HTA members are being offered a new business mentoring scheme titled ‘Making it Happen’, championed by former garden centre operator Steve Myatt.

Available in 2015, it is designed to complements the established HTA Retail Business Improvement Scheme (RBIS).

Garden retailers will work with an experienced mentor on developing and implementing business plans, setting priorities and keeping improvements on track with monthly benchmarking. The focus will be on results rather than theoretical standards.

The programme includes a business appraisal visit, monthly key performance indicator (KPI)monitoring, reporting, and benchmarking and three group meetings annually.

Former GCA chairman Steve Myatt of Garden Retail Success Ltd, who are running the programme, said: “The response to the Making It Happen programme has shown that businesses appreciate the focus on their own business in terms of detailed analysis and development that assists in growing their business performance. The fact that the programme also works with the business to implement agreed improvements means they actually are done and the business therefore develops.”

Directors Bill Brett and Joy Lamb of Garden Retail Success say the programme is a structured integrated approach to garden retailing and provides mechanisms to support best practice and results tracking.