Why camels are a great metaphor in business
Camels. I think they’re pretty ugly and they spit. But that aside they’re one of the most resilient creatures on the planet. They survive in stinking hot deserts all [...]
20
11, 2020
18
11, 2020
The Camel and the Unicorn
The Camel and the Unicorn. One has been around for millions of years and will continue to do so. The other is a mythical creature symbolising magic and miraculous growth. Which one [...]
12
11, 2020
Hitting the ground running in Jan 2021
It's almost the end of the year. What you do now will set you up for a great 2021. You either relax and take a break after all your hard [...]
10
11, 2020
Reboot, revitalise & thrive in 2021
Well, it's November and it's almost the end of the year. It's mission critical time! Why? Because it's the time where you either set yourself up for a great 2021 or you [...]
13
10, 2020
Knowing your “why” isn’t enough…
Simon Sinek popularised the importance of knowing your “Why”. This is especially important when you’re in business. Because when times get tough, as they inevitably do, it’s crucial to know what’s driving [...]
4
08, 2020
Flawed thinking – which stunts your growth
If I were to ask you who your market was, how specific would you be? Would you say, “potentially everyone”, or could you narrow it right down to specific people experiencing specific [...]
23
07, 2020
What advice would you give your younger business self?
What advice would you give to your 11 year old self? I’ve been watching a group of successful people do just that. We’ve been in business 20 years, which got [...]
5
06, 2020
6 questions you should be asking yourself…
As we come out of lockdown and enter a new phase, none of us really knows what the new normal will look like. My name’s Rashid Kotwal. Here are some [...]
25
05, 2020
What’s your post Covid strategy?
As we come out of lockdown and enter a new phase, what will that look like for you? Will it be more of the same or have you really thought about what [...]
19
05, 2020
The ball is always in your court!
What a difference a few weeks make! Opportunities are everywhere. You just have to look and more importantly, take action! A mastermind member who deals with commercial real estate investment was in [...]
14
05, 2020
“The best question you ever asked me…”
The Chinese symbol for crisis denotes both danger and opportunity. Both of which we’re experiencing with the pandemic. My name’s Rashid Kotwal. Over the last few weeks I’ve spoken [...]
12
05, 2020
Crisis & Opportunity
The Chinese symbol for crisis denotes both danger and opportunity. Both of which we’re experiencing with the pandemic. While a lot of businesses have massively suffered, a significant number have found new [...]
7
05, 2020
When the going gets tough…
Agility, resilience, resourcefulness. The three hall marks of every successful person be it in business or life in general. And never more pertinent than in times like these. My [...]
5
05, 2020
How agile, resilient and resourceful are you?
Agility, resilience, resourcefulness. The three hall marks of every successful person – be it in business or life in general. And never more useful than in times like these. Agility in business [...]
30
04, 2020
How to delegate and get leverage…
As a leader do you ever find yourself saying any of this? Nobody can do it as well as I can. If you want it done right, you just have [...]
27
04, 2020
Leverage!
Leverage! Archimedes famously said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” Ultimately, leverage is about increasing efficiency across the [...]
14
04, 2020
Reaffirming your value…
It would be an understatement to say that the world’s in turmoil. So when confronted with a situation there are different ways we can deal with it. We can apply expansive or [...]
7
04, 2020
Opportunity or threat? You decide…
Right now we’re in the middle of the Covid-19 storm. And while we’re all battening down the hatches, at some point the storm will pass. And we need to prepare to be [...]
2
04, 2020
Are you choosing fear or expansion?
Right now the world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket. Fear and uncertainty rules. Having said that, you have a choice. You can retreat, bunker down [...]
30
03, 2020
Moving from chaos to order
Right now the world seems to be going to hell in a hand-basket. Fear and uncertainty rules. As a species, we crave order, structure and leadership. We can’t control everything that’s happening. [...]
19
03, 2020
Sleep with one eye open…
Fires, floods, now pestilence with Covid-19. We live in an age of disruption. So it’s not a case of if, but a case of when something unforeseen will come up. [...]
17
03, 2020
No man is an island…
In business there’s only so much you can do alone. Ultimately, your business will only grow if there’s leverage. Which comes from people. Sustained growth and profitability comes from staff who are [...]
12
03, 2020
Why your organisation’s culture matters…
Your organisation’s growing rapidly. How do you hire the right people? What should you be looking for? My name’s Rashid Kotwal. There are three predominant ways companies hire people. But [...]
26
02, 2020
The Dreamer, Realist & Critic
Every business faces risks. Some you can control, others not. Either way you must have plans to mitigate them or risk oblivion. In our recent mastermind session, 20 mid-sized business owners discussed [...]
20
02, 2020
Starting with the end in mind…
Does your business provide you with short, medium and long term income? My name’s Rashid Kotwal. When working with growth focused business owners we emphasise it’s crucial to keep the [...]
17
02, 2020
How to set your priorities correctly….
Success comes through focusing on what’s important and getting it done. One of the most important concepts in business is the Pareto Principle or 80/20 rule. Where 20% of your efforts will [...]
19
12, 2019
How are you keeping score?
Imagine playing a competitive game with no scoring mechanism. No way of determining a winner or loser. It’s an oxymoron and there’d be no point. So why wouldn’t we apply this to [...]
17
12, 2019
Could “complacency” kill your business?
Every business must re-invent itself periodically. Past success is no guarantee for future growth. In business you’re either growing or dying. There’s no room for complacency. To stay ahead of the S-Curve [...]
12
12, 2019
A “Vision” without [this] is just a pipe dream!
According to Hebrew proverbs, Where there is no vision, the people perish. And as the Cheshire Cat said to Alice, if you don’t know where you want to get to, any road [...]
10
12, 2019
What drives you? Money, time, status, happiness?
Money, time, status and happiness. Ultimately we’re all striving for one or more of these in life. And arguably one of the most effective ways of achieving these is through business. Why? [...]
2
12, 2019
Vision – Strategy – Plan for 2020?
It’s coming up to the silly season. Lots of merriment and parties before Christmas. Not a lot gets done. Or does it? Back in the 70’s, 80’s and even early 90’s that [...]
28
11, 2019
The greatest influencer of your success is…
In any field, one of the greatest influencers of your success is your attitude of being of service. Zig Ziglar summed the mindset up beautifully, “You can get everything in life you [...]
26
11, 2019
Where are you on the S-Curve?
When working with business owners we start by asking them where on the S-curve they are. Are they experiencing instability where there’s feast and famine. Often more work than they can handle, [...]
29
10, 2019
Do you control your business, or does it control you?
As a business leader, do you control your business, or does it control you? Not sure? Take these scenarios. As the captain, you’ve clearly articulated your vision and have a strategic road [...]
15
10, 2019
Are your people square pegs in round holes?
Growing a business isn’t easy. One of the hardest things to get right is having the right people in the right roles. Which is especially true in sales. I can’t tell you [...]
3
09, 2019
Flawed thinking…
If I were to ask you who your market was, how specific would you be? Would you say, “potentially everyone”, or could you narrow it right down to specific people experiencing specific [...]
28
08, 2019
Test, tweak & refine – your keys to success
Smart business leaders understand two principles summed up in these two sentiments. “No plan survives first contact with the enemy” and “Feedback is the breakfast of champions”. In business much is made [...]
19
08, 2019
The VMS model underpinning business success…
Why did you get started in business? What’s your vision? What do you want to achieve? And how are you going about implementing this? Every successful business owner has a vision for [...]
19
06, 2019
Is complacency killing your business?
We’re heading into difficult economic waters. People are more careful with their money. So it’s more prudent than ever to protect your customer base, keeping them in the fold while locking out [...]
28
05, 2019
Sales team underperforming? Do this…
You’ve hired salespeople to fuel your growth. You had high expectations but time’s passed and they’re not getting the results you’d hoped for. It’s all too common a scenario, so what’s gone [...]