Chamber showcases funding advice

Shropshire Chamber of Commerce showcased its ‘Finance Finder’ service for growing companies during a presentation at a county funding seminar.

Jenny Pearson, the Chamber’s head of commercial success, was among the speakers at the Summer Funding Summit, held at Shrewsbury Town FC’s Croud Meadow.

The event – a collaboration between Shropshire Growth Hub, Invest Telford, the British Business Bank and the Chamber – brought together a wide range of speakers including local authorities, business angels and development capital specialists.

Jenny guided delegates through the workings of the Chamber’s Finance Finder platform, which simplifies and speeds up the funding process by matching businesses with relevant finance opportunities across loans, equity, grants and commercial funding routes.

The platform provides access to a wide range of local and national contacts and delivers tailored matches based on each business’s needs and eligibility. It also links companies to wider support through Invest in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin’s finance and support finder services, ensuring firms can explore every available avenue.

Jenny said one of the Chamber’s key objectives was to simplify the funding landscape for its members and partners.

“The Finance Finder is a digital platform designed to help businesses identify and access finance quickly and confidently. Most importantly, it focuses on facilities that are relevant to your particular business. It does some of the heavy lifting for you when it comes to identifying and applying for funding.”

She added that the Summit reinforced how vital it is for businesses to have a clear route to the right funding.

“The finance landscape has changed dramatically. Businesses need fast, simple access to the full range of funding options – and that’s exactly what our Finance Finder provides. The Summit showed just how valuable this kind of support is, especially at a time when firms are navigating tighter lending conditions and more complex application processes.”

The Chamber Finance Finder offers:

• A single, easy-to-use platform to explore funding options
• Tailored matches across loans, equity and grants
• Local and national contacts for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin businesses
• Direct links to wider support services and funding databases
• A streamlined process that reduces the time and complexity of searching for finance

“Whether you’re looking to hire staff, invest in equipment, boost cash flow or launch something new, Finance Finder gives you access to a wide range of funding opportunities in one place,” Jenny said.

The Summit brought together lenders, investors, advisers and entrepreneurs for a full day of expert sessions, networking and practical guidance. It highlighted both the challenges and opportunities facing Shropshire businesses seeking finance to diversify, or grow.

Among the speakers was multi-millionaire entrepreneuir Mo Chaudry, who spoke of the importance of following your instinct and taking risks to succeed in business.

He explained how he had used a ‘gut feeling’ to support successful entrepreneurs, including Oscar-winning movie maker Rachel Shenton, and Eddie Hall who became the World’s Strongest Man.