More than 50 businesses attended the first SME Support and Connect Roadshow in Cardiff, organised by Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid and hosted by Chamber partner Xeinadin, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing growing enterprises.
The purpose of the Chamber’s SME Support and Connect Roadshow series is to engage with organisations across Wales and create collaborative environments where businesses can share insight and develop practical solutions to the challenges they face.
Each roadshow event is themed around key issues identified within its region and draws on expertise from a range of sectors to deliver bitesize talks, workshops and actionable advice. The Cardiff event focused on helping businesses struggling to grow due to a lack of available funding and featured guest contributions from Development Bank of Wales, Hexa Finance, Xeinadin, Help to Grow at Cardiff Business School and Tailwind Group Limited.
The event included an interactive live poll to understand the biggest challenges facing attendees. The results revealed that operational costs, access to skilled workers and business finance remain the top concerns for many. This real-time feedback allowed Gus Williams, CEO of Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, to tailor the discussion and ensure that the session adapted to meet the needs of those in the room.
Gus Williams said:
“Our roadshow series is designed to do two things: equip businesses with real solutions and expert support, and give businesses a platform to be heard. Our Cardiff roadshow demonstrated the power of collaboration in action. By bringing together a range of experts and business leaders, we created a space where challenges could be openly discussed, and practical solutions explored.
“Rising operational costs, recruitment issues and access to finance continue to weigh heavily on Welsh businesses, but by sharing knowledge and working together, we can start to unlock new pathways for growth.”
Nigel Griffiths, Co-Founder and Lead Growth Architect at Tailwind Group Limited, added:
“It was great to take part in such an engaging event focused on helping SMEs to thrive. We spoke about the importance of taking a step back to review your products or services, understand your customers, explore new markets and drive innovation.
“Sometimes the most impactful changes come from the simplest shifts in perspective, and events like this give businesses the clarity and confidence to make them.”
The Chamber will be announcing further SME Support and Connect Roadshow events in the coming months. To keep up to date with upcoming events, follow Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid on LinkedIn or visit https://cw-seswm.com.
