Download the Designs On Growth Brochure 2023
6-Month Business Growth & Development Programme
Register for the next intake
Next intake: 2023/2024 (TBC)
The Business Growth & Development Programme is an innovative learning and development response providing the owner/managers of design and creative businesses with best practice business management skills and knowledge to support sustainability and increase revenue in their business.
This bespoke programme is sector-specific and designed to fully support you to develop a winning strategy for your business.
Who is it for?
Suitable for studios, agencies and consultancies which are seeking to grow and/or expand*.
*Please contact us to discuss your specific business and needs.
Designs On Growth from Design Skillnet on Vimeo.
Duration
6 months
When
Starting 2023/2024
Module 1: TBC*
Module 2: TBC*
Module 3: TBC (In person, full day in Dublin, on either the 20th or 27th date to be agreed with the cohort )
Module 4: TBC*
Module 5: TBC*
*Run as 2 x ½ days sessions online.
Why should I attend?
- Effectively address your business challenges
- Improve performance
- Develop your design or creative business practice going forward
- Manage your team effectively
Programme 2023
The next 2023/2024 programme starts on TBC and consists of 5 modules, one module taking place per month.
Starting with a complete business review report and current situations analysis you will get an understanding of where you are starting from so that you can reestablish the vision you have for your business and develop a plan to get there
This workshop will take you through the importance of managing your business finance. The workshop is a simple step-by-step to understanding and getting the most out of the money in your business. The day is wrapped up with a time management session
Understand and develop a marketing plan that effectively gets your message to your target market consistently, generating a constant flow of enquiries.
Learn how to effectively manage and convert your leads to create a predictable flow of new customers in your business, when you have generated new customers WOW them with amazing customer service to ensure they never want to go to a competitor
Develop the right ecosystem around your business, whether employees or external supports, to take care of your customers and your business so you can invest your time in building it.
Coaching Support
Coaching is a critical part of the programme. There is one coaching session to follow each workshop.
Peer Learning & Support
At the beginning of each workshop, you will have an opportunity to exchange ideas with your peers. In particular, to discuss progress on implementation of programme best practices and also to discuss common challenges and issues.
Application
A maximum of 12 businesses will be selected.
Limited places.
Register your interest for the next intake
Download the Designs On Growth Brochure 2023
What past participants had to say:
“My experience of the Designs on Growth programme has been overwhelmingly positive. As a fast track for creatives, who often don’t possess the knowledge and skills to diagnose and encourage fiscal well-being, Designs on Growth has been very beneficial. Expert and personable mentors and workshop leaders are complemented with easy-to-understand notes that build to create an invaluable resource for extracurricular reference. The Designs on Growth programme helps you take the firsthand, in-depth knowledge of your own business, structure it, assess it, set realistic goals, and create a road map for growth.”
Oran Day, Atelier David Smith
“We chose to participate in Designs on Growth as a means to both understand the design landscape in the RoI and to take stock of how we have been operating as a business. Our business is approaching an age where we felt that we need to better define our process, our client engagement and our delivery for existing clients, whilst moving to potentially attract new clients. The Designs on Growth programme has been really effective by allowing us to step out of the business and take some time to learn new methodologies, begin to understand how we might apply them and share experiences with a very diverse and friendly peer group. The sessions are very well structured and thought-provoking and the follow-up mentoring helps provide the answers to questions that you may have or things you wish to test.”
Stephen McGilloway, MD Big Small Design, Product Design
“The course was a great opportunity to step outside and look back in on the business side of the studio. There was great solidarity seeing other studios on the course also faced similar issues. It has had a positive impact on how we’re now developing our studio.”
John Gavin, Creative Director, True Output
‘We made a lot of changes based on the Designs on Growth course. Most of these were around our finances. We now have a much better financial perspective for our business. It has been invaluable.’
Roisin Buckley, Director, Piquant
Scroll down for more testimonials or read our Q&A series with course facilitator Jeannette Naughton and past participants Gillian Reidy, Róisín Buckley, Kim Whyte, Brian Nolan, Graham Carroll, David Jackson, John Gavin, Colin Farmer, and Clare Brennan.
Design Skillnet training focuses on helping designers and creatives in their businesses to up-skill their teams and to attract and service clients in a rapidly changing commercial landscape.
About the trainer
Jeannette is a Master Trainer & and experienced Business Coach and works closely with a portfolio of Design Sector Clients delivering training and coaching to improve their business performance. She delivers workshops and coaching to groups of business leaders and their teams on Strategic Planning, Marketing and Sales Strategy, Communication and Team Cohesion. Jeannette delivers our highly rated Designs on Growth business and management development programme and coaches participants to achieve business success and achieve long-term results in their businesses.
“My experience of the Designs on Growth programme has been overwhelmingly positive. As a fast track for creatives, who often don’t possess the knowledge and skills to diagnose and encourage fiscal well-being, Designs on Growth has been very beneficial. Expert and personable mentors and workshop leaders are complemented with easy-to-understand notes that build to create an invaluable resource for extracurricular reference. The Designs on Growth programme helps you take the firsthand, in-depth knowledge of your own business, structure it, assess it, set realistic goals, and create a road map for growth.”
Oran Day, Atelier David Smith
"We chose to participate in Designs on Growth as a means to both understand the design landscape in the RoI and to take stock of how we have been operating as a business. Our business is approaching an age where we felt that we need to better define our process, our client engagement and our delivery for existing clients, whilst moving to potentially attract new clients. The Designs on Growth programme has been really effective by allowing us to step out of the business and take some time to learn new methodologies, begin to understand how we might apply them and share experiences with a very diverse and friendly peer group. The sessions are very well structured and thought-provoking and the follow-up mentoring helps provide the answers to questions that you may have or things you wish to test."
Stephen McGilloway, MD Big Small Design, Product Design
"The course was a great opportunity to step outside and look back in on the business side of the studio. There was great solidarity seeing other studios on the course also faced similar issues. It has had a positive impact on how we’re now developing our studio."
John Gavin, Creative Director, True Output
‘We made a lot of changes based on the Designs on Growth course. Most of these were around our finances. We now have a much better financial perspective for our business. It has been invaluable.’
Roisin Buckley, Director, Piquant
‘A valuable way of learning; a valuable way of implementing change. We made a lot of changes based on Designs on Growth course. Most of these were around our finances. We now have a much better financial perspective for our business. It has been invaluable.’
Brian Nolan, Director, Detail
'An opportunity to step away and concentrate on the business side of our studio. Once I went on ‘Designs on Growth’ and other workshops, things just took off. It’s the way I now understand all the different aspects of running a design business.’
Karen Hanratty, Director, Path
'It has helped us to change our mindsets and focus on our business goals, not just those of clients'.
Rhys Jenkins, Director, Open
'We have seen an increase in sales that can be directly attributed to what we have learned in the programme.'
Graham Carroll, Founder & Head of Strategy, Friday
'Design on Growth is a must-do for anyone running a design or creative business'.
David Jackson, Co founder & UX Director, Friday
'It has given me the motivation and tools to become the designer and business owner that I wanted to be'
Kim Whyte, Founder & Creative Director , FiggyDoo
'I learned a lot about our business. It offered me huge support in understanding my style of management and moulding that for the betterment of our business – using the additional skill sets and business supports provided through the course such as new finance and customer management system which have hugely improved our customer care and pipeline consideration and made a big difference to the administrative side of the business. The greatest return on investment was a reaffirmed confidence in the business and renewed excitement for growth.'
Gillian Reidy, Creative Director & Business Owner, Penhouse Design
More events you might like
Read moreDesigners FORUMS
Next series: May-June 12pm-1pm
IDI’s Monthly Forums are all about giving you the opportunity to set your agenda to discuss the topics of most relevance to you with the people who understand most. The IDI’s Forums series give you a safe space to discuss the topics that are most pressing in your field of work, with others in the same position.
Read moreEvent
Design Management Professional Diploma - Taster Sessions
May 16th, 22nd and June 6th, 22nd 12:30-1:30pm (May) - 12pm-1pm (June)
Join our Design Management Professional Diploma light bite taster events that will give you taster sessions that will give you a chance to experience the programme from a practical viewpoint.
Read moreEvent
Gail Anderson in conversation with Grace Enemaku
Thursday, June 22nd 2023 5-7pm
Join us for an intimate discussion between New York-based designer and illustrator Gail Anderson and award-winning Irish designer and illustrator, Grace Enemaku. Together they will discuss career journeys, what it is to be a woman of colour working in design, and how to influence change for good.
Read moreMulti-week courseWorkshop
Increase Your Profitability - 3 workshops with Chris Merrington
June 28th, July 5th & July 12th 10am to 11.30am
A Chris Merrington’s series of three workshops to ‘Increase Your Profitability. Maximise your profitability and pricing. Get Better Briefs and Budgets. Retain and Grow your Clients. All in 3 x 90-minute workshops.
Read moreWorkshop
Better UX Design with AI
Wednesday, 28th June 2023 2-5pm (3 hours)
An AI + UX Expert hands-on, practical Workshop with Nick Babich showing you how to use AI to become a better designer. Covering the full design lifecycle, from product research to prototype design to usability testing.
Read moreWorkshop
Colour Futures: Colour Now, Global & Local Trends
Thursday, July 13th 2023 12pm-1pm
Discover how you can predict the hottest colours in design in 2023 with Dulux Academy Lead, Creative Consultant and interior designer Cora Collins. Gain insights into the process of colour trends and forecasting to market to new and your existing clients and identify the colour trends of 2023.
Read moreProgramme
Professional Diploma in UX Design
Next intake: 2023 (TBC) 6-month Programme
A unique 6-month university-accredited programme in UX for Designers and Creatives, combining online learning and live webinars to further develop business skills and build successful careers.
Read moreProgramme
Design Management Professional Diploma
Next intake 13th September (10-month duration)
Developed for busy working professional designers and design function managers (not all design managers are designers) to empower them to take their business and careers to the next level.
Read moreProgramme
Certificate in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies
January/February 2024 TBC (12-weeks duration)
Invest in the Future of your design practice and continue your professional development with a Certificate in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies, delivered by LSAD and accredited by TUS in partnership with Design Skillnet.