So you’ve been in business for a few years. You’ve developed your product or service, marketed it and you know how to keep your customers happy. You’ve grown some – you have probably taken on some staff and perhaps moved into some premises. And you might even have raised or Read more…
In my work as an investor and turnaround consultant I am sent details on multiple businesses every week. Some are for sale, some are distressed and some don’t even exist yet but they are looking for investment. Their slick pitch decks and Information Memoranda give a veneered story both of Read more…
This is the first line of a quote from the 13th Century Persian poet Rumi – the whole quote reads as follows: “Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open. You were born with wings, why do you prefer to crawl through life?” And so Read more…
A huge omission in current business literature is that it doesn’t mention anything about how it will change you – in ways you couldn’t possibly have anticipated. Sure you’ll learn more about accounts, sales and marketing and management, but the real and surprising changes will come in your personality. Here’s Read more…
Very early on in my business life an experienced business person shared this with me: “95% of the business advice you receive will be from the 95% of people who aren’t running a business” The metrics have changed over the past 30 years – many more people are running their Read more…
Did you hear the one about the payroll department who can only divide by 12? The following conversation took place during the Coronavirus outbreak… Business Owner: I need to decide who to furlough in June. Me: Well don’t forget you can unfurlough them mid-month so you can change your decision Read more…
Did you know that every owner manager is three people rolled into one? Allow me to explain… Firstly you are the owner. It was your idea and your money that made it all happen in the first place. And most likely it continues to be your ideas and money that Read more…
One of the most common pieces of business advice you will see across social media and the popular business press is this: Never, ever, give up. This advice comes in many different guises such as ‘persistence pays’, ‘consistency is key’ and ‘all you have to do is get up one Read more…
One of the assumptions in the world of business is that growth is good whereas stagnation or retraction is bad. In reality what happens in SME’s is that some years are good and some years are average or even bad, but you nevertheless always have this pressure that you should Read more…
Obviously because of what I do I help a lot of business owners who are struggling – and I often find it’s their thoughts that need more work than their business. If you’ve been running a business for any length of time then it’s easy to become submerged in the Read more…