Our Case Studies

Explore our business journey and insights through detailed case studies showcasing our innovative solutions.

Scaling the UK’s Largest Mentoring Programme

Sector: Business Support / Government Programme Delivery
Lead Consultant: Ben Jacobs, Director and Senior Programme Manager - Energised Project Solutions
Contract: Department for Business & Trade – Help to Grow: Management Course
Delivery Model: Consortium with national partners

man standing in front of people sitting beside table with laptop computers

Project Overview

The Client was appointed to deliver mentoring services for the UK Government’s flagship Help to Grow: Management course — a complex, high-visibility initiative designed to support SME leaders across the UK.

At project inception, the Client was a small professional body with limited reach and infrastructure. To meet programme targets, they needed to:

Scale operations nationally within months
Recruit and train thousands of qualified business mentors
Establish robust reporting, quality assurance and stakeholder engagement
Integrate with partner organisations and government departments
Demonstrate measurable outcomes to civil servants, ministers and delivery stakeholders

people sitting down near table with assorted laptop computers

Success Story

Within 12 months of project inception:

📈 Revenue increased by 5000%+
👥 Membership base grew 25-fold
🌐 National delivery footprint established
🏆 Recognised as the world’s largest professional business mentoring programme
🎓 Training programmes earned ILM recognition, enhancing credibility and impact

The Solution

Ben Jacobs was seconded as Programme Lead to manage and grow Client’s delivery capacity. Working within a consortium model, he led on:

Recruitment & Training:
- Onboarded over 6,000 mentors
- Delivered 2,000+ ILM-certified training completions (Levels 3, 5 and 7)
Digital & Operational Transformation:
- Designed and implemented a full digital infrastructure
- Oversaw data integration and reporting using Power BI & Excel
- Transitioned the organisation from local delivery to scalable, national reach
Stakeholder Engagement:
- Built partnerships with FSB, IoD, Chambers of Commerce and others
- Managed senior relationships with ministers, civil servants, and national education bodies
Governance & Reporting:
- Set up performance tracking, KPIs, and contract compliance
- Navigated a multi-agency matrix environment with clear communication and delivery frameworks

Lessons Learned

Agile leadership combined with structured governance enables rapid and sustainable growth
Public sector projects require both delivery precision and political dexterity
Investing in digital tooling early unlocks operational scale

🗣️ What the Client Said

“The delivery of the programme exceeded all expectations. Ben’s leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to manage scale under pressure were instrumental in establishing us as a national leader in mentoring.”
- Company Director

"Ben is an excellent Project Manager. As one of the delivery partners in an extremely complex project, Ben managed the multiple partners and numerous aspects of the projects very well. Ben has always communicated clearly and openly and I have built a strong working relationship with him. He has developed some excellent systems and clear processes to support them and lead the project to deliver on its aims to the benefit of all partners. I would definitely recommend Ben for any similar role"

"Standout project management with exceptional collaboration skills are rare, and Ben perfectly exemplifies both."

"Ben's analytical skills and attention to detail have ensured that the project remained on track, within budget, and adhered to the highest quality standards. His hands-on approach and willingness to dive into the details, while maintaining a clear view of the strategic objectives, have been pivotal in navigating challenges and identifying opportunities for process improvement."