Lauren Guthrie, entrepreneur and finalist from the first series of The Great British Sewing Bee, is weaving a bold new chapter for her Birmingham-based business, Guthrie & Ghani, following a transformative experience on the government-backed Help to Grow: Management Course.
Guthrie, a leading figure in the UK’s sewing and craft scene, founded the business with her husband in 2013, turning her lifelong passion into a thriving enterprise in Moseley. What began as a fabric and haberdashery store has grown into a multifaceted lifestyle brand encompassing a retail shop, e-commerce platform, and a sewing school that has become a hub for creative makers across the UK and beyond.
In 2023, determined to scale further, Guthrie enrolled in the Help to Grow: Management Course delivered by Aston Business School—one of the Small Business Charter-accredited institutions offering the programme. The course, designed to equip small business leaders with strategic tools and mentoring, proved pivotal in Guthrie’s next big move: acquiring one of her key suppliers.
“The course completely changed my frame of mind,” Guthrie said. “It gave me the confidence to take the leap and the strategic understanding of how to evaluate opportunities and build a business structure to support growth. That’s what propelled Guthrie & Ghani forward.”
The acquisition, completed in November 2023, allowed the business to expand its product offering and enter B2B markets, complementing its already-strong direct-to-consumer base. Since then, the company has grown its team to 15, including the appointment of an operations manager to support continued and sustainable expansion.
As a mother of three young children, Guthrie works three days a week—making focus, systems and strategy crucial to her success.
“I absolutely love sewing and making my own clothes, and I want others to experience that same sense of creativity and pride,” she said. “The course helped me put the right structures in place to grow while staying true to my ethos and maintaining a healthy work–life balance. Now I know my time is spent on what really matters.”
Today, Guthrie & Ghani operates across three core pillars: retail, education, and community. Its product range includes handpicked dressmaking fabrics, haberdashery, sewing patterns and kits, alongside a growing calendar of in-person and online sewing courses.
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, praised Guthrie’s story as a model of how small businesses can scale with the right support.
“Lauren is a fantastic example of how creativity, when combined with strategic leadership, can lead to real economic and social impact,” Hamilton said. “Her journey from Sewing Bee finalist to successful business owner shows the value of empowering female-led enterprises with the tools and networks to grow. We’re proud to support leaders like Lauren through Help to Grow: Management.”
The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 90% government-funded leadership and development programme for SMEs. Delivered by a nationwide network of Small Business Charter-accredited business schools, the 12-week course includes online and in-person sessions, 10 hours of 1-to-1 mentoring, and extensive peer networking. Its mission is to boost UK productivity and economic resilience by strengthening leadership in small businesses.
