FAQ's

Being part of the Evolve network has been hugely important in my journey as a business owner not only on a professional level but also on a personal one. The peer group has aided my development and is helping me ‘Evolve’ into becoming a better person in all aspects. The knowledge and experiences of others who provide great insight of their experiences who are all at different stages of their journeys play a very important part in the development of everyone involved. It’s a great network of professionals.

A really good peer session. As the months go by I get more ambitious, get more done and more quickly and better inspire my team to perform. I’m just about to build on that Pressure/Stress difference with my sales team because I feel that will really help.

I would not be where I am today without the support of those fellow business leaders who I have been able to share my adversities and challenges with.

“A fascinating look into the lives and careers of real entrepreneurs! Warren allows the conversation to flow but drags out real points of interest.”

The Evolve peer group sessions are a great place to get away from the day to day, refocus and ultimately bounce ideas off other business people.

Each session I walk away buzzing with enthusiasm, ideas, increased energy to share, focus and best of all – calm, that not everything revolves around business and foot on the gas to achieve achieve achieve.

The Evolve team have a huge amount of real-world experience over many years in the entrepreneurial and business growth sector. They use that real-world experience to articulate issues, experiences, opportunities and perspectives that resonate with the business community in a unique way. No fluff, just fast-paced learning and support.

The Evolve peer group has meant a lot to me since I joined, and more so over the last few months. People taking the time to listen to your concerns, giving brilliant and knowledgeable advice and personal encouragement. The group has been positive in the promotion of new activities, and Warren, as always, is the reassuring voice of calm, commercial, common sense

Evolve’s facilitated Zoom calls, with peers, allowed one to share one’s concerns and the group then helped each other to both alleviate those concerns and to help find solutions. Knowing that others were going through similar thought processes was a great reassurance at a time of great business difficulty. The Evolve Zoom calls with our peer group were a highlight of each week during lockdown as well as being surprisingly significant support and help.

Being part of the Evolve network has been hugely important in my journey as a business owner not only on a professional level but also on a personal one.

I am one of the lucky few to count myself as a current member of the Peer Networks programme, facilitated by Evolve. The programme itself has been well co-ordinated, well lead and held remotely over zoom, covering individual topics each time that may be relevant to a business and/or business owner.

These sessions mean you can put your business aside and concentrate on yourself, to reflect, and then re-focus your energies back into being a successful business owner.

The best bit so far is talking to like-minded business owners and leaders who are all in a similar situation to myself but work in completely different fields. The honesty of the group has been phenomenal, and Warren has helped from the very beginning to make every effort for the group to know this is a safe environment. The programme has been well thought out and it is nice to see how each of us develops every three weeks over the course.

I joined the Evolve Peer Networks programme in November 2020 and it has definitely surpassed my expectations. As a member of such a collaborative, non-judgmental group, I am able to engage in discussions with like-minded business owners facing similar challenges.

The best bit about being part of the vibrant community is knowing I am never alone – everybody is open to sharing their stories and lessons they have learned, as well as offering advice to support each other as we navigate the current uncertain climate. Engaging in regular discussions has also given me new ideas that I’ve been able to implement into my own business.

The Evolve Peer Network has been absolutely amazing for better clarity on where I’m taking my business. It’s also been great for my emotional wellbeing—it’s kept me focused and given me a sounding board; everyone on your network is there to help you and give ideas. If you want that little push to move your business to the next level, or you’re feeling the stress of Covid-19, I think everybody should be on this programme, especially with Evolve because they really look after you. It has totally surpassed my expectations.

“Warren is excellent at remembering that business stories are also human stories. As well as some excellent insights into the rollercoaster journey of the business world, Warren always remembers to dive into the life and personal aspects of the person he’s interviewing. The importance of Warren’s and Evolve’s belief that family, rest, health, wellbeing AND business success are all entwined are a great reminder to take that helicopter view occasionally and review ‘success’ through different perspectives. Subscribe. You’ll love it.”

I have found the Evolve Peer groups to be invaluable through this long period of uncertainty and challenge [Covid 19]. The ability to converse with other business leaders and to share ideas, fears and achievements has been great. We have a tight group and have become virtual friends with our monthly sessions, with a shared vision, desire and interest to help each other and see each other, cope and prosper.
The learning in a variety of topics has been relevant and helpful and I have incorporated a lot of the techniques and issues covered into my business and seen the positive impact, which has been an added bonus.
I have also found the sessions very beneficial from a personal well-being point of view and the programme overall has way exceeded my expectations and been of great value.
The sessions have always been very well delivered and managed; each session has run smoothly and I have particularly valued the 1-2-1 follow up sessions.

Evolve’s peer to peer programme has been just the support I needed as we navigate our way through these uncertain and challenging times.
Sharing our thoughts and experiences with other business leaders together with a guest-speaker and education programme really has been a timely refresher for change management and leadership.
For me, this is the ideal networking forum where business leaders pool their collective knowledge, explore new concepts and thinking and seek effective ways to implement successful change.
It’s been a rare opportunity to take time out to reflect on one’s own performance while soaking up new (and old) knowledge and encouragement from a group of peers that really helps maintain focus to drive results and being an effective leader.

Listening to the experiences of those who have successfully started and grown businesses is something that I often seek out, whether that is via news, interviews or books. When I heard about the Solent LEP Peer Network it felt like something I had been subconsciously looking for. Here was a group of local business owners who were prepared to spend their time talking openly about their trials and successes, sharing their highs and lows. To talk to others who have been going through similar experiences has been helpful both to me personally and also has provoked conversations at work about how to build better communication styles with the rest of our team. I feel I have gained a personal cheer squad after our meetings, with people from the group supporting each other with words of advice, mentoring calls outside of the main meetings and introductions being made to help grow the network further. I would recommend other SME’s join Peer Networks like this as a way to gain a valuable second opinion from voices of wisdom.

What I always get from a peer group is the encouragement that we’re all in the same boat, just at different levels. We’re all facing similar challenges, just at different points in our journeys. And despite the fact that I’ve been on Zoom for three hours, I don’t feel fatigued, I feel invigorated! I like being forced to stop and spend time thinking about things without distractions—it’s me-time, but I’ve also got everyone in the group helping me.

Thank you Evolve for your support over the past months with the Peer Network sessions, these have really helped me along my journey & really given me inspiration, support & confidence. Without this support, my journey would have been far more lonely & certain mountains that I had to climb were made easier just by sharing and listening to Warren & others within the group who have been through similar experiences.

We worked with Evolve to create the Basingstoke and Deane Business Festival, the event program created by Evolve stood out from the rest, the events focused not just on topical business issues, but also on the business leader behind the business – hosting events which covered wellbeing and mindfulness.

The Evolve team were organised, forward thinking and a pleasure to work with. The Business Festival was a success, which helped us engage with our business community, understand their challenges and build connections. I would not hesitate to recommend Evolve to any Council or public sector organisation, looking for a team to organise successful events within their region.

The Evolve team has played an integral part in making the Peer Networks programme a success in Dorset. The whole team has always acted with the highest standards and with great professionalism. They are extremely diligent and organised, and have been a pleasure to work with. Following their involvement with Peer Networks, Evolve also won a competitive tender for another business support programme that we commissioned, which they have approached with an equally excellent attitude.

In bringing together business leaders from the area, the BCP Evolve Business Festival not only bolstered the local business community, it opened up the floor for important discussions about the current challenges and future prospects of the area.

I was present for both the morning at the Council Chambers and the Symposium held at AFC Bournemouth, as part of the BCP Business Festival. It was extremely informative and inspiring to spend time talking with local business leaders and to listen to them express their concerns and visions for the area. Their input is invaluable in ensuring future growth and innovation within the BCP Council.

Having undergone a Strategic Review with Warren and my business partner last year, the structured process allowed us as a business to fully understand our offering, identify growth opportunities and where we can improve as a business and as individuals.

The Strategic Review made us, as a business, make time to reflect how far we have come, where we are going and set new objectives for the future.   Warren guided us through the process by asking the right questions and creating purposeful actions, for both the business and as individuals.

I highly recommend undertaking a Strategic Review, it provides guidance, clarity and understanding to make you and your business grow and succeed.