“Why,” said Greg, “should we invite an outsider into our family discussions about our business plans?” It’s a fair question, on the face of it. And yet it misses the point. Greg and his family were preparing to navigate a major transition in their business; and they assumed that what got them here would get […]
The Role of a Family Business Advisor Read More »
Good business decisions are not just about what gets decided. If we are wise, we pay attention to how decisions are reached as well. Particularly for boards, where the buck finally stops, the process can matter as much as the outcome. Deborah was a board chair, and spoke to me about misgivings she had about
Board Decision – A Case Study Read More »
Is your business locked in competition warfare, defending a position that costs you blood, sweat and profit? That’s the red ocean: a race where every win costs you more and every race is ultimately to the bottom. It’s red because there’s blood in the water. Now imagine clear blue waters—an ocean of possibilities. What
Blue Ocean Thinking Read More »
In November I had the welcome opportunity to spend two days learning, discussing and thinking through the likely directions for new industries we may see in the South West. It was a good conference, with high-calibre speakers and good networking opportunities. Here are just a couple of quick samples. Three Consuls-General On the third day
IIF: Innovative Industries of the Future Read More »
Feel like you’re alone in business? Feeling overwhelmed, isolated, frustrated? Then Business Accelerate is worth a look. It has evolved over a long time to address exactly those issues. Long ago, I set up a group of us who worked in our own businesses, simply to have breakfast once a month in a client-free zone
Our Business Accelerate Program Read More »
It’s New Year’s Eve 2025. As you look back at the business year, maybe raise a glass, will you say, “This was the year we nailed it!”? That’s the challenge we put to our February workshop participants, and then we laid out a roadmap for getting to the right answer. We looked at the five
Business Roadmap Workshop Read More »
“Don’t worry,” said George, “Our accountant is taking care of all that,” referring to the transfer of his family’s business to the next generation, “It’s all in hand.” Well, I hope it is. But there’s a lot more to transitioning the family business than accounting advice. If George’s accountant is accredited in family business advisory
Succession is more than tax and wills Read More »
Mum! I Broke the Website! I was very pleased with it, actually. I had to do some back-end stuff. I noticed a number of critical security updates were needed. I took a checkpoint and ran the pre-update test. All clear. I ran the updates. Bits of the website fell off. The checkpoint restore didn’t fix
Mum! I Broke the Website! Read More »
“Making the best work of the best boards accessible to you.” That’s one of our promises. How do we make good on it? Great boardroom thinking isn’t just for listed companies. In fact, some of the most powerful improvements we’ve seen come when SME owners apply board-level clarity, discipline and foresight to their own businesses. So what
Think Like a Board – Your Strategic Advantage Read More »
