Numbers Are Life

The workshop was a great refresher on the model, and its components. But it also cemented the concepts further through examples and attendee discussion. I was in mind heaven working through the concepts! The link between the personality styles – visionary, operator, processor and synergist – and the stages on the Predictable Success growth model were covered at length.

Starting in New York, I attended Fabienne Fredricksen’s Get More Clients Tour, which was a short afternoon event. Fabienne is someone I have followed for some time and, you may recall, I even suggest her product “the client attraction system” in this blog, as it is something I own and value. It was fabulous to [...]

If you’re anything like me you can find it difficult to get back into the swing of business in January.  For me it’s summer holidays, I live at the beach and my days involve spending time with my girls.  For you it may be summer or perhaps you’re in the depths of winter and cocooning [...]

We need someone to clear the tracks, provide a solution to the lack of movement and get our momentum going again. Just like my trainer is able to see what I am capable of achieving in my fitness, so is a business coach for your business. They can often provide ideas and solutions to your non movement that you can’t see, simply because you are the one stuck there, trying hard to move, but unable to see the situation from the outside.

How do you know if you’ve outgrown your system?

You love the new software system you implemented, but you are officially over the honeymoon phase. You’re now working with and using the system extensively and have figured out some of the quirks, but have also discovered some things you’d like it to do but are not a feature yet.

This system is ingrained in your daily activity, yet you’re beginning to get frustrated because you can’t do something with ease.

Are you lacking inspiration or enthusiasm for your business right now? It happens. Sometimes it can all feel like such a drudge that you wonder why you’re in business! It’s totally normal.

Some will say this feeling is leading to a breakdown of sorts, and once this occurs you can look forward to the breakthrough. I tend to believe this. Often running a business can become a drudge when we are totally overwhelmed, have too much to do and no one to help. It’s like a spiraling effect; there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.

I often get asked, “What numbers should I be looking at?” My answer is always all of them, but for some that’s just too much. And dependent on your industry the answer can also differ. But really there is a first step that business owners need to make – and that is understanding the story [...]

My attention has been diverted away from my own business of late, three months in fact. I have been so busy with existing clients – and new clients coming on board – that I have neglected my own business.

I have long been a proponent of structuring your week for the various functions of your business. For me that’s client days on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday is business development day and Fridays are my follow up and admin days. This system has worked well for not only me, but for clients and readers of my material.

Business professionals who provide a service, like accountants, fall into two camps – those who care about you as a client and those who care about the money.

That’s not to say you can’t care about both – of course a good business person must care about money – but it shouldn’t be the driving factor for why they work with you. I think you see a great distinction between those who care about their clients and those who care about their money.

So last week I took a break from my business appointments. And I really mean a break – I made sure nothing was scheduled and I concentrated solely on the systems in my business.

Yes there were still calls to answer, but I took myself away from my desk and set up either on my kitchen table or my local cafe, whichever took my fancy. My goals for my “systems break” were to get a better handle on our new project management system and revisit some processes in the business.