To move from where you are in business now to a better place requires change. Change in mindset, change in the way you do things and maybe even change in the mix of people you have working for you. Change is a necessary (and good) thing and something I deal with as part of what…
I don’t usually go out of my way to hear politicians speak, but I attended a recent North Harbour Business Association luncheon to hear the Economic Development Minister, Steven Joyce, give an address on making NZ a Pacific Economic Tiger. With his successful background in business, I was interested to hear what he had to…
I read with alarm the headline in the NZ Herald business section on February 8: “Slump in orders hits building industry”. Surely not, I thought. We are supposed to be on the up, not the down! Reading a bit further I soon discovered that the article was referring to Australia, not NZ. Phew! But it…
I’ve been watching a bit of the Aussie Open tennis from Melbourne over the past week. The biggest talking point is the heat. Air temps of 40 deg C or more, and probably court-side temperatures of 50 plus. I hate the heat, so can only imagine what it’s like playing 5 sets of tennis in…
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…
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’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…
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…