Success Stories

Our courses have benefited over 1000 businesses, social enterprises and organisations across Wales.

We’ve helped them to embrace innovation, lead through change and achieve sustainable business growth by developing the critical leadership, business and management skills that employees need to meet the challenges facing businesses in Wales.

The stories below demonstrate the hugely positive and wide-reaching impact our courses have had on individuals, their organisations and the wider economy. 

Chris Davidge is Managing Director at Peter Jones ILG, an Abergavenny-based company that manufacture industrial leather goods. Recognising the company’s growth potential.

Chris sought to leverage his skills and enrolled in the Help to Grow: Management Course at Cardiff Metropolitan University to establish a solid foundation for the company’s future.

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In this Help to Grow Management case study is with Super Rod, a business in the South Wales valleys where two senior leaders attended the Help to Grow Management course at Cardiff Met.

The course has been hugely beneficial to the company, allowing them to expand their knowledge, find a sense of purpose and drive the business forward.

Watch the video about Super Rod’s experience on the Help to Grow

Paul Cooper, Group Chief Executive at PTH Enterprises is bringing a new, European-style health service to Cardiff.

Paul used his leadership skills gained from the 20Twenty Programme to strategically grow his business. 

He said, “I would encourage any businesses to take a good look internally at how they motivate their workforce as it can help unlock strategic growth.”

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Rio Architects expanded their team and experienced continued growth after members of their management team attended the 20Twenty Leadership Programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Senior Associate, Lee Protheroe said: “We fully engaged in the course and found that it was stimulating, enlightening and extremely relevant to how we operate at Rio.”

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20Twenty Leadership student Daniel Crandon won the prestigious 2022 Welsh Fitness Awards with his company HighStreet Fitness. 

Founder and Trustee, Daniel Crandon said: “It’s opened my mind to new ways of working and has made me reflect on my working practices. We lead a large cohort of volunteers through our project, which brings its own unique challenges. 20Twenty has given me the skills to help people flourish and drive the ethos of our business.”

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Hannah Davies from Admiral Group Plc benefited from the 20Twenty coaching sessions at Cardiff Metropolitan University to overcome her imposter syndrome and manage change in her new role.

She said, “I found the coaching on the programme particularly beneficial. It was so insightful to spend time talking about myself, my imposter syndrome challenges and how others perceive me.”

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Sarah Clifford, explains how completing the 20Twenty Programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University has helped her to move from redundancy to a new role as Operations Director at Chambers Wales.

She said, “Redundancy in the middle of a pandemic hit me particularly hard, and my mental health was suffering. However, I was determined to finish and complete the course. I knew how rewarding and meaningful it would be in securing my next role alongside the incredible support from the team at Cardiff Met.”

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As the Director of Services for Stepping Stones North Wales, Bernie attended the 20Twenty programme as she had business concerns that needed addressing.

Stepping Stones was established in 1984 and offers support and professional counselling service to adult survivors of child sexual abuse.  The service is provided free of charge and serves the six local authorities in North Wales. 

She said, “I would highly recommend the 20Twenty programme to other businesses and charities, as it’s really important to allow yourself the time to work through the programme, both professionally and personally.”

Watch the video about Bernie’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

As the Finance Director for P & A, Andrew attended the 20Twenty programme to create a strategic focus for the business.  The company has diversified and now supplies timber garden products.  In this case study, Andrew explains how the programme tested him and how the assignments embedded his learning.

He said, “It has helped us to create a strategic focus as an organisation, resulting in the development of a whole new department.  I would recommend the programme as it’s benefitted the company.”

Watch the video about Andrew’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

After 12 years in business, Lloyd Morgan, Managing Director of Rockadove decided to join the 20Twenty Leadership and Business Growth programme to help plan out the next crucial phase of his business strategy.

He said, “I am a big believer in self-development and continued learning and have always done this throughout my career. Standing still and not growing (or learning) is the quickest way of falling behind and not succeeding in your chosen career.”

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Platts Agriculture celebrates 50 Years in business and has had significant growth since its leaders attended the 20Twenty Programme.

An award-winning family firm approaching its 50th anniversary has gone from strength to strength thanks to the prestigious 20Twenty Business Growth programme, delivered by Bangor University Business School and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Caroline Platt, Managing Director of Platts Agriculture Ltd, Said “I learnt so much on the programme about leadership and management, but also from the rest of the group.  We all came at things from different angles and were able to share best practices and the networking aspect proved invaluable.”

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CatSci Ltd has gained a competitive advantage and sustainable business growth by upskilling its managers and leaders through the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme.

Mark Waring, General Manager of CatSci said: “We are a young and growing business; we are very much committed to developing our staff and much of the leadership team has experienced quality training in bigger businesses. We wanted to ensure we had that competitive advantage.”

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Olivia Gallagher, General Manager of Wrexham Sounds, started the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to help develop her leadership and management skills. 

Olivia said:

“I thought it would be an interesting programme that could help me develop my leadership and management skills, and that has definitely been the case.

“As well as the online and in-person seminars and workshops I’ve enjoyed interacting and sharing ideas with other members of the group, who come from a variety of backgrounds.”

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After achieving a distinction in the 20Twenty Programme, Shona Stockton is now a Director at Sherratt Landscape Contractors. In this case study Shona describes how the programme helped her become a Director at Sherratt, and gain knowledge about leadership and business overall to become more dedicated to ensuring her teams’ success and development.

She said, “I have learnt the various roles of leadership and the numerous forms it can come in. In particular, I have learnt some tools that I can implement within the company to aid growth in my teams.”

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Katrina Williams, HR & Business Manager for the Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey Club shares her experiences of the leadership challenges encountered during the pandemic and explains why she decided to join us on the 20Twenty Programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

“There’s never been a better time to upskill. During these times, being flexible and agile as a leader is key.”

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Lisa Boreham, MD of The House Nameplate Company explains how the 20Twenty Business Growth and Leadership Programme helped progress her career and enhance her leadership skills.

She said “The programme has made me a much better leader, it broadened my mind and changed my approach to both my work and fellow colleagues. Within 6 months of completing the programme I was made Managing Director.”

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Sarah Vaile is the Founder and Director of Recovery Cymru – a peer-led recovery community organisation that evolved from a single support group for people overcoming substance misuse issues ten years ago. Find out how she led her team and community to online delivery of substance misuse recovery support.

She said, “The 20Twenty Programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University taught me the theories, but most importantly provoked me to better understand myself and my approach.”

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Scott Beddow, Procurement Manager at Archwood Group shares his experience of the 20Twenty Programme and how it helped him and his company make pivotal decisions and manage change.

He said, “Overall, we’ve changed the way we do things and in tandem with what I’ve learned on the 20Twenty programme, that puts us in a very good position.”

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Jason Brogden is Group Trainer and Coach at Mon Motors Group. In this case study Jason describes how the programme helped him to change the culture across the organisation and learn about how other businesses approach personal development and leadership.

He said, “It helped me massively and gave me a chance to go away and complete a project based on engagement and culture within the organisation. This helped us to build in some behaviours and culture that we can be proud of.“

Watch the video about Jason’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

Jo Clay is the Founder & Innovation Lead of ‘Empower – Be The Change’ – a Social Enterprise working to empower individuals and communities to achieve more. We asked Jo about her experiences on the 20Twenty Leadership & Management Programme.

She said, “The 20Twenty programme helped me personally because it enabled me to really think about my leadership skills, particularly having just taken on new members of staff and having not led a team before.“

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As a new leader, Jody took the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to improve her leadership skills. In this case study, Judy describes how the programme gave her the confidence to be the leader she wanted to be.

She said, “It helped me move into that leadership role, to step up and be the one who is responsible. It helped me gain the confidence to take up the challenge.”

Watch the video about Jody’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

As Operations Leader of Dow Chemicals, Jamie took the course to improve his leadership skills and to help him manage change in the business. In this case study, Jamie describes how the programme gave him the skills to improve, motivate and manage his teams.

He said, “I now have a different view of leadership and myself. The course had a significant impact on me with many ‘light bulb’ moments around leadership styles, techniques and change models that I am now using within my work.”

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As Managing Director of Little Inspirations Nursery, Jenine faced the prospect of closure as COVID-19 hit. Instead, they adapted to provide essential childcare for key workers.

She said, “The course helped me to develop an opportunity mindset, even when the future seemed bleak.”

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Samantha Bray completed the 20Twenty Leadership Course in 2016. As Director of Jonathon Bray, she is responsible for the operations side of the business, overseeing staff and organising the business.

She said, “I feel much more able to manage the accounts on a day-to-day basis after the course and it’s an opportunity to meet others and gain a very relevant ‘insight’ in the world of business”

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As a business owner, Donal took the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to streamline his business processes. In this case study, Donal describes how the programme gave him the skills to be a better leader and helped his business operate more efficiently.

He said, “It was an opportunity to systemise everything that we did – dealing with clients, administration and billing and it made the business operate slicker. I am a better leader since doing the course, I instruct a lot less and things are more collaborative. The personal coaching helped a lot, I thought it was very powerful and interesting.”

Watch the video about Donal’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

As Head of Marketing, Terry took the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to improve his leadership and business skills. In this case study Terry describes how the programme gave him the skills to define his role as a leader, improve the way in which he managed his team and define clear business objectives.

He said, “It helped me with managing my team by defining my role as a leader. The extra knowledge has helped me make better decisions. You get to understand what motivates people and how to get the best out of them. You come away feeling really inspired and energised, ready to implement anything you’ve learnt. “

Watch the video about Terry’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

As Training Broker and Project Manager, Rachele joined the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to gain the leadership skills needed to guide the organisations I work for through the changes needed to adapt and grow.

She said, “I would recommend the programme to all managers at all levels. The skills you will gain have been critical in the current climate and will prove invaluable in responding to future challenges. “

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As Fundraising Manager, Katie took the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to learn effective ways to lead a team. In this video, Katie describes how the programme helped her to empower her team to grow and develop.

She said, “I learned a lot about empowerment and how to motivate my team. By empowering my staff I am taking some pressure off myself but also enabling them to grow and develop”

Watch the video about Katie’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

As a business leader, Sarah took the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to achieve success and future growth for her company. In this case study, Sarah describes how the Programme gave her tips and tools to diversify her company to ensure continued success.

She said, “The workshops were interactive, enjoyable and above all informative. For business owners, such as myself, success and profitability are always at the front of your mind and it has never been as important as in the present economic climate”.

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As Managing Director of Carreg Construction, Andrew is responsible for setting the vision for the business, its goals and aspirations, governance, development of staff and management teams and responsible for creating a safe and happy working environment.

He said, “I believe that it helped me re-set my start button for the business and allowed me time to fully consider not ‘what’ or ‘how’ we operate but ‘why’. Since completing the course and the all-important strategic review of Carreg, we have completely reformed the way in which we do business, our market, or processes and systems and we continue to build a young and vibrant team of professionals qualified and experienced to provide the highest levels of quality and service to our clients”.

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As a new leader, Wyn took the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme to improve his leadership skills after he became an owner of the business. In this case study, Wyn describes how the programme helped him think about how he reacts to staff and clients and how it improved his leadership skills.

He said, “As a leader, you should lead by example. The course helped me to make a more conscious effort with staff when things aren’t going the way I want them to”

Watch the video about Wyn’s experience on the 20Twenty Programme

For Luke, the highlight of the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme was the personal development modules and the 1-2-1 executive coaching. The programme was an opportunity for Luke to take a step back from work and to reflect on the business, enabling him to make better strategic decisions.

He said, “The programme was invaluable in helping me to identify the strengths and weaknesses of myself and my team. Importantly, it helped me understand how to manage these factors within the context of the company.”

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Since taking the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme, Allington Hughes has grown in size and enjoyed its best year of business under Alison’s leadership. The last 12 months have been the best we’ve ever had, and I put a lot of that down to 20Twenty,” she said.

The 20Twenty programme gave Alison the tools to develop her role as a leader. “It helped me to develop new strategies and techniques,” she said, “I’ve already noticed a difference in board meetings and day-to-day in the office.”

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Clearer routes to new clients and improved cash flow have been two key results enjoyed by Groves Davey since John Davey completed his 20Twenty Leadership programme.

He said: “The biggest success we’ve made is in changing the way we supply services to clients; this has helped us to attract clients previously seen as out of reach.“We’ve been able to re-evaluate the needs of customers and develop a new level of service provision more suitable to their needs.

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As a sole trader, Chris’s biggest challenge was marketing his company and ensuring potential clients know about the services he offers. Since undertaking the course he has made significant changes to improve company awareness.

He said: “A review of the business and my leadership style early on in the 20Twenty course made me realise that customers were unaware of all of the services the company offers and the changes I needed to make to improve communication with them.

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We have worked with over 1200 businesses. Here are just a few:

A.N. Richards
Abril Ltd
Admiral
Agincourt Chartered Accountants
Air Covers
BBI Group
BISLEY
British Biocell
Cake Communications
Cancer Research
Cardiff & Vale Credit Union.
Cardiff Glass Ltd
Coda Group
Comcen Ltd
Comtek
Creditsafe Business Solutions
Crownford
Event in a Tent

Frontier Medical Group
General Dynamics
Graham Evans & Partners LLP
Half Tidy Ltd
Hannaman
Heatforce
HMS69 Ltd
Hornbill Engineering ltd
House Name Place
Howel Food Consultancy
HW Corporate Finance
Injury QED
Joyner Group
Leading Edge Group (uk)
Lee Wakemans
Legal & General
Lock-Tech Systems

Logiq3 Ltd
Loosemores Solicitors
Mayberry Pharmacy Ltd
Monmouthshire Housing
Motorcare Motor Factors Ltd
New Link Wales
Oxfam
Paramount Interiors
Park Plaza Hotel Group
Pedal Power
Platts Animal Bedding
Potter Group
Practice Solutions Ltd
Preston Thomas
Promo Cymru
RCT homes
Recovery Cymru
Recruit 121
Russell ipm

Saltmarshe Art Publishers Limited
Science Made Simple
Silver lining
Solray Ltd
Sport Wales
T.B Davies Cardiff
Taff Housing
Tavern Leisure Ltd
Teachers Int Consultancy
The Orchard Media Events and Group
Tidal Energy Limited
Tony King Architects
Vydex Corporation Ltd
Wales Cooperative Centre
Watkins and Davies
Wow Event Hire Ltd
WSP UK

What people say about us

Jake Maddocks

“A brilliant course to bring any business into the 21st century (and beyond). It featured a great mixture of industry experts, guest lecturers, peer-reviewed research, critical thinking, and networking

Jake Maddocks / Heatforce
Vanessa Molloy

“We didn’t really know what to expect from the Help to Grow Management course but it didn’t disappoint. The biggest takeaway for us was to clearly define our sense of purpose as a business, something that was always there but that simply needed to be spelt out.”

Vanessa Molloy / Super Rod
Sophie Williams

“Since starting the 20Twenty Programme, I have enjoyed every minute of it. I feel I have benefited from them all – both in a personal and professional development capacity.

I have already introduced some of the techniques that we’ve practiced in the workshops into my department, and have found that the coaching sessions are a great tool for self-reflection on your current management/leadership style.”

Sophie Williams / Admiral
Ben Cottam

“The 20Twenty programme has been exciting, challenging and personally very valuable. Having the space and opportunity to learn from experts and peers from a range of organisations and to challenge convention on questions around leadership has been vital to me in growing my leadership skills.

These skills have been important in developing my role and impact and the ability to develop my network through the programme has been invaluable.”

Ben Cottam / ACCA Global
Rebecca Iddon

“20Twenty enriched my experience in the workplace, the programme was a great source of learning and support for someone wanting to move their career to the next level. Offering bountiful information that was not just theoretical but offered examples of real-life application I have discovered a leadership style that I didn’t know I was missing. 20Twenty re-ignited my passion for learning and an introduction to a network of professionals that have made an impact on my career and outlook on leadership which I intend to maintain.

I completed the Postgraduate qualification. With executive coaches by your side and first-class lectures and guest speakers, this programme will show you the value of theory-based concepts and new ways of working.”

Rebecca Iddon / Promo Cymru