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 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…
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…
I came away from a client meeting last week with a building company owner really pleased to hear that a new staff performance review system we had introduced had been a great success with the field staff. There is always a risk of these more “corporate-like” processes being resisted strongly by the guys on site…
Want to know the best way to respond to a question from a prospective client on why they should go with you? The following is the beginning of a post on the INC.com website that I read the other day. While they were primarily talking to salesmen in big companies, the 2 suggested sentences are…
Having the right culture in your company is vital to its success. The culture that exists in a company can make or break it, so it is important to make sure the right culture is proactively developed. By not taking a proactive approach the culture will simply evolve in a random way by usually drifting…