Last week I spent two days, with different clients, analysing and reviewing their management information. In the first case we’d be warned by their monthly management accounts that profitability had slipped in December. As is often the case the reason wasn’t clear from the P/L alone (which is often the case) and we needed to…
Category: Sunday supplement
Read all about it!
I’ve stopped reading the news and watching news broadcasts during the week. Most of it is negative and depressing. Letting it invade my mind runs the risk of negative, rather than positive, thinking. Anything done repeatedly – good or bad – becomes a habit that is hard to break. Constantly reading or hearing bad news…
Is your business model fit for purpose?
Christmas is over for another year. For many in retail – and the businesses that supply them – it’ll be over for good. HMV has already gone into administration. It won’t be the last retailer to do so. The new year will inevitably bring more gloom to the high street as retailers, whose hopes were…
Have a Caring Christmas
Today, for me, is the start of my Christmas break. I’m taking a few days off. As usual December has been a busy month but, unusually, there isn’t much that hasn’t been done already. As entrepreneurs we always have one more thing to do; there are never-ending projects and there is always work that can…
That’s a bit more than I was expecting
Most business owners have experienced that moment when you reveal the price and your prospect says, “That’s a bit more than I was expecting. Sorry, but it’s beyond my budget.” The question then is, how do you respond? One option, of course, is just to walk away. You may not be prepared to take on…
It makes for difficult reading
This blog is for entrepreneurial business owners, the sector of the population I share most time with and whose dreams, goals and fears I share. Entrepreneurial businesses are mainly small – less than five staff – but are the lifeblood of the economy (whatever politicians and the media may think). Most of us who run…
Do the brakes work?
Imagine that you are thinking of buying a new car and visit your local car showroom. The salesperson approaches and you ask a couple of questions about the model you’re interested in: Does it have four wheels? Do the brakes work? Stupid right? Because products or services we are thinking of purchasing have certain intrinsic…
Time to overthrow the existing order?
When Kodak chose not to develop the digital camera, which had been invented by their 24 year old employee Steve Sasson, in favour of sticking with their old and hugely profitable film business no-one should have been surprised. Not surprisingly the main objections to developing the digital technology came from the marketing and business sides.…
Are you busy?
I’m sorry to interrupt you…. are you busy? Of course you are. You’re a business owner and we’re always busy. Putting in long hours and working hard. I bet it’s a bit chaotic too. Phone calls, emails, staff and your to do list (which never seems to get any shorter). A lot of business owners…
Possibly the worst advice you could give to a start-up business
This week I want to tell you about something I read whilst I was away. You see, I read a lot of blogs. I like to keep up with trends in marketing and finance. I find that blogs are usually the best way. But as with most things in life you have to be curious…
