“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” Round here, we talk a lot about the 4 Foundations that will give a business owner McFreedom, that is, freedom to choose whether to scale, grow, or sell your business…or run it from
It’s that time of year when my ancient boiler gets its annual health check. For about fifteen years now I’ve had a series of engineers visit my house, make that ‘sucking through the teeth’, noise, and shake their head, as they discover the age of the patient. Yet on it
I was attacked by a wasp the other day. My lovely walk in the country was suddenly interrupted by a severe burning pain in my arm – the little beggar having sunk his stinger into me with no provocation whatsoever. On my way home, accompanied by what felt like a
It’s that time again, new beginnings. For some their first day at a new school or college. For others their first day in a new role or a new job; maybe their first ever job? Can you remember back to one of your first days? We’ve all had at least
When you’re looking to grow a scale-ready business there are two essential foundations that you need to build: Simple logical and repeatable systems in every area of your operation, and A high performing team who take ownership for their role and run your systems effectively. Over the last few weeks
An entrepreneur went to see a wiley old investor to ask her to fund his business idea. He had a brilliant idea about a product he wanted to launch, and he felt sure she would be interested in helping him. The investor sat patiently while the entrepreneur enthused about his
‘The odds of hitting your target go up dramatically when you aim at it.’ Mal Pancoast ‘Get moving’ programmes have got many people up and active, improving their lives through exercise. With obesity and heart disease on the rise we’re being encouraged to walk up stairs, hop off the bus
‘Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.’ The other day someone asked me where they could get help to implement ‘Investors in People’. I replied with a question of my own, ‘What are you trying to achieve?’ ‘A plaque on the
When putting things right could be wrong! Picture the scene… Your team have just produced a proposal for a client, who’s complained that there are four mistakes in it, including the mis-spelling of their business name. Oops! Not great for your reputation, or your relationship with them. So what do
I love the Napoleonic era. I know it was brutal and bloodthirsty but it also threw up some great heroes, Wellington, Nelson and of course Richard Sharpe. (Yes, I know he’s fictional.) I love the history, the famous and infamous battles and sieges; the horses, the uniforms…you get the picture!
You know when you read a great book or see a good film and you’re just bursting to tell people? Well I’m a bit like that with service. Bad service I try to forget, but with good service I just get the urge to tell people about it, so here
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” Round here, we talk a lot about the 4 Foundations that will give a business owner McFreedom, that is, freedom to choose whether to scale, grow, or sell your business…or run it from
Development can help great people be even better – but if you have a pound to spend, spend 70p getting the right person in the door. Last week we were looking at having great performance reviews as part of an evolving process of continuous feedback and development. I was saying
Do you feel like you’re drowning? Drowning in paperwork, in problems, in people stuff? And all because of your success! When you were starting out you had a handle on everything. Now you’ve grown you’ve had to take on more people and it’s just not the same. You feel like
‘You can dream, create, draw and come up with the best ideas in the world, but you need people to help you turn your dreams into reality.’ As business owners, we rightly focus a heck of a lot of attention on our external customers and what we can do to
‘If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done’ It’s a little known fact that Jane Austen produced her best work when there was dusting to do. I’ve also been known to ‘get creative’ with housework hanging over me, and I know others whose shelves get built, gardens
If only we realised that we had all the right ingredients in our business, to make the leap – to spring forward to success. It’s that time again. The time of year we all look forward to. Lambs leaping and bleating in the fields! Daffodils brightening up every green strip
‘Not suggesting we recruit in our own image and likeness … but we must be a good match.’ It’s coming up to the wedding season again. Most people think of a day that will suit – best chance of good weather, not clashing with any big sporting event – that
A good business operation should flow like a flat race but in reality how many are more like a steeplechase, with obstacles and risk at every turn? It may have passed you by, but it’s the Grand National tomorrow! My grandad who lived with us, was a great fan of
Can you remember back to your school days? I’m sure for some of us it will be easier than for others 😉 Remember how you’d answer a question, but even though it was technically right, it wasn’t the one the teacher was looking for? Q. What is ‘hard water’?
As a business owner you know that a high-performing team is essential for a successful business. But how do you start building a team from the group of individuals who currently work for you with all of their different personalities and egos? Any of these sound familiar? The cat –
Would you let someone drive a forklift without any training? How about letting an apprentice loose with scissors on their first day? Or having a new recruit present an important bid to a key prospect? Of course you wouldn’t. But maybe you would promote one of your team to be
Have you ever had to complain to a business? I don’t know how many times I’ve found myself saying, ‘I know it’s not your fault’ to the individual I’m speaking to, desperately trying not to take out my frustration on them because they, as an individual, are not responsible. Often
Can you remember the day you first learned about the amoeba? That blob of wobbly jelly with a black dot inside called the nucleus – the heart or engine room of the thing. Not a very scientific description I know, but the image has stuck in my head over
It’s that time of year when my ancient boiler gets its annual health check. For about fifteen years now I’ve had a series of engineers visit my house, make that ‘sucking through the teeth’, noise, and shake their head, as they discover the age of the patient. Yet on it
And so we begin again. I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and that you enjoyed a refreshing and re-energising break! So now we enter a brave new year, determined to be a brave new us. Will we be more streamlined, healthier, happier, richer? What challenges
Is it really the last Friday before Christmas?! Where has this year gone? And how ready are you for the one that’s about to begin? I’m sure that, with so few days left before the big day, your mind is way too full of all the things that you have
I read some interesting stuff the other day which really hit a chord with me and the growing Bright7 team. It was all about what makes a workplace great. One of the points was about having simple ‘Rules of the Game’ to reduce waste and make expected behaviours clear. I
Ode For A Small Business Owner… When the road is long Keep forging on Don’t look ahead to see How far you’ve still to go Don’t look from side to side The faces you see there May cause you to stumble Sometimes take a look behind And see how far
‘Marianne is the author of four books and is currently working on her fifth whilst regularly writing her blog, we hope you enjoy it :)
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