Bringing new employees on board can feel like a big risk. Advertising and interviewing can be a minefield, and even when you’ve chosen your new employee there’s always a worry that they won’t be a good fit for your culture let alone the role expectations. Here are some tips that have served me well over […]

How do you think a member of your team would describe the culture you have instilled in your company? Do you have staff who will start early, stay late and bend over backwards to get the job done? Are your employees happy working for you, or is it just a job to them? Do you […]

You might think of the cost of your business as “sales minus purchases” – and you would be right, for the most part. The question is: do you keep track of all the things you do in and around your business which do not bring you an income, but are still essential pieces of the […]

In 2008 I sold the majority shareholding in Pacific Direct. I had not intended to be out of the business within only a few months; I was infact removed from the board and sacked which was a sad ending but alas all too typical for the well-meaning Entrepreneur who is trying to de-risk some of […]

To start with, I believe all UK companies should be exporting – or at least seriously considering it. There doesn’t seem to be much understanding of the importance and value of exporting our goods overseas. It’s not just about shipping product out of the UK; it creates great value for staff and customers alike, and […]

Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at monthly reporting and the kind of information a business owner should have at their fingertips. In this blog post I will look at the other reports and information I believe are crucial to the success of any business. The very basics: Debtor days: this is […]

Do you even know what cash burn is? These days it seems it’s incredibly easy for someone to set up in business and perhaps even do quite well for a time – but then soon enough growth kicks in, with unplanned for momentum – all good but alas things can collapse around their ears fairly […]

Anyone running their own business needs to be on top of finances. Cash flow can make or break a company, and it’s important that you always know exactly where your money is, allowing you to make the best returns and most profitable decisions. When running Pacific Direct, I had a monthly Misery Day where I […]

When you run a business the best way to ensure fast growth is to have everyone who works with you constantly and relentlessly looking for, suggesting and making changes towards continual improvement of your processes and efficiencies. This constant focus on developing a culture of continual improvement can really maximise your growth potential in ways […]

I’ve been in the sales business for 30 years, and during only 50% of that time I have networked my socks off. Don’t make the mistake I made by not learning the techniques and skills I now practise daily to maximise the value I gain from speaking to strangers. I am not particularly comfortable in […]