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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Why did you get into business in the first place? What did you aspire to? If it was to eventually get time, money and lifestyle freedom, are you on track? If not, [...]
We have a simple axiom in business. Provide as much value as possible to your clients. And get paid well for doing so. But many businesses stop short. Sure you solve the [...]
Do you have a clear 12 month strategy and direction for your business? Have 90 day plans which outline exactly what you’ll focus on to maximise growth? No? You’re not alone. Working [...]
Traffic, conversion and economics are the bedrock principles underlying all business profitability. Traffic is the number of prospects you see. Conversion is the percentage of prospects who become clients. Economics is how [...]
Do you have a clear 12 month strategy and direction for your business? Have 90 day plans which outline exactly what you’ll focus on to maximise growth? No? You’re not alone. Working [...]
Are you a business owner? If so what business model are you using? Is it a practice, business or hybrid? Here’s why knowing your model is truly important. It all comes down [...]
Over 20 years coaching business leaders we’ve observed most spend their time fighting fires, handling urgent (and often unimportant) tasks rather than focusing on what brings in the money. In short, running [...]
When working with clients we stress that value is in the eye of the beholder. Meaning that what you think is important and what your customer thinks is important are often not [...]
As a business leader when was the last time you asked your clients for feedback on how you’re going? What they’re happy with? Unhappy with? Where you could improve? Be honest. This [...]
In over 18 years consulting we’ve worked with two broad types of clients. See which type you fall into. The first are professional consultants who essentially just want to consult. They’re technicians [...]
When working with business clients on mindset, strategy, marketing and sales, one area which intersects is pricing. How you go about setting your pricing is an area many businesses struggle with. From [...]
When working with clients we spend significant time working on their mindset and vision. Why they’re in business and what they want to achieve. Not just for themselves, but their employees and [...]
Meetings, meetings, meetings. Unfortunately a lot of meetings are simply talk fests. People go round in circles, discussions go nowhere and the only outcome is another meeting. Monumental waste of time. So [...]
“I’m REALLY frustrated! Everything seems to sit on my shoulders. My staff don’t take responsibility, stuff doesn’t get done on time, mistakes happen. I’m working very long hours. I’m tearing my hair [...]
It’s the start of 2019. I know it’s going to be an exciting year. Especially if you’re in business. This is our 19th year in business and if there’s one thing we’ve [...]
People buy your product or service because they: Recognise they have a problem Want to solve it Are willing to pay for the solution If what you’re selling doesn’t fulfil these criteria, [...]
Announcing: 1 Day Strategic Planning Session - Get yourself ready for 2019 It's now mid October. The year's gone by amazingly fast and it's nearly Christmas. Is your business at the level [...]
In our experience many professional consultants make three strategic mistakes that stunt their growth. Thinking you can provide value to “everyone” in your broad market. You can’t. Not narrowing down the issues [...]
Growing your business means bringing in new clients while servicing the ones you’ve got. Coming up with new products and services and possibly branching out into new markets. Do all this and [...]
The crowd was hushed. The anticipation was palpable in the air. The Hare had finally convinced the Tortoise to race him in the national cross country carnival. The starter’s gun went bang. [...]
No matter what your organisation produces, be it a product or service, you have to continually innovate or someone else will disrupt you! As the world moves ever faster, it is your [...]
Want more business? I’m willing to bet there’s stuff right beneath your nose if only you took the trouble to ask the right questions of the right people. Start with your current [...]
Are you familiar with Steven Covey’s principle of putting big rocks first? i.e. Filling a large jar with rocks and sand? How you need to put in the big rocks first, then [...]
In a number of recent conversations with clients I’ve been reminded of old adage, “Be careful what you wish for. You may get it and find it’s not what you really wanted”. [...]
There is a principle that is critical to your success in your career and/or business. Not apply it correctly and consistently and you’re likely to be doomed to mediocrity while running around [...]
How would you feel if you went out of your way for someone and got no acknowledgement? Or you gave a present and got no thank you? Chances are you’d wonder about [...]
It was the unlikeliest of places to learn some profound business lessons. Niederhorn is one of the local mountains easily reached from Interlaken via the Postal Bus and a Cable Car. It [...]
You probably know squirrels hide hundreds of nuts over the summer so they have enough food in the lean months. But did you also know they do this because they can’t find [...]
Very few books have fundamentally changed my business thinking. One was “Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant”. If you’re in business and haven’t read it, [...]
Early in my career I learned a harsh lesson.I was in corporate IT sales and uncovered a burning issue for a prospect. He needed a quick solution and asked me to create [...]
Disharmony and Conflict. Every relationship – be it in business or personal will experience both at times and pay an emotional and/or financial price for mismanaging it. Over the years I’ve been [...]
Feedback. It’s the breakfast of champions. But asking scares the pants off many people. They’re scared of what they’ll be told. How they’ll cope with negativity. It’s ironic, because that almost never [...]
Imagine you suddenly need life saving surgery. Would you tell your surgeon how to operate? Chances are you’d be told, “It’s my way or the highway”. So as an expert in your [...]
