Business Exit Strategy: Why It Should Start Years Before You Sell
Most UK business owners have no exit plan. Here is how to assess your business, define the outcome you want, and start preparing early.
The Loneliness of the C-Suite: Why Business Mentoring Is the Structural Answer
C-suite isolation is a structural problem, not a personal one. Here is why senior leaders benefit from a business mentor and how it changes decision-making.
AI in the SME: Practical Tool or Expensive Distraction?
The SME owners getting the most from AI are not the most technically minded. They are the most commercially clear. That distinction matters more than most of the content being written about AI currently suggests.
Where Is Your Business Profit Really Going, and Why Is It So Easy to Miss?
Revenue growing but profit not following? Here is why profit quietly disappears in most SMEs, and how thexton armstrong’s profit leakage research can help you find it.
How to Use a Business Mentor and Get Value
Many owners do not get the value they expect from mentoring. Here is what business mentoring actually is, and how to get real value from it.
Build From Scratch or Join a Franchise? A Guide for Senior Executives
Considering business ownership after a senior career? Compare the real cost of building independently against joining an established franchise.
My Turnover Is Growing. Why Isn’t My Bank Balance?
When owner managed businesses see growth, their order books are fuller, activity levels are up, and, on paper at least, the position looks healthier. Despite this, a familiar concern often surfaces:
“Turnover is up, but the bank balance doesn’t reflect it.”
This apparent contradiction between growth and cash is one of the most common pressures facing growing businesses. It is also one of the most dangerous if it is not properly understood.
Which Stage Is Your Business In? Understand It to Lead It
All businesses experience different stages of growth and development, each with its own set of challenges, opportunities and responsibilities. It is essential to understand the stage your business is at in order to make the most appropriate strategic decisions. By gaining this insight, you can refine your strategy, use your time and energy more effectively and take your business to the next level with confidence.
The Pioneer Phase: Laying the Foundations of a Business
Marianne de Vries had always had a dream: her own business. After years of working in the marketing department of a large company, she decided to take the plunge. She wanted to build something real, something completely her own. Thus was born ‘EcoChic,’ a sustainable fashion company offering stylish, eco-friendly clothing. But as every entrepreneur experiences in the early stages, the road to success turned out to be full of challenges.
The Entrepreneurs journey – The Acceleration Phase
Johan Frielink stood in the shadow of an imposing century-old mansion in the heart of the city. His construction company, ‘Frielink Renovations,’ specialises in renovating listed buildings, and the current project was one of the most challenging yet. The house, with its delicate ornaments and historic character, required a great deal of care and precision. But Johan was no longer concerned with the technical aspects of the renovation. His focus was now elsewhere: his business was in the acceleration phase, and he knew it was time to move to the next level.