Here are examples of how GrowSmart helps SMEs to scale-up:
SMEs lack leadership capacity/ capability
GrowSmart helps users address these challenges by
- Providing targeted managerial and leadership training articles and best practice examples for SME owners
- Providing access to professional coaches or mentors who understand their business and will challenge them
- The Peer-to-peer community forum allows users to share their experience, as well as gain advice and ideas.
![learning support](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/targetted-support.gif)
SMEs struggle to access the right combinations of finance
GrowSmart educates on the pros and cons of all finance types, and
- Ensures SMEs are aware of all the funding options available to them
- Educates them in the pro’s and cons of each
- Supports SMEs to become investment-ready through de-risking business propositions
- Prepares SMEs to pitch for equity
![finance support](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/finance-type.gif)
SMEs say competition and lack of effective sales and marketing is a barrier to growth
The Marketing Learning Module takes users, step by step, through:
- How to differentiate
- How to create strong value propositions
- What marketing strategies and tactics are appropriate for different businesses and how to execute them.
![marketing module](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/marketing-module.gif)
SMEs struggle to access supply chains
GrowSmart resources simplify the procurement processes, and help SMEs to
- Increase engagement with Public Sector and Corporates through effective tender responses, proposals or PQQs
- Find out how to gain access to procurement contracts.
![procurement process](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/procurement-process.gif)
SMEs uptake of digital technologies is slow
GrowSmart teaches SMEs the benefits of adopting different technologies, such as
- The Cloud
- HR systems
- Finance systems
- Customer Relationship Management Systems
- Utilising analytics tools.
![digital technologies](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/digital-technologies.gif)
SMEs can’t afford to pay for expert advice
GrowSmart helps users to address those address challenges
- GrowSmart modules and resources are written by professional entrepreneurs who have all successfully run and grown their own businesses
- Our panel of Experts are authorities in their professional fields, who will answer questions posted on the Ask the Expert section of GrowSmart.
![expert advice](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/expert-advice.gif)
Businesses prefer to talk to other businesses
GrowSmart creates a community of SMEs, facilitating knowledge flows and promotes partnerships in their P2P community, where users can share challenges they are facing with others.
![community support](https://www.growsmart.business/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/community-SMEs.gif)