Perfect mentoring match boosts growth for marketing agency

By Boost Business Lancashire

28 Feb 2020

kelly-bolton-aggressive-growth-marketing-with-boost-mentor-martyn-jones.jpg

A Preston-based marketing agency has smashed its turnover after receiving mentoring support through Boost – Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub.

Aggressive Growth Marketing Ltd (AGM) now aims to reach a turnover target of £5m over the next five years and has created two additional jobs, bringing the team to seven.

Kelly Bolton set up the business back in 2007, initially working for herself. The agency moved into offices in Preston in 2018 and specialises in delivering growth programmes and sales and marketing strategies for business.

Kelly was also juggling her business with caring for her husband who was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She was looking for a way to manage her career and still have quality time with her husband.

She believes the mentoring support she received through Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme delivered by Orvia, has benefitted her business and her own wellbeing. She credits these to her working relationship with mentor, Martyn Jones.

“The mentoring experience was amazing! Martyn was the perfect match for me and my business. In fact, I doubt the experience would have been quite so positive if I’d been matched with anyone else.” Kelly Bolton, founder of Aggressive Growth Marketing Ltd

Boost is Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub and is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Having previously worked as a freelance consultant Kelly had no commercial experience, nor any skills to manage people. She was using just common sense and instinct as her agency grew.

She searched online for ‘business support’ when she discovered Boost. She then joined Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme. Leadership and HR management skills were identified as the key topics.

Martyn provided one-to-one mentoring support and focused on developing a strategic plan to identify Kelly’s staff requirements and what supporting internal processes were required to help her achieve sustainable growth ambitions.

He said: “When I met Kelly it was clear she had the drive, determination and potential to become hugely successful.

“Kelly had a good idea of where she wanted to be, but she didn’t have a sufficiently clear, detailed plan of how to get there. She was in danger of making decisions about her business that may not take her to where she was aiming to go or, worse still, take her in the opposite direction.”

The mentoring helped Kelly to think more strategically about her day-to-day tasks. This has resulted in significant changes and improvements in the business, as well as helping her to achieve a better balance between business and personal life.

Kelly now has plans to expand the training side of the business. She has already secured contracts to deliver training and business support programmes in Manchester and for Cumbria Chamber of Commerce. Further recruitment is planned in the next 12 months to fill business development and marketing roles.

In October 2019, Kelly also purchased a healthcare recruitment company as part of her wider plans to expand into delivering mental health and wellbeing training programmes to business.

Ann Lancaster, operations manager at Orvia, said: “It is brilliant to see Kelly gain so much from the mentoring both on a personal and business level. This is what mentoring is all about. Kelly has been so inspired by the mentoring support that she has now signed up to join the mentoring team behind Boost’s Growth Mentoring programme.”

Latest news

1

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London. The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon and the Rt Hon Steve Reed (L-R Front Row) David Hammond, and Daniel Knowles

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London.

30 Apr 2025

2

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield Edenfield housing development

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield

29 Apr 2025

3

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens Dovestone Gardens launch

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens

29 Apr 2025

4

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success Louise Kirby

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success

29 Apr 2025

5

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire Lidl

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire

29 Apr 2025

Pc Prestonmacan Gif980x120 March
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200px 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes
Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes for website.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
01 May 2025 - 01 May 2025

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes

Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Blackburn, BB2 7NP, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

08:00 - 10:30

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2
EV-land-2025-05B.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

A night at the races
1.png.png
LBV Hub Dinners / Balls
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

A night at the races

Morecambe FC, Morecambe, LA4 4TB

19:00 - 23:59

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships
30478 Skills Bootcamp open day setting.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships

University of Central Lancashire, Preston , PR1 2HE

14:30 - 15:30

Celebrating 50 years of KTP
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Celebrating 50 years of KTP

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

16:00 - 18:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv121 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin