High growth businesses go through various stages of development and it is difficult for hands-on, heavily involved founder/owner Entrepreneurs to take a detached view and know where they are at salient points of the growth cycle.

A business will typically be grappling with challenges and exhibit some characteristics at each phase of growth. Understanding where you are on the growth cycle and most importantly, what you need to do to move to the next stage, is critically important to ensure the business has a successful future.  Typical challenges experienced at each stage are:

Start up – here energy and enthusiasm is […]

A few years ago I had the privilege of working with a senior leadership team in a particularly well know insurance company. This business was expanding rapidly through organic growth, was very entrepreneurial and people loved working there. Employees were committed, high energy and had fun as they helped the company expand through great product propositions, innovation and fantastic, flexible customer service.

My brief was to help a high performing senior leadership team take responsibility for future strategy, innovation and continuous improvement initiatives. The assignment was commissioned by a Director who was very unusual and considered by many to be […]

Many years ago I was privileged to know Anita Roddick and to watch her grow as an entrepreneur from starting her first commercial venture opening an American style diner restaurant serving homemade burgers, to establishing the Body Shop as a global brand.

What struck me most about Anita almost from our first meeting, was her ability to engage with her employees and customers. Her passion and enthusiasm for what she was doing was infectious; her willingness to listen to and take on feedback was amazing.  She treated everyone with respect and valued their contribution. Not only was she visionary in […]

The Government recently announced that the minimum wage is rising by 12p an hour for adults to £6.31 an hour. So someone putting in a 40-hour week would earn £252.40 gross. Many people living on such low wages are forced to rely on state benefits to survive.

Many companies are sitting out the economic storm by building up cash reserves, cutting employee numbers, reducing cost and resisting pay increases. There is general consensus that the gap between rich and poor is widening, especially with the Government’s current focus on reducing spend on benefits.

Ian Birrell, writing in The Independent on the […]