The Accidental Business Owner - For Conscientious Owner Managers looking to Grow | Scale | Exit.

Do you know, where you're going? (And is everyone else following you there) In the last episode, we looked at Mission Statement and the importance that EVERY business develops one.  Following on from that are a set of CLEAR OBJECTIVES. Whilst Jim Collins book "Good to Great" is some years old now, the principles run as true today as when it was first written.  Helping to ensure the right...

When people hear the word Mission Statement, many assume this to be associated with large corporate organisations, with a fancy poster on the Head Quarters Wall! And yet, as a former Rapid Deployment Soldier in the British Armed Forces, I cannot begin to tell you the importance that everyone in your company knows, understands and subscribes wholeheartedly to the Mission! In today's Podcast, we loo...

Throughout all my time's networking or in social gatherings, whenever I mention the word coaching, I'll invariably hear someone ask "Is coaching right for me?" or "Am I ready to be coached?" So today's episode is dedicated to those uncertain as to whether coaching is the right solution for them, and offers the 7 considerations to review before engaging with a coach. Within the podcast, I also ment...

Taken from one of our SCALEUP MAsterclasses, this episode looks at the 7 hurdles EVERY business owner faces as they take their business from Growth to SCALE. Our research (of over 115,000 SME businesses) has recognised there are 7 KEY area's within EVERY business that has to be aligned for the business to push past Growth and into SCALE. This episode looks at each of these in order of priority and...

I wanted to share with you something completely new that we've started doing! Every week, we host. a FREE TO ATTEND, LIVE and INTERACTIVE zoom session entitled the #ADDAZERO ScaleUp sessions.  Whoever is first on the call, gets to join me in picking a random page from the #ADDAZERO Scale Up (BaseCamp) Book, from which we will take the subject heading, and then discuss that with those on the c...

In the last episode, we spoke about the importance of having a mission. And back in episode 4, we talked about your BFHAG (Big Fat Hairy Audacious Goal). The importance of thinking BIG. Well, today, I’m delighted to share I’ve got a real treat, as this SPECIAL EDITION episode is an interview with someone who, in 2007 decided to think….GLOBAL. B1G1 is a global business giving movement on a mission...

We start today with a question: What does the word SUCCESS mean to you? You see, despite the Oxford English Dictionary determining success to be:  noun. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. ... a person or thing that has had success , as measured by attainment of goals, wea...

Start with the end in mind We’ve heard the phrase, but perhaps don’t always give it real consideration. Particularly whilst we are still starting to think about possibly running a business? In today's podcast, I get to interview a man who not only ‘ fell ’ into business quite by accident, but has gone from concept to sale and enjoying all life has to offer on the ‘other’ side as a business investo...

What do you get if you cross Ray Kroc, James Bond, and Bob Borg? When I first met this gentleman, I got very excited.  From the moment we spoke and his enthusiasm was immediately electrifying.  From humble beginings, he forged his own path, travelling over 300miles a day to learn from his first mentor on a route forward. From there, he has the most amazing story of difficulty, attitude,...

Whilst I hadn't planned to share this today.  After an overwhelming number of clients who, in the last couple of weeks have reported 'getting stuck' I thought it best to share my 7 stages of progress paralysis (and how to overcome them). In this episode, we look at the 7 most common blockers to significant and sustainable SCALE.    And yes, they ALL revolve around YOU as the busines...

What got you here , may well not get you there ! There is a GREAT quote I remember vividly from my time in the Army: "No plan survives first contact with the enemy" And despite you having a great business, that was growing strong, EVERYTHING chanced in 2020 when a combination of COVID-19 and Lockdown changed the course and direction of pretty much every business on the planet! But rather than see...

Are you leaving money on the table? Seriously, are you subconsciously sabotaging the current and future success of your own business, simply by not knowing the current scalability/vulnerability of it? In this episode, I want to offer you a first-hand experience of exactly how most business owners are failing to recognise the opportunities within their own business, because they are so close to it!...

Ask pretty much any business owner what they want, and hear the chorus of: More enquiries More conversions More sales quickly followed by: Not having to work evenings/weekends Not having all the risk It Not being so dependant on them. You see, whilst many business owners claim to want to SCALE their business.  I'm not certain everyone's actions are congruent with their aspirations! In today's...

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither shall your empire! However, building a WINNING TEAM can often be a significant problem and fraught with difficulties for many business owners. In today's episode, we'll lift the lid on what it takes to build a WINNING TEAM of SUPERHERO's on which you can depend to work together in creating a significant and sustainable business. I'll share the 10 things Busi...

I'm delighted to welcome to the show, my good friend - International Change Management Consultant, and Culture connoisseur Gemma Toner. I've known Gemma since we worked together in 2013, and have always taken my hat off to her exceptional knowledge, background, and in-depth understanding of people, culture, and behaviour.  For a number of years, she was the lead consultant for one of the UK's...

The Business of Business is BUSINESS. And yet, for so many business owners, they struggle to feel comfortable about pricing their product/service and then asking for the sale!  So why is that? Well, one theory is that we have grown up and watched as our parents and grandparents have been continually lied to, by dodgy sales agents selling snake oil, only to find out is chip fat!  We've be...

Why is it, that despite us all knowing and understanding that Marketing is a key element to every successful and progressive business. So many business owners get marketing completely wrong! Don't get me wrong, its a minefield out there these days of what to do, where to do, when to do, how to do, in order to build that infamous Know Like Trust with your Ideal Target Client audience, sufficient th...

When it comes to financials there are at least 7 financial numbers you MUST learn, know and understand in order to successfully manage and SCALE your business. This enables you to work confidently on your pricing but ensures you are not missing opportunity or inadvertently transforming your business into a charity! Understanding your critical financial numbers may not be as exciting as making a bi...

Values are rarely given the attention they deserve and yet I firmly believe in the 21st century, they are not just important, but likely to become the key to a business true capability of success. Few companies put time and effort into defining, communicating and carrying-through their business values, which, in essence, are the guiding principles by which they operate. One company’s values could...

Success can mean different things to different people. For some its owning a huge, multi-national corporation with thousands of staff and a global presence. For others is sat quietly on a beach with their partner and children. A house that is paid for, a new car on the drive, and enough money in the bank to never have to work again! (Or maybe you want both?). The trouble is, so few business owners...

In this episode, we’ll uncover If SMART isn’t, what is? What is a BFHAG? And the 6 steps to creating one within YOUR business? At the time of recording this the UK has just gone back into the second National Lockdown as a result of the Corona Virus. There has never been a more worrying and uncertain time for many business owners, uncertain about the future and what it means for their and their bus...

If you’ve ever read anything related to achievement, motivation or personal development, you’ve no doubt come across the idea of SMART Goals? More often than not, the conversation revolves around setting SMART goals . This is an acronym for goals that are: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-Bound Believe me, in all the time I worked in both Public Sector and PLC, they were ALWAYS going o...

In this episode, rather than spend our time together me telling you about me, my background and how I came to discover the #ADDAZERO methodology, I thought it would be far more interesting if I were interviewed about the 3 flaws that led us to develop us the #ADDAZERO Business Challenge. Martin Lee is the Founder of Quest for Excellence, a Disney Trained Customer Service consultant.  Although...

The # ADDAZERO Business Challenge is a culmination of more than 4 years of research and 2 years of testing to determine: What causes Big Businesses to Fail? What lessons can we learn from this? How will this impact my SME Business? I was one of a large number of suppliers directly and significantly impacted by the collapse of Woolworths.  Since then, I set about to learn HOW a company (with a...