Just a Bit About Me...
When you first started your first business, you did it for a reason. It may have been for more freedom, more income, more control and a better lifestyle for you and your family. That’s certainly why I started my first business.
If that’s still your plan and you’re looking to achieve more, I can help...
...And Here’s Why.
I’ve been involved with large corporates as well as working alongside startup entrepreneurs and established small businesses. I’ve started, built and sold 2 businesses myself and still own a property company which takes me less than 1 hour per week to run.
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My mantra through life has always been, “if someone else can do it, there’s no reason I can’t too”
To many of us, achieving our goals and dreams in business and life can just be, about finding a way and there’s always a way, if you want it enough!
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​What’s required is, passion, resilience, being open minded to new ideas and perhaps being happy to be challenged a little.
Then with some hard work, everything’s possible.
One of my early memories is sitting with the career’s teacher at school, telling him that I wanted to be a pilot. A very long silence followed and we both stared out of the window for a while! Not another word was said and I left the room a short time later.
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22 Years later I sold a driving school I had started and built, moved to the United States, qualified as a Commercial multi engine Pilot and worked in Tennessee, California, Texas and Alaska.
There was a way and I found it!​
After returning to the UK, for over 15 years I built up a letting agency in Brighton, one of the busiest and most competitive markets in the UK. I considered myself a reasonably competent business owner.
The positives about my Letting Agency:
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The business was growing each year
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Staff were employed
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City centre offices
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I was in control with no one to answer to
The negatives about my Letting Agency:
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10-to-12-hour days
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Worked most evenings and weekends
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I was missing the kids growing up
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I was in control with no one to answer to!
The day we decided to sell, I had over 25 years’ experience in that industry and thought it an achievement that we were able to advertise in the same way that other, larger local corporate agents did. But being ambitious and open minded, it was recommended to me by a good friend that I speak to Jonathan, a local business coach.
To say I was a bit unsure at first is a real understatement!
What could HE know about MY business that I didn’t!?
Turned out, quite a lot! During the following 12 months with Jonathan’s help, I learnt that my 25 years’ experience had actually been holding me back, I’d been doing the same things each year for those 25 years. Doing the same as everyone else in my sector!
Jonathan opened my eyes to the much greater potential my business had. His 'fresh pair of eyes' opened opportunities my experience had kept hidden from me! I learnt an incredible amount.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, a completely different mindset about my business.
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Different ways of marketing.
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How to make my business stand out from my competition.
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Gaining and connecting with the right prospective new clients and customers.
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Concentrating on running my business, rather than working in it.
All while improving my work-life balance. Reducing the hours I worked and doing more of the stuff I really liked.
The Bottom Line:
The value of my business increased by 27% in just 12 months because I was shown how to work as the business owner, not a doer of my business and I could see huge untapped potential ahead. We actually debated then, if we should sell the business. The reasons were strong enough and we sold!
Over the following 10 plus years, as well as running my own property portfolio from home I worked alongside Jonathan as we had become great friends and I really enjoyed the positive impact we had on other businesses.
Together we helped a great variety of other business owners grow their businesses:
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Setting up systems to get them more customers and clients.
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Increasing their profits and income.
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Giving them more control over their work-life balance.
All because I am passionate about helping fellow business owners take control. After all, isn’t taking control one of the reasons we all started our business in the first place?
No one starts a business looking forward to the 12-hour days 7 days a week, do they?
It’s easy to be busy, but are you productive?
Jonathan retired several years ago and now resides in Greece. However I continued to work with my own clients, many who don’t lack drive, but lack direction and realise that if nothing changes, nothing changes, but by working smarter they could build a business that actually works for them.
I’ve worked with Local Councils in their mentoring and start up business programs, spoken in front of thousands on stage about business strategies, and continue to update my skills in workshops and seminars both in the UK and abroad.
Do you want to stop chasing clients and start standing out? Want more profit and more time? It can all begin with finding the Strategic Edge in your business.
The next step is up to you:
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OR if you want to chat, you can email or WhatsApp me and we can arrange a mutually suitable time to have a conversation.