A couple of months back I met with a prospective client (who have since hired me) to talk about their business and why it wasn’t going as well as it could. They sent me their business plan ahead of time so I could familiarise myself with their situation. Their plan was very comprehensive and while…
There is a formula in business (one of many!) that states: Decisions x Actions = Results If you can make GOOD decisions, and do something about implementing them, then you are likely to achieve good RESULTS. This made perfect sense to me when I was shown the formula as part of a wider discussion about…
Need your car serviced? Don’t go to Just Autos in Takanini, aka Auckland Mobile Mechanics 24/7, unless you are feeling brave. The only positive thing to come from my experience with Just Autos was a great blog topic of how NOT to run a company. I recently purchased a second hand Mazda RX8 on the…
Being the owner of a small business is one of the loneliest jobs in the world. As owners, you have no one to complain to, and you are constantly solving problems, often other people’s problems. It’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated with a sale you loose to a low-ball offer, mounting paperwork and escalating…
So, it’s November already. The year is fast drawing to a close and 2014 is just around the corner. Scary, but also a chance for a fresh start and to really achieve better results than last year. So what are you going to do different in 2014 that will actually make a change in your…
I am being lazy this week and presenting a blog article by a fellow contractors coach, Joseph Hughes of Contractor Dynamics. I really like a lot of what this guy has to suggest for contractors as he shares many of the same ideals and ideas that I do, particularly in the marketing area. Although he…
I’m not a great moviegoer, but even if you are like me, you must have heard the odd wise saying of the little winkly guy from Star Wars, Yoda. I was at a client’s office the other day and we agreed on a specific action point that warranted making it into a calendar event, so…
Who has put hours of effort into pricing a job only to loose it to someone else that the client says just, “feels better”? Everyone, right? This can be even more frustrating if the other guy has put in a higher bid! Why didn’t you get the job? Your price was competitive. You do quality…
I never thought I would really get into the America’s Cup competition this time. I had consigned it in my mind to “mega rich egos playing with the rules to suit themselves” type of carry-on. Maybe it’s the fantastic TV coverage or the closer than expected racing at times on these ridiculous boats; but I…
It was sad to read in the NZ Herald today that a roading contractor wins an industry award one day and the next day is put into receivership. What’s up with that!? How could an obvious industry best practice operator get it so wrong? Also, how could the judges of the awards get it so…