The nature of the client-personal business advisor relationship within Business Link

The paper reports upon the findings of a national survey of Personal Business Advisors (PBAs). It examines the nature of the client-PBA relationship in terms of how relationships are established with growth firms and how they are maintained over the long term. Results show that a range of different approaches are currently used to identify growth businesses. Other findings indicate that the current role of the PBA is a broad one, extending beyond the client focus originally envisaged by the DTI. It is argued that financial targets are an important influence upon the nature of the client-PBA relationship.