Good Growth Programme Partnership

West Yorkshire Good Growth has provided the Aim Forward team with expert coaching, peer-to-peer mentoring and training to help us make the move into the B2B environment.

The Good Growth Programme, which is delivered by Oxford Innovation Advice and funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is designed to unlock the potential of expanding companies in the region.

The below Q&A with Matthew and Joanna Timmis provides some information about Aim Forward, our goals and vision, and the support we’ve received from the Good Growth Programme.

Q&A with Matthew & Joanna Timmis 

1. What inspired you to start your business?

We’re passionate about seeing people thrive, and there’s such a huge opportunity in helping individuals and business’ unlock the true potential of neurodivergence.

As a family with lived experience of neurodivergence, we know firsthand the challenges that come with navigating systems that weren’t built with neurodivergent individuals in mind. We’ve worked with students with neurodivergence, mental health conditions and disabilities for over 10 years.

Over the last few years we’ve seen just how society is starting to embrace and celebrate neurodiversity and mental health in ways it’s never done before. It’s incredible how open people now are about the impact their ADHD, dyselxia, autism or anxiety has on their day to day lives, and in the workplace.

It’s powerful to be part of that change, but there’s also still so much more that can be done, and so many more ways business’ can deliver growth and innovation through unlocking the power of neurodivergent minds.

Aim Forward was founded to provide expert, tailored support that empowers organisations and individuals to thrive.

2. What specific services or resources do you provide for neurodivergent individuals?

We provide a range of services designed to support neurodivergence and mental health in the workplace, including:

• Screening & Diagnostic Assessments – Giving people clarity about their neurodivergence

• Workplace Needs Assessments – Identifying practical solutions to help employees and employers create inclusive working environments

• Coaching & Training – Equipping individuals and businesses with the tools and strategies they need to foster success

Our hero service is Workplace Needs Assessments, for those with a neurodivergence, mental or physical health condition, and we’ve built our business around this, as this is where we believe we can make the biggest impact.

Whether it’s delivering productivity gains, changing a company culture from the bottom up, or simply helping an individual find the right tools to learn and work their way, this is what drives us every single day.

We specialise in creating tailored recommendations that remove barriers while also recognising and championing an individuals’ strengths. This not only benefits the individuals receiving support but also ensures businesses are meeting legal obligations and fostering an inclusive culture.

3. Can you share a success story or highlight a significant positive impact your work has had on a client or community?

One of our clients, a talented professional in a fast-paced industry, was on the verge of leaving their job due to overwhelming challenges linked to their ADHD.

Through a Workplace Needs Assessment, we identified adjustments that helped them manage their workload more effectively (including assistive technology, structured task management, and flexible deadlines). With the right support in place, they not only stayed in their role but were later promoted, thriving in a role that had previously felt impossible to sustain.

4. What feedback have you received from neurodivergent individuals or their families about the services you provide?

The most common feedback we receive is probably in relation to validation, that someone finally understands their experiences, coupled with a sense of empowerment knowing they have access to practical, expert-led support.

Many people express that our assessments and coaching have been life-changing, giving them tools they never knew existed and making their environments work for them rather than against them.

We love the feedback we get from our customers and feel privileged to be a part of their journey.

5. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in supporting neurodivergent individuals?

One of the biggest challenges is navigating the lack of awareness and understanding in workplaces. Many employers want to support their neurodivergent employees but don’t know where to start.

There’s also a misconception that adjustments are costly, may only impact one area of staff, or are difficult to implement when, in reality, many solutions are simple, cost-effective and deliver increases in productivity and wellbeing. Everyone benefits. It’s not a zero sum game.

6. Are there any misconceptions about neurodivergence that you’re working to dispel?

Yes, several!

A key one is the myth that neurodivergence is a “weakness” or a barrier to success. The reality is that neurodivergent individuals often bring unique strengths, whether that’s creativity, problem-solving, hyperfocus, or innovation. The challenge isn’t the neurodivergence itself but rather the environments that fail to accommodate it.

Another common misconception is that everyone experiences neurodivergence in the same way. In reality, no two people with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia are exactly alike, which is why personalised support is so essential.

7. What opportunities do you see for growth or expansion in this field?

There is huge potential for growth in this field, especially as more companies recognise the value of neurodiversity in their overall strategic growth and innovation. We see opportunities to expand our impact by:

• Developing more workplace training and consultancy services to help businesses foster genuinely inclusive cultures

• Providing access to screening tools to allow companies to collect and report on disability data

• Scaling our coaching programmes to provide ongoing support beyond the initial assessment phase

• Advocating for policy changes to improve access to workplace and educational accommodations

8. Is there anything additional you’d like to highlight about the work you do?

Neurodiversity is often a small section of an EDI or HR policy as opposed to being an intrinsic part of a business’ strategic growth programme, of which it can be key.

1 in 4 people in the workforce are neurodivergent and if we can support the whole workforce from the bottom up, you will see business benefits through a supportive culture which will help boost productivity, growth and profits.

The businesses that discover Workplace Needs Assessments, which are relatively unknown, often wish they had discovered them sooner and we are on a quest to educate businesses of the benefits.

9. What support has the Good Growth Programme provided you with?

Having built a solid foundation in one-to-one assessments, our challenge lay in reaching businesses that lacked awareness of neurodiversity or those who didn’t know where to begin. This phase of growth demanded a structured sales strategy, lead generation tools, and confidence navigating a commercial B2B environment.

We knew how to run a successful business, but in previous business models we’d never had to sell; customers would come to us automatically, because we were the best at what we did.

The West Yorkshire Good Growth Programme gave us access to expert coaching, marketing, and sales training, and a network of like-minded businesses. We received brilliant support and connections from Ian Hargreaves and team at Your Engine Room and Georgia Halston and team at Halston Marketing, thanks to the Good Growth Programme.

With their expert support we’ve been able to build a scalable B2B sales funnel, connect with peer businesses and potential collaborators. This included forming partnerships with complementary service providers, strengthening their offer, and expanding our impact.

In addition, we’ve signed up to the second cohort of the Good Growth programme, appointed an innovative marketing manager, accessed strategic campaign support from Good Growth and team members have joined tailored training sessions to broaden in-house capability.

10. What would you say to anyone considering working with Good Growth programme?

The Good Growth programme has been amazing for us, and a much-needed support to overcome the challenges of scaling sustainably. The expertise and network it allowed us to tap into has been a key driver of so many new client relationships.

We’ve brought on board a new marketing manager and now we have clear sales process and pipeline in place, with our sales going from strength to strength. Thank you and we would highly recommend it to any ambitious SME looking to deliver growth.

Images by Roth Read Photography with thanks.