Ongoing Business Support Group starts 20 October
Use the power of Action Learning and a group community to help you find clarity, confidence and mutual support. You will be supported to discover your own unique path through whatever challenges facing you and your business:
- Time out to reflect and take stock
- Discover new energy and ideas to keep your business moving forward
- Lift the burden of isolation
- Create strong peer networks
- Support during growth and change in life and work
- Hone skills in communication, coaching and problem-solving
- Affordable and fun (and there's homemade cake, too)
Is this group right for me?
This group programme is designed to support you no matter what stage or state your business is in, from wondering whether you want to stick your toe in the waters of self-employment, to navigating how to lay your business down. Some typical reasons that could lead you to want to join:
- You're feeling tired of feeling alone in carrying your business or project, or you miss the feeling of being part of a team
- You have lots of ideas for your business but you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start; or you're so anxious enough about 'getting it right' that you don't do anything
- You're not sure about the right way forward and are tired of your mind running in circles about it
- Maybe you've been leaning too much on your partner or other close relationships to talk to about the challenges of running a small business and it's become a strain
- You have some tricky relationships to deal with, perhaps you're part of a family business, and this adds stress to the work you do
- You love what you do but you shy away from telling others about it or spreading the word about what you do
- You're facing a daunting life or work transition and want to navigate it with more clarity, wisdom and just plain sanity!
- There's something you really want to do but struggle to be motivated enough to do it
- Or maybe you've even dreamed of being self-employed but haven't felt brave enough yet to give it a go
- You're feeling tired of feeling alone in carrying your business or project, or you miss the feeling of being part of a team
- You have lots of ideas for your business but you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start; or you're so anxious enough about 'getting it right' that you don't do anything
- You're not sure about the right way forward and are tired of your mind running in circles about it
- Maybe you've been leaning too much on your partner or other close relationships to talk to about the challenges of running a small business and it's become a strain
- You have some tricky relationships to deal with, perhaps you're part of a family business, and this adds stress to the work you do
- You love what you do but you shy away from telling others about it or spreading the word about what you do
- You're facing a daunting life or work transition and want to navigate it with more clarity, wisdom and just plain sanity!
- There's something you really want to do but struggle to be motivated enough to do it
- Or maybe you've even dreamed of being self-employed but haven't felt brave enough yet to give it a go
How does this Business Support Group work?
By joining an ongoing group, you'll become part of a supportive community of small business owners. An ongoing group, supported with my help, allows for trust and safety to build, and provides accountability and support over 7 months. Everything shared in the group will be confidential, so you can be as open and honest as possible in bringing your tricky issues. In addition to the in-person meeting dates below, I'll be creating a private members group in Signal or another community platform so that if you get stuck or need instant support in between group sessions, we'll all be there to help. Six in-person meeting dates: 20 October, 24 November, 12 January, a date TBC in February, 15 March, + a date in April TBC - all Friday afternoons 1:30 - 5:00 pm. Cost: £397 for 7 months, or payment plan of £67 a month for 7 months if that's easier for you.
All taster session participants will have the chance to take advantage of a special offer on the ongoing group.
All taster session participants will have the chance to take advantage of a special offer on the ongoing group.
Bonnie Grotjahn has been running groups for over 20 years, including 10 years facilitating action learning sets for Action Learning Associates. In Stroud, she ran action learning groups for self-employed people and creatives for 5 years, and is also a humanistic psychotherapist and supervisor. To all of her work she brings a depth of life experience as well as compassion, sensitivity and humour.
What is Action Learning anyway?
More information is here www.actionlearningassociates.co.uk/action-learning/ (The short video is more aimed at a corporate audience, but the other information including the short description of 'How does Action Learning work?' is helpful.)
What previous group members have said:
I have found being a member... enormously helpful. The sessions provide a wonderful (and rarely found in my experience) opportunity to explore the issues facing all those running their own business in a very supportive environment and prompt some extremely helpful, and often enlightening, outcomes. I have been very grateful for the support of the group, which has given me the courage and motivation to expand my business. -SJ
My experience... has been really positive. It is really useful to have a forum for open and honest discussion of issues with people I trust and who are so supportive. The process of asking open questions and not imposing our own opinions on others in the group has been powerful and on a number of occasions people have had moments of realisation where things they thought were important turned out not to be. Bonnie has been excellent at guiding us through the process and gently keeping us on track. -HG
The Action Learning format facilitates me to contact my creativity and lateral thinking abilities, which I cannot always manage on my own. Taking part in facilitating this with the other group members is fun and also stimulates my own process. The whole has been a valuable adjunct to the freedom of being self-employed, which can seem a lonely pursuit sometimes. -CB
[The group] has been valuable. I have been able to glimpse something that has been hidden for a long time. This is what I really enjoy and excites me. I have discovered, and am discovering fresh ideas for my future. The group has been close and supportive, enabling for everyone, and I hope that this can continue in some way. I have appreciated being part of the group, and enjoyed the cake. -LW
Bonnie’s delivery of action learning is impeccable. She has an innate understanding of what it means to listen, support and guide a group and bring a session to a conclusion which is of benefit to the presenter as well as the wider group. Her care for the group and the outcome is genuine which for me is a very important element of this process. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bonnie to anyone considering Action Learning. -DB
My experience... has been really positive. It is really useful to have a forum for open and honest discussion of issues with people I trust and who are so supportive. The process of asking open questions and not imposing our own opinions on others in the group has been powerful and on a number of occasions people have had moments of realisation where things they thought were important turned out not to be. Bonnie has been excellent at guiding us through the process and gently keeping us on track. -HG
The Action Learning format facilitates me to contact my creativity and lateral thinking abilities, which I cannot always manage on my own. Taking part in facilitating this with the other group members is fun and also stimulates my own process. The whole has been a valuable adjunct to the freedom of being self-employed, which can seem a lonely pursuit sometimes. -CB
[The group] has been valuable. I have been able to glimpse something that has been hidden for a long time. This is what I really enjoy and excites me. I have discovered, and am discovering fresh ideas for my future. The group has been close and supportive, enabling for everyone, and I hope that this can continue in some way. I have appreciated being part of the group, and enjoyed the cake. -LW
Bonnie’s delivery of action learning is impeccable. She has an innate understanding of what it means to listen, support and guide a group and bring a session to a conclusion which is of benefit to the presenter as well as the wider group. Her care for the group and the outcome is genuine which for me is a very important element of this process. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bonnie to anyone considering Action Learning. -DB