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Creative UK’s Investment Bootcamp Explained: How we’re helping North East creatives prepare for investment through structured thinking

Levelling up is no small feat. With founders often required to spin multiple plates in order to keep their businesses going strong, taking the time to review and reflect on what you’re doing and why can often fall by the wayside.

Thankfully, that’s where our Investment Bootcamp can help. This six-month intensive support programme pairs creative company owners with industry mentors for bespoke advice that’s tailored directly to them and their needs. With added one-on-one time with investors, they’ll emerge from this introspective process with a solid plan for future growth that’ll strengthen their business and dazzle future investors. According to Programme Manager Jackie Boyd, it’s a scheme that couldn’t have arrived soon enough.

“Instilling a review and reflect mentality amongst creative founders sounds like a simple and easy concept but in practice, it’s hard to apply,” says Boyd. “Raising investment is a complex and lengthy challenge and one that requires a lot of planning and thought. Preparing for investment really requires you to take a hard look at your business and reflect on what you’ve done, where you want to go and why. That’s the gap the Bootcamp aims to fill,” she tells us. “It’s all about giving founders a structure and a sounding board to sense-check their plans and proposition with experienced people that know the industry and know investment.”

Specifically aimed at companies operating in the North East, the Investment Bootcamp will give 20 founders in the region a unique opportunity that’s designed to help facilitate personal development, specific to their skills and business. “It allows founders to gather different perspectives and feedback,” says Boyd, explaining how, with roughly 60% dedicated to mentor check-ins, the Bootcamp is particularly useful for those without access to a board. “Mentors will really get to know founders and their businesses, including their backgrounds and what drives them,” she adds. “It should feel like an extension of their own management team.”

Also key to this scheme is the access it offers entrepreneurs to investors in scenarios that are mutually beneficial to both parties. “We want to help founders practice engaging with investors in different settings,” suggests Boyd. “To this end, we want to create a range of different options so founders aren’t always focused on the typical pitch-style scenario. It’s about learning to speak to investors, not just making contacts.”

By the time the Bootcamp is complete, each of our 20 founders will have identified and worked on their weaknesses and emerged on the other side with a clear roadmap detailing where they want to be and exactly what they need to do to get there. “They’ll be in a better position to secure investment,” smiles Boyd, looking ahead to the final outcome. “They’ll be more confident founders with clear and practised narratives surrounding what they’re doing and why an investor should be a part of it. Ultimately, participating founders will be better equipped to not only secure investment but deploy it in a way that’s been well thought through.”

To learn more about our North East Investment Bootcamp read our full Q&A with Programme Manager Jackie Boyd.

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