HR Business set to recruit after Boost support

A HR consultancy built from scratch is planning to double its client-base to 120 in the next year after taking part in Boost’s Growth Support programme.

Burnley-based CUBE HR is also planning to double its turnover as well as headcount. Founder Lisa Sourbutts recently took on a summer placement and plans to recruit a two further consultants in 2020.

In addition, CUBE HR has moved premises and now operates from the Burnley Business Hub at Burnley Football Club.

CUBE works with regional SMEs with between five and 250 staff that are not big enough to operate an internal HR department, but nonetheless understand their legal and moral obligations so engage with a consultancy team.

Lisa has 15 years’ experience working in various HR roles and worked alongside the directors at a global security company, as well as managing the HR function for several thousand people.

CUBE HR began trading in October 2017 and Lisa was a sole practitioner working from home, with no clients. She gained her first business via social media platform LinkedIn. Then, as more and more people heard about her services, her business grew.

Lisa said: “At CUBE HR we have three key selling points. First, clients always deal with the same person, no call centres here. Second, we are not just about firefighting, but offer proactive HR management throughout the employee life cycle and help implement people strategies. And third, we don’t have fixed contracts so there is no long-term tie in – we are so confident that our clients will love us that we operate on the basis of monthly rolling contracts.”

Among contented clients is Sam Riley, managing director at North West Skills Academy. He said: “HR is a critical part of any business and it is a specialist area with many complexities. Since partnering with CUBE HR, we have specialist support on hand when needed. Lisa’s knowledge is second to none. I know the business and our staff get the correct advice and support needed so we can concentrate on growing our company, while being compliant.”

Lisa found Boost after doing a Google search for ‘Support for new business in Lancashire’ She applied online for support from the Growth Support Programme – a series of masterclasses to help startups and young businesses to deliver growth. The programme is delivered by Winning Pitch and Enterprise4All on behalf of Boost.

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).

Lisa said: “The Growth Support programme gave me the self-confidence I needed to push on and raise my game. The masterclasses in business planning and financial management equipped me with vital new tools and skills.

“The programme also gave me valuable opportunities to network with other Lancashire owner-managers and I had a business advisor providing information, encouragement and tips to CUBE HR on the path to success.”

Rona McFall at Winning Pitch, said: “For new entrepreneurs like Lisa there is an incredibly steep learning curve – to establish a clear vision and strategy, develop skills they may never have used before and to build a network of contacts to help them grow. Lisa has done all this and more – and she’s now reaping the benefits.”

After completing the masterclasses, Lisa met with Boost business relationship manager Tim Smith to identify other opportunities for her business. Tim referred her to the Lancashire Forum, a peer-to-peer network and masterclass programme delivered by Lancaster University.

Lisa said: “Tim identified that to continue growing the business I needed to continue expanding my network of business people facing similar challenges, to benefit from our combined experience. The Lancashire Forum has been incredibly motivating and a great business improvement tool. I am still in touch with many of the people from it and some are even clients now.”

Lisa is a CIPD member and remains an active networker across Lancashire.

Boost has received £3.65m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union, ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.