bluff and swagger - The psychology of business

Consumers are doing it tough, or so they say, yet wherever we look products are rarely the cheapest you can buy. Food, entertainment, cars etc all have factors affecting the buy, in addition to cost. As business operators we need to be clear on where we sit in the market and ensure the price we are getting is properly aligned with our markets. Easier said than done in such a fluid and unpredictabl...

This topic has been done to death I know, yet so many still seem to be experiencing that feeling of having too much to do and not enough hours to do it. Is it simply a question of capacity? Not from my experience. Join Paul and me as we work through some of the real reasons people are struggling in this area. We hope listening to this discussion proves a productive use of your time. (gulp) Want to...

So often we see the opportunity and we decide to chase it only to find it more elusive than we had first thought. Maybe we weren't clear enough on the goal or maybe we executed poorly. Why did our initial energy and focus ulimately let us down as other distractions and needs took over. Successful outcomes require 3 key ingredients and this is our discussion today. We hope you find it of value. Als...

For many small and medium sized businesses, good ol' sales repping is one of the best ways to secure new clients and ongoing repeat business. For many though this method is a challenge either through a lack of confidence in the sales methodolgy and/or the lack of time to get out and about and meet people. This discussion centres around how to get new prospects, how to manage them and the metho...

It's so hard to keep perspective in business when few, if any, are prepared to give you honest feedback. Deep down we tend to know the habits and traits that don't always serve us well, yet change or even improvement can seem very elusive. This is particularly relevant to owners and managers given the huge influence they have over productivity, culture and 'navigation'. This in its...

Boring old financials, eh? Many small business owners see financials as little more than a compliance requirement — a have to . But what if the reports were simple to understand and could give you a timely heads-up on opportunities to grow, while also highlighting issues that might be holding the business back? How many businesses can afford not to use every tool available to help make their busin...

How frustrating is it when your people: 1. Have a diminished care factor - 'not my problem, I just work here' or 'I just do what I'm told' 2. Won't take accountability for their actions or take ownership of the job at hand. 'Not my fault'. They love to play the victim card, right? Some people just fail to use their initiative to get the project done and are constant...

Businesses get blindsided by issues on a routine basis. What happens when we are struggling to come up with a fast strategy to resolve, or at least improve, the outcome? The tool that assists leaders create relevant actions quickly is outlined in this episode. We hope you find it useful. Also remember to click on the Toolbox link below to grab your free template for fast problem solving. ⁠⁠Ross an...

Marketing consists of several elements which when properly aligned provide an offer that the client/customer will find compelling.  In this episode we overview each and their relationship to one another. We hope you will find this a great starting point, or reminder, on where the focus should be in relationship to this topic.  If you want a delighted client/customer this is a good place to start....

Business is about making money so can values really be a tool for business growth and profitability. If yes, how? Join us as we discuss these questions and explore how values can be a useful tool in improving what we all want in our business - better productivity and, by extension, better profits and sustainability. We'll also look at the methods for developing values and how to integrate them...

Whether starting or buying a business this episode looks at some of the key areas of consideration - the pitfalls, the opportunities and the rewards of being in business along with the psychologic approach needed if you are to be successful. This discussion is a great starting point if you are considering making the leap of faith that is 'going into your own business'. Also remember to cli...

Part of setting up, running, growing and sustaining a business lies, at first, in identifying the elements that Ross (Bluff) and Paul (Swagger) refer to as the scaffold of business.  As usual the discussion seeks to be simple and pragmatic so you can apply some or all of the information easily.   The scaffold is also a great tool for analysing where you are 'now' with a view to delivering...