Littlechild & Haley is a specialist, independent internal audit, risk and assurance firm based in Cardiff. Founded by Donna Littlechild and Paul Haley, the business has grown quickly, building a strong client base across the UK and securing places on four public sector frameworks that give over 2,200 organisations a direct route to appoint the firm. The firm has recently joined the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP). Co-founders Donna and Paul share why they applied and their experience of the onboarding process.
What's the story behind Littlechild & Haley?
We founded the business after many years working in internal audit, governance and risk management. We saw that many organisations needed experienced people who could quickly understand their context, build trusted relationships and help boards make better decisions. From the start, the business has been built around a simple purpose: helping organisations manage risks to success.
What made you explore AGP in the first place?
We were at a point where the business was growing quickly, and we wanted to ensure we were scaling the right way. We had strong momentum and a growing client base, but we knew sustainable growth requires structure. AGP felt like the right next step because it focuses on ambitious Welsh businesses with real growth potential, offering the experienced practical support we needed to turn that early success into a more mature, scalable business.
Talk us through the process of actually signing up. Did anything surprise you?
The process was more personal and practical than we expected. We had early conversations with our Relationship Manager, Nicola, and talked through our goals. We felt like she understood our business and our vision. There were some basic administrative steps and a short wait for approval. The positive surprise was how human it felt throughout. Once approval came through, the next step was a kick-off meeting to agree how we'd work together.
What happened once you joined? What did those first few weeks look like?
The focus moved quickly to action. We talked through our priorities and where AGP support could add most value, and capacity, recruitment and HR strategy came up early, given how important that is for a growing professional services firm. The early meetings felt practical: understanding the issue first-hand and shaping support around our actual needs.
Have you been matched with a Relationship Manager? What's that relationship been like?
Yes. Nicola is our Relationship Manager and has been our key contact, helping us think through where our initial support should focus. We've also been introduced to an AGP Equality and Fair Work Champion to explore recruitment, HR and capacity-building support. It's been a positive experience throughout, and we’ve found the support responsive and practical, identifying our real growth constraints and then finding the right specialist support to address them.
What would you say to another business thinking about applying?
Apply, and be ready to be clear about what you need. AGP is most valuable if you have ambition, momentum and honest questions about how to grow sustainably. It's not just about getting support; it's about being willing to listen and accept constructive challenge. When you're close to the day-to-day delivery, that external perspective is hard to get any other way. And it’s like gold dust.
Find out more about how the Accelerated Growth Programme can support your business.
Find out more about Littlechild & Hayley.