#ADDAZERO Business Challenge

If walking into a room full of strangers feels like your worst fear, you’re not alone. Many people do their best to avoid networking altogether, but this attitude can be very detrimental to your success. Networking is crucial to both you and your business, but it doesn’t have to be as intimidating as you think.

Love it or hate it—it works - It’s about initiating, building, and maintaining relationships.

Your network is the group of people you know who like you, trust you, hire you, and send their friends and family to you. Networking is about connection and caring. Networking is about compassion and commitment. It's about knowing, understanding, communicating, and demonstrating that what you do and say is coming from a place of support, encouragement and being of service. 

Networking is not:

Networking is about creating relationships with people who are a good fit for you and for whom you can be a good fit. It's about building those relationships over time so trust grows. Learning what it is that other people need to fulfil their dreams and revealing what you need as well. Ultimately, it's about helping one another make those dreams come true.

Today, I got to catch up and hang out with the former youngest FTSE 250 Managing Director, turned Entrepreneur to discuss What, How and WHY to network effectively. 

Jamie Stewart had an impressive career in 'corporate' rising the being Managing Director of a FTSE 250 at the age of 33.  However, these days you'll find him enjoying time with his family, walking the dogs, having lunch/dinner out and generally enjoying all life has to offer! No, he's not yet retired, he's the founder of Circle Networks.

Jamie identified what everyone else complained about when attending other network events, and set about to create something completely new, different and HIGHLY effective. In his own words "Circle Networks more than fills the gap in virtual networking, driving quality conversations, and helping you to make great connections that lead to new business opportunities."

One of the things I’ve observed in the last 18 months or so, is how many people are telling white lies!

I’m not calling people liars – we’ve all been guilty of not wanting to admit the real reason we are late to attend the endless zoom meetings was “I needed the loo”. But there appears to be a growing urge to tell everyone “everything’s fine” when clearly it’s not!

Social media (and people's addiction to it) has seen endless scrolling of “Success stories” with people draped over expensive cars, scantily clad exotic holiday pics, and sumptuous surroundings whilst out for dinner. Viewers see this as a personal challenge against their own microwave tea, and a race to do better!

And so, the lies begin. It’s not intentional, but a ‘social necessity' to fit in, to be someone to be accepted!

However, what is even worse than this, is the lies we are told and those we tell ourselves!

In today's podcast, I unearth some of the most popular myths and lies Business Owners are told! And the most common lies we tell ourselves!

Thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom though as I also share how to break the habit and the impact doing so can have on both you and your business.

An insight into the role and profession of coaching

Today's guest works with female coaches to help grow their online coaching business with confidence, find their self-belief and dissolve old, unhelpful patterns of thinking and feeling to overcome fears and beat imposter syndrome.

I've known Teresa for a number of years now, initially through our work as NLP practitioners, and subsequently as a coach.  With a background in PR and publishing, in May 2019, she spotted a niche for a high quality info-torial magazine specifically for the coaching industry, and launched COACH. Which has proven to be a hit, and must read for those in the industry.

Teresa kindly invited me to be interviewed for the magazine in 2020 to discuss Mental Health and the importance of speaking out.  And more recently, I was invited back to be interviewed again on the subject of Ethics in Coaching. 

Who is the most important person in your life?

Most parents tell me it's their kids.

Those without children, remark it's their partner, parents or pet!

And yet far fewer (and I've asked this question to literally hundreds of people) will respond with a resounding me.

So why is that?

Why are we so focussed on others?  of being needed, wanted, on being of service that we pay such little attention to ourselves?

So let me ask you another question: What would they do, if you weren't here?

Who would look after you? 

Do all the things you do? 

Manage your business, if you were unable to work?

In this episode, I got to 'hang out' with Jimmy Creighton - A young, fit, sports fanatic whose got an infectious passion for helping people live healthier, safer and longer by having private medical insurance. 

Health insurance is designed to cover some or all of the costs of private healthcare, from consultations with diagnostic scans and tests through to treatment. Having a health insurance policy gives you peace of mind that you or a family member will have access to the very best treatment at a time and place that is convenient to you. Health insurance, or private medical insurance (PMI) as it is sometimes known, may be provided by a company to their employees or it can be purchased on an individual or family basis.

Whats wrong with the NHS?

In theory, nothing.  We've got a world class National Health Service, that we have access to. However, demand for hospital treatment outstripping capacity even before COVID-19, it is no surprise that the demands of delivering care during a pandemic have led to significant backlogs and longer waits for patients.

How bad is the problem?

High waits for treatment are not new. Prior to the pandemic in February 2020 there were already 4.43 million people on a waiting list for care.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the combination of suspension of non-urgent services and changes to individuals’ behaviour meant that the number of people joining the waiting list initially dropped. However, this has since been rising - and despite some improvements earlier in the year, waiting times remain far higher than pre-COVID - At the time of recording this, 

But this really is, just the tip of the iceberg

The hidden backlog consists of patients who require care but have either not yet presented, or who have had referrals cancelled due to the impact of Covid-19 on the NHS; patients who, in normal times, would have been referred for treatment, received elective care and attended outpatient appointments, but who for a number of reasons relating to the pandemic have not yet found their way into the health system.

So whats the answer?

WPA are a specialist UK not-for-profit health insurer offering award-winning health insurance solutions to individuals, families and companies of all sizes.

I'm more than a little concerned about the sabotage I'm witnessing every day in your business!

I'm not talking about the intentional damage caused by hooligans, or those who have a set agenda to ruin you.  No, I'm talking about the unintentional damage being caused by you and everyone associated with your business by failing to spot the opportunities to create WOW moments for every client, customer, connection and supplier!

Today, we are uncovering the distinct lack of Customer Experience, and the need to appoint a VXO champion within your business!

Without customers you do not have a business; repeating custom is the backbone of most businesses. Repeating custom is either different customers buying the same product or the same customer buying the same product or the same customer buying different product offers in your business. For repeating custom: your business needs to develop and maintain good customer relationships and satisfy the needs of the customer, developing loyalty from your customers. Customers make it possible for businesses to exist and grow.

The cost of apathy

It is estimated that it costs five times more to win a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer. If your business does not look after your customers and they look elsewhere, it will not only cost your business five times as must to attract a replacement customer but your business has lost the lifetime value of the departing customer. Loss of customer focus is commercial suicide. 

6 reasons why businesses lose customers:

What is the Solution? 

Businesses that focus on their customers consistently outperform their competition. Customers make it possible for businesses to exist and grow. Make your customer the centre of your business: 

The core of not just customer focuses in business but in business.  Is to understand we are all customers of each other.  And to remain PEOPLE-centric, with an of service attitude, not selling yourself as a service. And to understand the customer and their expectations and consistently deliver an outstanding customer experience.

As soon as you mention Heavy Wreight Boxing, you automatically think of Mohammed Ali, Tyson, Rocky, and Geroge Forman.

You think of the ring, the gloves, the stamina and the pain they all go through to achieve such an incredible achievement.

Well, perhaps one name that doesn't automatically spring to mind, in this arena is Kamlesh Rajput.

But, as you'll hear from this interview: Kamlesh has also earned the right to this title, by boxing well above his weight EVERY SINGLE day, and having an unbeaten title!

Kamlesh has been a client of My TrueNORTH for a little over four years through our Explorer Mastermind programme, where amongst others he has significantly grown his practice and won numerous national and accountancy-specific awards.

We caught up over zoom to discuss the critical role a good accountant plays in helping to #ADDAZERO

Sterling Finance [UK] Limited are reliable, approachable Chartered certified accountants. They are a trusted partner and advisor to Sole Traders, Partnerships, Limited Companies, Professional Practitioners and Non-profit making entities such as Local Authorities, Charities and Social Clubs.

In addition to normal accounting, taxation and corporate services, they add value to their client’s businesses & enhance their lifestyles by providing a full range of advice & services.

Their promise to clients is to build a mutually respected loyal relationship by providing smart, meaningful advice with prompt and proactive services. They provide expert advice to import/export, e-commerce and software businesses as well as helping overseas investors to set up or invest in UK to access European Market.

Their knowledge in finance attracts those who are looking for a business loan to set up, grow or sustain the business. And their ongoing success in helping people take out a business loans and fight off the HMRC is their secret weapon.

"Success is not a privilege of the few who can afford it." Kamlesh explained, "We offer a complete suite of services to suit your needs, whatever they are."

At a time when there is growing uncertainty about the rapid rise in the cost of living. Against the backdrop of a war that continues in Europe, and continued scepticism as to what the future holds.  

It could be quite easy, for the Business Owner to begin reviewing where cutbacks can be made, little corner-cutting that perhaps the customer is not aware of.  (Like the reduction by 5gs of my favourite chocolate bar, whilst maintaining the same price, under the guise of being more concerned for my sugar intake than previously!!!) 

I post the question: Is Ethics a luxury we simply cannot afford?

We examine: 

And, I share the 7 Ethical principles of modern business and why they are so important in today's society. And the 10 ethical standards to which we operate (and for which we were awarded the title Ethical Coaching Company on the Clear Business Thinking POWER 100.

Do you know there is more that you could be doing, but something is holding you back?

Are you uncertain as to what is happening in the world right now, and how this may affect you?

Are you ever fearful of making a mistake, and risk losing everything you have achieved so far?

Then, this episode is for YOU!

Face the fear, so you can do it anyway!

Whether you fear failure, success, change, or the unknown? We all face fear within our lives, and yet it is how we respond to it, that determines a positive or negative outcome! 

Today, I want to get deep into the roots of FEAR. 

What is it?

Why is it?

How is it?

What to do about it!

We'll uncover the pros and cons of fear. Share 4 massive questions to help you address it, and 6 stages of moving through it, and not allowing it to determine who you are or what you are capable of achieving. 

It doesn't matter how determined you are, how motivated you set out each morning or what keeps you up late at night.  At some stage, the energy and enthusiasm will wear off, the realisation that owning your own business can be damned hard work, and you begin to doubt, question, and challenge as to whether it was the right thing to do at all! 

Yes, I'm talking. to you.

In today's episode, we look at tapping into a higher purpose, identifying with something beyond self, and finding a reason, a calling, a WHY?

It is the incredibly talented, educated and inspiring Dr. Simon Sinek who first brought us to Start with WHY (and more recently How to find your Why) But in this episode, I wanted to share with you the impact of having and not having a Why can have on the business.  How to determine what yours is, and then how to embed it into not just your 9-5, but onto every single breath you take from now until you achieve it!

All brought to you, as part of our own mission to support 1,000,000 Business Owners, to #ADDAZERO, that collectively we can Significantly and Sustainable Scale-Up your businesses sufficient to, create more new jobs than there are those actively seeking employment, and so erradicate unemployment in the UK!

At the age of 25, our guest today was £50k in consumer debt. Less than five years later, a self-made multi-millionaire. 

Today his property business has a portfolio of 900 rental units, with 140+ rental units under development, and a 9 figure training company. 

His podcast is ranked within the top in the UK, with over 700 episodes, including interviews with 15 billionaires and over 150 of the most successful people on the planet in their discipline, regularly downloaded in more than 200 countries. 

Born in Peterborough, and a former student of the University of Huddersfield. Today's VIP guest started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age, when his father encouraged him to assist in the family pub, cleaning and ‘bottling up’. Losing his way in his teenage days and 20s, with a lack of clarity and direction, whilst struggling as an artist. 

That all changed on December 15 2005, when his father had a huge nervous collapse in his pub; was sectioned by the police in front of his customers, and has been suffering from bipolar disorder ever since. This was the harsh awakening, leaving him ashamed of himself for not living up to anything near his potential and for taking total advantage of the upbringing given to him by his family. To this day, this is one of the main drivers of his life and enterprises. 

A self-made multi-millionaire by the age of 30, and currently with a net worth of over £250 million. Founder of the Progressive Group, chaos creator and playful rebel, welcome to the show Rob Moore. 

Have you ever wondered how some businesses appear overnight and the next day they are a global sensation,  whilst the rest appear to be stuck in GroundHog day, never really moving forward?

What is the secret ingredient they have, which all the others don't that enables them to Scale Up whilst others struggle to grow?

In this episode, we take a look 'under the hood' of what it takes to ScaleUp your business and the actions YOU can take to make a huge and accelerated impact on both you and your business.

None of the shares today cost you money, they do cost you time, consideration, and determination.  But, if you've got those three in your bag? Then these 9 steps are going to revolutionise who, what, where, when, and how you do business forever.

We'll uncover:

Why NOW is both a good and bad thing 

The 3 FLAWS that cause the bottleneck to sustainable scale 

The evolution of business (and where you sit) 

The CORE of a business, and how it influences EVERYTHING 

The 3R's of building a team of superheroes 

Q Vs Q and how one massively impacts the other 

Why taking time out is critical to time on 

The power of partners 

And why a little knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge at all!

Grab a pad & pen, as we dive into the 9 Steps to Scale Up your Business

Brought to you by My TrueNORTH - The UK's leading Ethical Coaching Company, as part of our ongoing mission to support 1,000,000 Business Owners to #ADDAZERO.

What's the biggest risk to the future success of your business?

Trust me, since I started asking that question over a decade ago, I've heard them all!

And yet, the biggest risk to the future of your business.......

is YOU!

Now before you sign off, and say "No it's not" I just want to quickly qualify that, by saying regardless of how careful, considered, measured you are, or whether your a 'flying by the seat of your pants type of owner is NOT what I'm referring to.  More, despite your BEST intentions, the majority of business owners (particularly SME business owners) build their entire business around them, with them being at the very epi-centre of every choice, every decision, every action to grow the business. And that's great, until one day, it's not!

Around two years ago, I witnessed as a seasoned business owner of some standing, having run and grown his business for the past 38 years, watched as it crumbled to nothing within weeks, with NOTHING he could do to prevent it, the damage had already been done, and not something he was able to rectify! 

I'm not talking about the business decisions you make, but about your HEALTH!

What makes a good leader?

What's the difference between Leader and Manager?

How do you lead that people will happily follow?

As a Business Owner, it's imperative as we grow the business to build a team of others who collectively will help continue to grow the business.  But rather than 'bums on seats' autocracy, we are seeking to invite, and inspire a different kind of employee.  We are looking to build out a team of 'Super hero's who share our ethos, vision, and values, and are ready to do whatever it takes to support the business in its mission.

And yet, the majority of Business Owners, haven't had any formal training or experience on being a formidable leader.  And so, their entire basis for what that looks like is based on their own experience!

It's not really a great start if we are looking to create a team of superheroes is it?

Particularly if you haven't experienced that many LEADERS.

In today's podcast (and the first Videocast) we explore in detail what strengths-based leadership is, and why it is so important in today's (and tomorrow's) working environment.

Grab a pad and pen, as we dive into the four elements of strengths-based leadership and learn how to adapt and overcome our own perceptions of leaders to become one!

I often ask other Business Owners "When was the last time you amended your prices?" and SHOCKED when too many of them reply "I can't remember"

With the cost of living going up by the minute these days, why are so many business owners having such a hard time justifying and amending their own pricing?

In today's podcast, we take a deep dive into pricing strategies and take a look at not just ONE or TWO but a DOZEN different pricing strategies to help you generate more value, and more income for you and your business.

It's all part of our mission to support 1,000,000 Business Owners ADDAZERO to their Personal Disposable Income.

"Until you have an employee, you are one"

Whilst not THE most endearing statement, it's the truth.  Yet so many SME business owners have completely the wrong attitude towards taking on employees.  It was Michael Gerber, who first coined the phrase "Working ON the business, not always IN the business" and that's only possible (without everything grinding to a halt when you have a WINNING TEAM.

But where to start? 

What to look for?

How to attract the right candidates?

The Eighth element of the #ADDAZERO Methodology is WINNING TEAM, so today, we have the pleasure of interviewing (via zoom owing to lockdown restrictions) Founder & Managing Director of Dand HR Associates, my friend David Dand. 

In this episode, we cover:

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither shall your super successful business. The 8th Element of the #ADDAZERO Methodology is all around building a WINNING TEAM. 

Whilst many business owners are initially nervous about hiring, as to whether they will 'find the right person' most fail to appreciate that you get what you give and that in order to build a winning team, you also have to be a winning leader!

In today's podcast, we begin to lift the lid on leadership and look at what it takes to build a winning team.  

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 people are doing the right things in the right way to attain the right results is critical in order to significantly and sustainably SCALE your business. 

With a look at Michael Jordan, Jim Collins, and Belbin we establish the need to determined people's strengths and weaknesses, and how to turn these into strengths simply by identifying them and distributing workflow accordingly. 

I'm exceptionally fortunate to have served alongside some of the most highly trained and professional soldiers in the world.  And from this have seen firsthand the impact a well-prepared, briefed and aligned team can have on otherwise overwhelming odds. I share the impact of getting this right (and wrong) and where you can get started. 

Brought to you as part of our mission to support 1,000,000 Business Owners #ADDAZERO to their Personal Disposable Income.

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 look at WHY its imperative to have a company mission. Why you should never 'deliver it' to your team one Monday morning, and the impact of getting it right.

We'll share HOW one company created theirs and the impact it has on EVERYTHING they do!

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 offers practical guidance you can implement TODAY that WILL make a marked difference to both you and the significant and sustainable growth of both you and your business.

You will most definitely want Pad and Paper for this one, as the TOP TIPS come Thick and Fast.

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 call.  What it is, its importance and the impact of either having or not having this within YOUR business. 

This week, we stopped on the Subject of the Mission Statement.  And whilst I've briefly mentioned this in an earlier episode. As this is SO important to the ongoing growth and development of both the business and the people within it.  We've dedicated this episode to really getting into, what it is (and what it isn't) why its important, and HOW to create a compelling mission statement for your business.

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, wealth, etc...

The fact is, every time I ask someone what does success mean, it means something completely different to everyone!

As a business owner, you get to decide. Decide what you do, where you do, how you do and who you do it with.  But deeper than this, you get to determine WHY you get up early, go to bed late and spend your time working in the business you do.

But it is only once you have clarity on what you are working to achieve, can you hope to achieve it.

Only then, can you turn your attention to the business, and establish what do you need to. d, in order to achieve your success?

However, as you will see, it doesn't end there! In fact, that's the start of the journey. So I wanted to share with you our business mission, and WHY it is critical to everything we do! AND a million business owners!

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 investor.

We’ll learn as to how opportunity comes knocking in the strangest of ways, how ‘taking a punt’ turned into a 7 figure business “quite by accident” and how preparing for a sale early can pay huge dividends when it comes to negotiating your exit.

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, and overcoming adversity to becoming exceptionally successful.

Now the Dean of Givers University, EA Csolkovits shares some incredibly valuable lessons on how attitude affects emotion, affects input affects the outcome.  And, if you want a different outcome, it starts with a different model of looking at the world.

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 business owner!

I'll share:

I can't tell you the number of times I've found myself impacted by STUFF.  And yet, it is only once we recognise and acknowledge something we can begin to address it.

In today's podcast, I've made it as simple as possible to identify, address and overcome 7 of the most common progress blockers, and a means of easily addressing each.

It's all part of our mission to support 1,000,000 Business Owners to Significantly and Sustainably Scale both them and their businesses, with the ultimate aim to #ADDAZERO to their Personal Disposable Income.

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 this as a problem, a hurdle, a challenge.  I want to share with you how this has been the greatest gift we could ever have been given.

In this episode I'll share:

We'll start by looking at how pivoting is NOT new, but something we've been doing throughout our business lifecycle and so nothing to be worried or scared about.

What is the 'Business Bell Curve' Where do you sit on it, and more importantly where do your customers, your industry, your staff?

And the EIGHT steps to launching a new product/service!

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!

"Can't see the wood for the trees"

The Business of Business is BUSINESS.  And yet there are too many business owners currently still in the BUSYness of business! You are working hard, often longer than you want, and yet not earning anything like what you deserve! And for what? The 'promise' of things to come?

Today, we lift the lid on exactly how the #ADDAZERO Business Challenge works, how you can implement it within your business and the transformational results it so often brings to business owners!

Ask pretty much any business owner what they want, and hear the chorus of:

quickly followed by:

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 episode, we take a lot closer look at what does it take to scale a business? To really understand the methodology behind the ADDAZERO Business Challenge, and determine the building blocks required to significantly and sustainably grow both personally and professionally.

We'll look at overwhelm and how so many business owners become so embedded IN the business, they fail to dedicate sufficient time working ON the business.

We'll understand what Christopher Columbus trigonometry can teach us about staying on course!

And determine the current vulnerability of your business prior to lighting the tough paper, hitting the accelerator and SCALING.

We've spent over 6 years now, really getting to understand what causes GOOD businesses to fail!  It's enabled us to identify the DNA of failure, from which we've engineered a means of testing, reviewing, revising, and implementing this now proven SCALE methodology to YOUR business.

I was DELIGHTED to share on social media, last Friday how one client has 10X his business in just 5months since he first joined our SASPathfinder programme, on which we teach the 'BASECAMP' elements of the ADDAZERO Business Challenge. Another super happy business owner (in his own words) said "For the first time in my entire life, I've got more money than I know what to do with".

All, as part of our mission to #ADDAZERO to the Personal Disposable Income of more than 1,000,000 Business Owners! 

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 Business Owners must-do if you're going to win the attention of SuperHero's

I'll share the 7 elements of the Recruitment process, and how offering the appointment is only the completion of PHASE ONE

And I'll share the impact Culture, Values and a Strong Mission Statement has on attracting the right people to you and your business.

There's a great story about the impact my Commanding Officer had on the Regiment, (and what this means to you and your team) and I'll dispell 4 Rumours about hiring from the very top of the industry!

For more information on this episode, you could read: 

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 leading Customer Service Training providers (specialising in supporting Telesales businesses) and has subsequently gone on to become a lead consultant in behavioural; change management at Achieving Breakthrough.

Today, we grabbed a zoom call together to discuss why Customer Service departments should be closed! 

The importance CULTURE plays in forming a Customer Experience

And how EVERYTHING starts and ends with a conversation!

I'm delighted to bring to you, some exceptional insight on WHAT makes people who we are, and how attitudes, culture, values of the individual and the business as a whole, are key to creating a culture where customer experience is at the forefront of every thought action and deed both inside and outside the companies 4 walls. 

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 that they not only move from window shopper to purchasing something, but that they become a regular returning client and an avid FAN of who you are and what you do!

Today's podcast we have a real treat, as its another SPECIAL GUEST edition.

Our guest today has worked in Marketing for over 20 years. Starting out as a Graphic Designer, and then attending a course entitled "How to build the internet". She has subsequently built websites for some of the largest companies on the country, (including Tesco, Wedgewood, PC World, Gadget Master and Liverpool FC to name but a few).

With a particular speciality in 'Customer Journey' (originated from having been born into International 5* service, and with it an eye for detail to a level I've never even seen before. Grab a pad and pen, for MANY of the golden nuggets shared here today in an extended episode, as we interview Amanda Daniels-Allen on:

Marketing in 2021 is going to take on a whole new level of complexity and competition. This really is an episode you don't want to miss if you want to GET AHEAD and BE SEEN by the RIGHT PEOPLE for the RIGHT THINGS in 2021.

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 big sale but keeping an eye on these must-know figures will give you precious peace of mind—and a glimpse of what the future holds for your business.

It always alarms me the amount of business owners that DON'T know these numbers within their business, and reply on the end of year accounts to learn if all their time and effort for the last 12 months actually amounted to any net profit!

I'll also share:

All brought to you, by My TrueNORTH - The UK's leading Ethical Coaching Company, as part of our Mission to help 1,000,000 Business Owners to #ADDAZERO to your Personal Disposable Income!

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 who start off every achieve that!  Why is that?

Well, as we discussed in the last episode many don't have a BFHAG!  they haven't set their sights high enough, and as a result of not thinking big enough, don't achieve big enough for this to become a reality.

However, for others, they DO have a fabulous BFHAG, and yet STILL fail to achieve all they set out to!  - In this episode we discover why that might be!

I discuss:

Brought to you by My TrueNORTH - The UK's leading Ethical Coaching Company. As part of our #mission to help 1,000,000 Business Owners to #ADDAZERO to their Personal Disposable Income!

What is the CURRENT scalability of your business?

How does this measure against other SME businesses?

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 businesses.

I’ve included a great analogy as to what’s happening right now, and both the physical, mental and energetic shift it’s having on businesses. And, by recognising this, what you can do to stop it having a detrimental impact on you, your family, your business AND your future.

Grab a drink and a note pad, as over the next 30mins I’ll share more on a different perspective to SMART, what we can all learn from the UN and how collaborative thinking, builds a better future for us all.

More often than not, the conversation revolves around setting SMART goals. This is an acronym for goals that are:

However, all that changed for me, when I first met someone who has subsequently gone on to become a very good and close friend of mine, International researcher, 3 x Amazon Best Selling Author and motivational speaker Dave Hyner!

Like myself, Dave is also a motivational speaker, predominantly working with children and young adults to help them with self belief.  However, he hasn’t always worked in schools, and previous to this has travelled most of the Western world interviewing professionals from pretty much every different walk of life and profession “from pop stars to politicians” as he advises, on WHAT enabled them to achieve the exceptional success they have within their chosen profession.

In ALL the interviews (and we are talking several hundred people) not ONE of them either spoke of, or had even heard of SMART goals!

Wonder why that might be?

Take just 33mins to listen to this interview (conducted via ZOOM owing to COVID lockdown restrictions) as we discuss Why SMARt simple isn't!

The #ADDAZERO Business Challenge is a culmination of more than 4 years of research and 2 years of testing to determine:

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 an annual turnover of over £3.9Bn) could possibly go bust! And what lessons we could all learn from this.

We've now researched more than 150 Big Business Failures and surveyed in excess of 100K SME businesses unearthing the 3 most common flaws in growing businesses. When they first occur, and the impact both ignoring and addressing them can have on YOUR business! 

We've used this extensive research to cultivate a series of 'questions' and 'benchmarks' to pose to ANY business in order to reduce the risk of failure as they hit the accelerator from growth to SCALE.

With no less than 8 of our clients now have become finalists in the Entrepreneur of the year awards (4 winners within their category) and countless others winning both regional and industry-specific awards for growth, development, diversification, entrepreneurship.  

Alongside our Global Entrepreneur 'Big Impact to Business' Awards, we were added to the UK 'Clear Business Thinking' POWER 100 list recognised for our Ethical approach to the Significant and Sustainable Business Scale.

The majority of the episodes are around 30mins in length. Interviews do tend to run beyond this up to 60mins.