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Beth McDonough

Having run a social enterprise for more than a decade and with experience across the private, public and third sectors, Beth brings lived experience of being an entrepreneur and business owner. A qualified business coach (certified by the ILM), Beth supports business owners to manage their health and wellbeing alongside their business priorities. She also has a personal and professional interest in championing social enterprises and socially-trading organisations.

Outside of work, Beth enjoys music (she’s currently learning to play bass guitar), travel, fitness and yoga, and woodwork - a hobby that stems from her 12 years as founder and managing director of a community wood recycling project.

HomeBeth McDonough

Introductions

I want to connect businesses with the many opportunities available through the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, particularly in community development and community wealth building. Businesses can do a lot to support the aims of the Mayor by addressing areas like energy, skills and corporate social responsibility (CSR). I’m a real advocate for social enterprises and organisations that invest in the people and communities where they’re based. Great things can happen when the corporate sector partners with socially driven organisations and I’d like to make more of those connections across the region.

What support can businesses access through the North East Growth Hub?

Our main role is about signposting people to the wealth of business support and finance that’s available in the North East. What makes us different is that all the support we suggest is tailored to each individual business. If someone wants help writing a business plan, or they want to work with someone to develop financial projections and cashflow forecasts, we can make those introductions. 

All of the Business Growth Advisers have experience owning or running a business. Alongside my owner/management experience, I’m also a former employee of a North East based business support provider. That in-depth knowledge means we can navigate the business and funding landscape and help owners and entrepreneurs access exactly what it is they need. When you’re running a business you get caught up in the day-to-day. Speaking to a Business Growth Adviser is a chance to pause and reflect and let someone else do the heavy lifting. 

How can the North East Growth Hub help social enterprises in the region?

I firmly believe all businesses should have a social purpose and actively give back to their local area. Many businesses are really engaged with their local communities through CSR, but I think there’s so much more we can do to make sure that investment is really worthwhile. A new data-driven census by Allia Impact and Beauhurst Insights has found mission-led businesses are growing faster than the wider UK business population. 

In my experience, many social enterprises are particularly interested in finance and funding. This is an area I can help with, especially with the understanding that many social enterprises are funded by a blend income and grants.  

Being a social conscious business brings lots of benefits. It helps support a circular economy and it’s great for staff morale. It also supports the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority’s aim to make the North East the home of better work, fairer pay and real opportunity.