There are a number of traps we all fall into when it comes to being an effective listener. Do any of these sound familiar? Our mind wanders if we find the topic or speaker uninteresting. We start to evaluate the speaker, rather than their message. We allow distractions to interrupt us. We ‘switch off’ if...Read More

Amanda started a modern and progressive dental surgery three years ago. She had grown the business from nothing, reaching break even quickly through word of mouth and then moving into profitability. But she felt there was so much more potential in her business. When her accountant suggested they sit down to talk through how she...Read More

Ever heard the expression “time is money”? Well, it’s never more true than when it comes to making changes to your business. While change is not something that most people embrace quickly or open-heartedly, if it’s done too cautiously it can flatten revenues, eat profits and lead to business failure. This is particularly true for...Read More

“Despite the fact most of us spend most of our waking lives at work, very few people really enjoy their time in the office,” said Dr Timothy Sharp (aka Dr. Happy), in a recent article. Sound familiar? “Happiness at work has been proven to be associated with higher levels of staff satisfaction and productivity, and therefore,...Read More

Running a business without a business plan is like rock climbing blindfolded. Your chances of making it successfully to the top are slim. And the process will surely be a death-defying one. Contrary to popular practice, a business plan is not a means to securing financing. Instead it is a step-by-step guide to running your...Read More

Every great business was once an idea in someone’s mind. And it’s this continual stream of ideas that keeps a business vibrant and gives it a sustainable competitive advantage. Too often though you’ll hear people say, “I don’t know what else we could do to improve this business” or “We’ve tried lots of things and...Read More

Consider this, whenever a customer (or client) makes a purchase, they take a risk that the product or service will work i.e. it will solve their key problem, concern or frustration. That fact can and does hamper the decision-making process. So when a business removes the risk, it gains more customers. Simple, right? But how...Read More

Stephen runs a construction business specialising in large basements and car parks. The business has been established for 25 years and has grown steadily, with revenue now into eight figures. Unfortunately, profit margins are very slim and last year, Stephen’s business barely broke even and he was unable to draw his usual dividend at the...Read More

A healthy body demands routine checks and examinations. So does a healthy, thriving business. No matter what stage your business is in, to keep it going you must check its systems, pay attention to any ailments and prevent early death. For the newborn business, the goals and system checks are relatively simple. Merely staying alive...Read More

Joe is the CEO of a growing IT consultancy providing network management solutions as well as selling and repairing computer equipment out of a retail store. Joe has two silent partners in the business who tipped in some money to get it going. Joe had grown his team to 25 people. He thought things were...Read More