Blackpool business sets sights on national growth

The Small Business Academy, a Blackpool-based business is preparing for national growth after upgrading its training facilities with state-of-the-art interactive display technology.

Working in partnership with Preston-based AV2Events, The Small Business Academy has introduced the Promethean ActivPanel to establish a business blueprint that will help the company to expand UK-wide.

The Small Business Academy is a training, mentoring, and support hub for small businesses that provides quality, practical training, and affordable co-working spaces to drive sustainable growth.

Founder of The Small Business Academy and ex-Dragon’s Den contestant, Nikki Hesford, spotted a gap in the local market after identifying that training provision was not keeping pace with the technology trends being seen in education.

Nikki explains: “These days, classrooms are packed full of collaborative solutions that really engage children in learning. When they enter the world of work, it’s like going back in time. With The Small Business Academy, we’ve taken inspiration from what works so effectively in education, and applied it in a corporate training environment.”

Traditionally used in school settings, the Promethean ActivPanel is also well suited to business applications. Supporting the effective delivery of training, it provides ‘plug and play’ access to a range of functionality, including an instant whiteboard, screen sharing, and connection to cloud-based platforms.

The Small Business Academy worked with AV2Events to design the technology set-up for the training facility. Lee Wilson, AV2Events director, comments: “Businesses increasingly recognise the need to provide scalable, digitally-powered meeting and training experiences. The next generation of workers coming through schools has high levels of expectation for technology, plus it’s far more effective than traditional paper-based methods.

"I’ve really enjoyed working alongside a fellow local entrepreneur on this project. Nikki is an inspiration, and while The Small Business Academy is a great resource for businesses across Lancashire, it’s now also a springboard for national expansion.”

Having created a technology-charged blueprint to launch a nationwide franchise, Nikki is excited about her future expansion plans. She concludes: “Looking back at our initial training facilities and comparing them to how successful they are now with the ActivPanel, I am extremely impressed with the advancements. We are more than ready to expand from here, and I’m very excited to see what the future holds.”