Business Consultancy Blog

Born in Bangor (N Wales), made at Mercedes-Benz & fine-tuned at Volvo.

Peter---Mercedes-Benz---Scottish-Power-Van---1992 Handing over a Mercedes Van to Scottish Power - circa Sept 1992
Celebrating Apprentice Week: (10th-16th Feb. 2025) My journey from being a "Trainee" to becoming a "Regional Director" for a global business then "Running my own Business".  (I'm happy to share with you separately my story about my birth place). As we celebrate Apprentice Week in the UK, I thought I would reflect on and sha...
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"Is Strong Competition in Business Healthy? Absolutely!

quino-al-cK2UBBg4JI4-unsplash Fighting for the ball and control of the game!
 The Overriding Benefit in having Competition: Driving Business Excellence and Innovation In today's dynamic world of business, no matter what sector or product or service you offer, competition is often seen as a big challenge to overcome. However, it is this very competition that fuels innovation, drives excellence, and fosters continual dev...
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Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed, and just want to get stuff done?

glenn-carstens-peters-RLw-UC03Gwc-unsplas_20250122-105426_1 To Do List
Below I share with you the  Value of writing a Weekly Task List and how to Prioritise and Effectively Execute and Complete your High and Medium Priority Tasks - every week. I don't know about you, but I've always been a prolific list writer. Every week, before I start any work/jobs or tasks on a Monday morning, I revie...
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As we head into 2025, what are the Strategic Growth Options for SME Business Owners.

erik-mclean-p1Xx215ooiM-unsplash Thinking about throwing our cards in?.
When in business, do you sometimes find that you don't know whether to stick, twist or throw your cards in? As an SME business owner, launching and then developing a business can be both challenging and exciting. However, most if not all businesses will get to a point, normally after a few years flat lined trading, where you hit "a glass ceili...
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What did you learn at school that bode well for you in life?

ivan-aleksic-PDRFeeDniCk-unsplash Back to school
As English schools go back today (04-09-24), I was reflecting what I learned at school and also what I wished I had learned at school, which would have be beneficial, whether in the workplace or personally to me.  Below are some of my thoughts on what I wished I had learned about at school...
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What can we learn from other disciplines, sport and apply in business?

rob-wingate-IlUqSRJYp8c-unsplash Professional Cycling
"Today (Saturday 29th June 2024) is the start of the world's biggest sporting event based on attendance. Over the next 3 weeks between 13-15million people will make the pilgrimage, to stand on the side of the route and watch the Tour de France spectacle, flash past their eyes*. I'm an avid fan of cycling and will watch the ...
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“Can't stop, addicted to the shindig” …… “This life is more than just a read-through.”

john-thomas-YP9HYyZGY0g-unsplash Looking forward and for a new path - photo courtesy of John Thomas Unsplashed.com
The words in the title above are the first and last lines from one of my favourite band's song "Can't Stop" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and appropriate as it's where I am at and the dilemma I have as I head into the last year of my 10-year plan!  On the 4th ofJanuary 2015, after 12 years, I left the security of ...
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Does Artificial Intelligence (AI) have a place in advancing your business through a Digital Transformation Strategy?

Automation---Digitalisation---andrea-de-santis-zwd435-ewb4-unsplash picture courtesy of unsplashed.com
No matter the size of your business or what sector of industry you operate in, over the last 3 years the advancement in using digital tools, IT systems and software has accelerated rapidly. I'm sure we have all benefited from this digitalisation push, however as a business, what's the next step? How far do you go in automat...
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Great view from the top, but don’t be blinded by what you can see!

Looking-west-from-The-Moat-2 View from the top seat
As you rise within an organisation or your business grows, one of the key challenges as the business leader is, you become distant from what's happening on the ground i.e., at the coal face. You may hold regular senior management team meetings, 1-2-1s with your direct reports, and have enough data, reports and analytics to paper your offi...
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Time to celebrate, reflect, learn and look forward

Celebrate---ray-hennessy-gdTxVSAE5sk-unsplash Image courtesy of Unsplashed.com
Today marks the start of my 9th year in business and over the eight years I've been trading, I've highlighted below 10 things that I have learned.  Key though, if you set up your own business, Business Growth isn't linear, there's plenty of ups and down on that journey. Stay agile, as there will always be cur...
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An opportunity to run your own business or supplement your current income.

shutterstock_330898895 Business start-up graphic courtesy of Shutterstock
Have you ever wanted to run and own a business but never taken the plunge or made that first step? Well, it doesn't have to be a step into the unknown or going from all to nothing. If you currently have availability of 2 days a week and looking to supplement your existing income Want to build a business to either full time or to...
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Business at a crossroads, not sure which way to turn? Reach out and ask for help!

Business-Mentoring-shutterstock_446643151 Picture courtesy of Shutterstock
So, you recognise you or one of your senior team needs help, guidance and support in respect to gaining clarity on the direction of your business, but where do you start and who do you reach out too? With everything going on in the world, regionally and locally which may affect our businesses in a number of ways (positively and negat...
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Don't be disillusioned, to become a Great Leader, learn and understand, it's a huge step-up from Management.

Steven-Gerrard-2---courtest-of-shutterstock Leader or Manager?
Hearing the news overnight of Steven Gerrard's sacking as manager of Aston Villa is disappointing however summed up in former Newcastle striker Les Ferdinand comment: "He was captain marvel as a player; he was the one who lifted the team, who dragged them through tough times. But, he can't do that from the bench." BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/...
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If you want to get ahead in business, "Sharpen the Saw"

Sharpen-an-axe---c-d-x-uHSiDTptzV4-unsplash Sharpening your axe - tools, saw.
Anyone who knows me, will know that I like a business model and particularly a visual. One such model is "The Maturity Continuum" which simply summarises Stephen R. Covey (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People multi-million selling book. I have a copy of the model posted on a notice board above my desk. There are 7 Habits ref...
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If there’s ever a time to put up your prices, is it now?

olieman-eth-w9coDxtsfts-unsplash Business trend growth from late 2020 to a bumpy period during 2021
With costs rising right across the board;  How much increase in expenses, can your business absorb, and still be viable? And at what point do you pass on some or all of these cost increases to your customers? The main reason why prices fluctuate is simply supply and demand. When demand is soaring, prices go up, and when thi...
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How to ensure your business beats the statistics.

saksham-gangwar-vYdBBl3EbSk-unsplash-2 plotting a way forward
January 5th 2022 was the first day of my 8th year of trading. That's 7 full years in business, paddling my own canoe and in that time I've learned a lot about myself, being a business owner and what works and doesn't as an SME business services provider. As follows are my initial reflections, thoughts an...
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4 key areas to obtain Sustainable Business Growth.

--matteo-vistocco-Dph00R2SwFo-unsplash Effective Leadership
Less than 50% of new businesses and start-ups survive their first 5 years of trading, however those that do, tend to hit a glass ceiling when it comes to pursuing continual strategic growth. There are a number of reasons why this is the case and in the following article I'm going to focus on the 4 key elements that as a business owner or busin...
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Positioning your business to come out the other side stronger.

artem-beliaikin-Ta3f1ZcCgWg-unsplash Being in the right place, at the right time with the right product at the right price.
One of the earliest business models I personally learned about (in the late 80's) was the Marketing Mix 5 Ps. Originally known as the 4Ps developed by Edmond Jerome McCarthy, a professor in Marketing at the University of Notre Dam, and proposed in his book Basic Marketing in 1960. The 5Ps are five key busines...
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When Marketing your Business - ensure you get a bang for your buck!

Image by campaign-creators-yktK2qaiVHI-unsplash-1 Ironing-out-your-marketing-strategy
When you start a business and then right through till you exit that business, say through a sale, the one thing you need to continue to do, to grow and sustain your organisation, is market the products and services that you offer, effectively. There is an old adage in business, and to quote Peter Shilton; "If you stand still the...
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The Power of Follow Up!

glenn-carstens-peters-RLw-UC03Gwc-unsplash Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
If there's 3 key pieces of business advice I could share with you, to achieve what you set out to do, it is; Follow Up! Follow Up! Follow Up! Running and leading a business can be full on, there is always mountains of things to do, whether dealing with incoming emails and phone calls, customer queries and enquiries, managing employee's, being ...
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