through a range of ways that we can recruit and retain staff and put us in touch with a HR consultant.

Fay has also stayed on the case. With most recruitment agencies, you have to keep chasing, but Fay kept us in mind and, when she came across someone with the right skills and experience, thought of us and sent her our way. We employed that person who has quickly become a valued member of our team.  

We are also receiving fantastic ongoing input from business support advisor Jagdish Soor. Running a small business is hard. In our case, it is run by two brothers with expertise in our field but who, at times, need a sounding board. Jag is exactly that.

Some businesses are wary of business advisors and think "what can they know about my business?" But Jag, with his vast experience, got an immediate grasp of what we do and what we need in order to grow. He went through our business plan with a fine-tooth comb (and can be pretty brutal!) but his input is invaluable.

So, Steph found us premises (we also received a grant of 30 per cent of the cost of fitting our new office - effectively £12,000 support), Fay taught us about skills and Jag is advising us going forward.  We have had capital finance, skills support, advice on relocation and future funding.

It feels like we are a member of an exclusive club. All this fantastic support - available for free! In a way, I don't want to shout about it because, with something this good, you just want it for yourself, but clearly, from the event I attended at Old Shire Hall recently, a lot of businesses have benefited.

What also struck me at that event was the range of businesses that is - from PropTech like ourselves to pet supplies, from logistics to specialist furniture and from marina services to cutting-edge technology.

Whatever sector your small business is in, take my word for it, the county council can help.

To find out how WCC's buisness support team can help use please visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/business

* Invest in Warwickshire and the business support advice is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support.