Less than 5% of businesses ever hit £1M.  Not because the market’s against them, but because the owner stays stuck in "do-er mode."  

The difference between a c£200K business and a £1M business isn’t luck, it’s leadership.  Great business owners learn to step out of the chaos and build a structure that can thrive without them.

In a small business, it’s easy to focus only on the next deadline, the next challenge, or the next problem to solve. But, pausing to celebrate success can make a huge difference.

Whilst I understand that there is a need to ‘cut your cloth’ when business is tough, trimming away the wrong investments is potentially catastrophic. Downturns don’t last forever. 

SMEs that treat them as opportunities; to market smarter, build stronger teams, and plan with purpose, emerge fitter and more competitive.

When I hear a small business owner say that they don’t have a business plan, I know it's not because they don't need one - it's because something deeper is holding them back.

Business mentoring delivers measurable ROI from revenue growth to improved wellbeing, but only when clear KPIs are agreed at the outset.

Spot the red flags of PITA clients, learn how they drain your business, and see why saying no opens the door to better opportunities.

Time is the one commodity we don’t get back and we shouldn’t waste it. Here are five ways to make sure you can deliver a sales pitch with impact.

You have competition, less talented, less qualified and less experienced than you and your team, that are winning because they are just getting stuff out there!

A pause can feel like you’re stalling.  Worrying that taking time out to restructure or rethink will lose you momentum, that competitors will pull ahead, that your business is in trouble.  In reality, it’s often the opposite – trust the process.

Tired of doing it all yourself? Discover why your business can’t outgrow you and how self-leadership is the key to real freedom and team success.

When you picture a successful small business owner, you often see the trappings of success, the nice house, the car, the holidays abroad etc.  What you don’t see is the cost behind the curtain.

Promoting the wrong person can often drain your finances and morale due to lost productivity, disengaged teams and missed deadlines.  It eats up time, energy and focus you don’t have.  Does “Why can’t they just do the job I pay them to?” sound familiar?

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of speaking at the inaugural West Yorkshire Conference, run by We Are Wakefield.  I was part of an expert panel being interviewed on ‘Developing leadership skills’.

Could Mentoring be the catalyst for the UK’s next generation of business leaders? 🚀

About time the UK caught up with our friends over the pond.

Hi Gary

How to drive your business forward

This week Gem and I went to the Lakes for a couple of days to bond and to scope out some event venues.  As part of the mini trip, we looked at various outdoor activities that we could do.

Axe throwing was full, Archery - neither of us confessed to being Robin Hood, quad biking didn’t appeal due to the rain, so we plumped for a 4x4 off road driving experience in a Land Rover.

We’ve all been there, you’ve had a very busy day but got absolutely nothing done.  No matter how many hours you work, the to-do list always gets longer not shorter.  AAARGH!!

One of the questions I get asked by clients is “How do you get through so much work whilst running three growing businesses?”.

I don’t think USPs exist as they did.  The reality is that there is always another business out there doing what you do with better credentials, greater experience, and more qualifications.

So how do you compete in a crowded market?

One of the biggest headaches I hear about when chatting to small business owners is that “I can’t seem to find a team that cares as much as I do!”

“I may as well do it myself!” is a common phrase I hear and there is nothing more frustrating than working longer hours after your team has disappeared for the day.

This time last week we were in the middle of running a Masterclass for some of our VIP clients, contacts and selected guests.

The day was split into five, to help those that attended to develop their future business goals & build out a plan.

For a majority of business owners, the lead-time or burn time as I call it is typically three to four months.  This is the average time from a (qualified) prospect engaging with you and them placing the order. So, when you have a poor sales month, it is rarely what you did or didn’t do this month.  It is what you did or didn’t do three to four months ago. Here are the usual reasons why: