Although I am now retired, I am leaving all the information on the website available. Do feel free to contact me if you have any queries.

Simple, practical business advice and mentoring

I am now retired and we are able to spend more time with our children and grandchildren. We are also taking more holidays, which is a delight. If you ever get the chance to visit the Galapagos – do it. It is amazing and you will see everything you would expect to see. Be prepared for a lot of snorkelling and seeing many millions of multi-coloured fish.

Starting Up

Starting up your new venture can be very daunting. You may have a great idea but won’t know where to start. Consequently you need some good advice. There are a great number of (usually free) resources on the web. Your first step should therefore be to have a look at these. As a result they will help you with many of the key things you need to look at.

Think about the whole process. The idea, (or the product you want to sell), may be great but “Who will want to buy it?” From that question you should be able to put in plan of how you will go about selling your product. Also don’t forget that to be a success, you need to make a profit. Consequently the right advice, at the right time can be crucial.

Business Challenges

You will face many business challenges throughout your career as an owner. An advisor, coach or mentor will be able to help you to face those challenges and find your way through them. Sometimes you may also need special advice about issues. It is important that this advice comes from someone who is an expert in the field.

Sustainable Growth

If you are not growing your business then you are moving backwards compared with others. It is therefore crucial that you carry on growing. This does not simply mean “Get more sales”. Sustainable growth is much more controlled. You need to think about every aspect of your business to manage your growth well. There are a lot of businesses that have failed because they tried to grow too quickly. Similarly a business that does not grow may well fade away.

Customers matter most

You must also think about the  care of your customers. This is certainly one of the most important aspects of a winning business. You cannot care for them well if you take on more work than you can handle. So get your ducks in a row. Also make sure you have the resources to meet the demand. Ensure your systems can handle the extra work. Above all make sure you have the right staff and that they are well trained.

Exiting Your Business

The very first point to make about exit planning is that selling your business is not the only option.  So when you cannot be sure what you might get, selling your business might not be the right option. You should also bear in mind that you may not be able to find a buyer.

Exit planning means “planning” for “exit” of the business. Therefore no matter what option for exiting you choose, you will need to do much of the same work. Do also consider ALL of the options. While the preparation work may be the same, in contrast the outcomes can be very different.