We are delighted to launch the PortfolioExec Business Lounge!

The concept of the Business Lounge is to allow SME owners to access other senior leaders' experience, knowledge and wisdom and to share their own, helping to develop the expertise and proficiency of everyone in the Business Lounge.

We have two membership levels: Free and Premium. The free entry level is open to everyone and gives SMEs access to a rolling monthly programme of online 60-Minute Upskill events. On registration, the SME will, also, be given a password that allows them access to past recorded 60-Minute presentations in a private area of our website. Cybercrime, self-image, ecommerce and project management are just some of the topics covered.

Our next 60-Minute Upskill topic is “Boosting Your Referrals”, which is being delivered by Alan Hyams on Tuesday, 18th May, 10 - 11am. To register on this free event, please e-mail anita@portfolioexec.com.

This interactive workshop will cover:

- Building a referral-based organisation

- The skills you will need

- The Human Business Model

- A 4-step method for generating referrals

Our premium membership level is aimed at businesses in the turnover range of £250k - £2m. It offers a monthly 60/90-Minute Business Lounge peer-learning action group, at £99pm. As a special offer to Lancashare members, there will be a PortfolioExec bursary for the first 3 months’ membership for the first lounge. It is envisaged that it will be a 12-month programme, but this could be extended if there is the demand from the participants.

The SME will have 2 seats in the lounge, 1 to be a constant – ideally, the owner or major shareholder, with the second being a colleague or third party of their choosing. Some SMEs may opt for only one or may invite someone along to certain sessions. Numbers of businesses in each group will between 5 – 8.

It will be the SMEs’ own issues and agenda. An initial diagnostic will inform the first agenda but, with following sessions, the discussions at each session will inform the next month’s agenda. The lounge will be a comfortable, safe, relaxed environment where the SME owner can be open and honest.

The role of the PE facilitator, in addition to facilitation, is to bring in other PortfolioExec Executives as solution providers, or individuals who can add to whatever the discussion topic might be.

The SME will have access to our unique Business Benefits Package, which includes free cyber security, HR and legal audits.

For those who are interested in finding out more, we are running a free Premium Lounge taster event on Friday 4th June, 9 – 10am. To illustrate the concept, we have chosen the topic of problem solving for this taster session. To register your interest, please e-mail anita@portfolioexec.com.