Specialist support for ambitious businesses of all sizes to access finance, innovate, digitise, and explore new markets—across East Sussex.
Ambition to Action is a business support programme to help businesses drive economic growth across East Sussex. We can help you with our expertise in growth strategy, innovation and unlocking sustainable success.
Bespoke approach to turning your ambition to growth.
Receive 1:1 support from a local Business Adviser that is impartial and tailored to the specific needs of your business.
We begin by helping you clarify your growth objectives and align them with your long-term vision; this focuses on mapping out the priorities that will drive sustainable progress for your business.
Using proprietary tools such as GROWTHmapper® and GrowthCanvas™, alongside market-leading platforms like GrantFinder and Beauhurst, we conduct a detailed diagnostic to uncover growth barriers and identify new opportunities for funding, partnerships, and expansion.
We create a tailored action plan designed to accelerate your growth. This includes facilitating peer-to-peer connections and introducing you to the wider business support network and ecosystem in East Sussex, ensuring you have access to collaborative opportunities.
For businesses with significant growth potential, and who face a challenge or opportunity that requires specific support, we will make an introduction to a specialist consultant who is experienced or qualified in that particular field. The aim of this intervention is to maximise the growth prospects for your business.
Thorough, understanding and realistic. I often expect professionals to want my business type to fit into a standard kitchen category, but Alastair & Richard both approached the support with a realistic view on what I could do, what makes it different and how to move things forward. Highly recommend.
Working with Kerry on the Ambition to Action Programme has been incredibly valuable for my business. Kerry supported me in identifying and applying for grants, clarifying my business goals, and developing a clear, actionable growth plan. I also benefited from specialist social media support. I now feel confident that The Sustainable Sequin Company is well positioned for future growth.
To be honest, it’s given me really good food for thought even since the last session. You know, I wouldn’t have really thought about trade marking. I’ve got that done now. You know, there’s lots of things that I can see I want to do and will need to build into the next few weeks, but I feel like I’m actually making progress now on building the business. So that’s good, really good.
Working with Kerry has been motivating and really insightful. The regular check-ins have kept business development firmly on the agenda, and the structured support has helped me stay focused on strategy in a way that one-off workshops simply can’t. The ongoing support has helped me prioritise strategic development in a way that creates real momentum.
Ambition to Action is for established and trading businesses in East Sussex (Eastbourne, Lewes, Rother, or Wealden) with under 250 employees that want to grow.
If your business is operating across many of East Sussex’s sectors such as the creative, cultural and digital industries; construction and engineering; agricultural and environmental services; food services; visitor and cultural economy, or located in a rural or coastal community, we can help you with our expertise in growth strategy, innovation and unlocking growth barriers.
No, the programme is fully funded—there’s no cost to join.
It runs as a tailored journey, typically over several weeks, depending on your business growth needs.
You’ll need to commit time to work with a Business Adviser and engage with your action plan.
It helps local businesses get help with growth plans to overcome challenges.
Ambition to Action will enhance productivity, foster sustainable business practices, and enable businesses in East Sussex respond effectively to technological shifts and evolving market demands.
Ambition to Action ES is no longer recruiting businesses, as all programme places have now been filled. The East Sussex Growth Hub can provide more tailored guidance and signposting.
Further support resource:
