Beals Barn – A Local Business Phenomenon
All successful businesses do much the same things, but they are harder to do than you might think. I help run a business association where I live in Wadhurst, East…
All these articles show how knowledge drives value. Being aware of the limits of your knowledge is very important in decision making, as is recognising and leveraging knowledge within a business. In a small business what you know is often your most important differentiator and an important driver of market advantage.
Looking For Your USP? It’s Behind You!
Sometimes your USP can be as elusive as a pantomime ghost. I have been party to many conversations over the years on the topic of differentiation: how to keep a…
Who Are You?
How a bit of Ancient Greek from the Temple of Apollo can make you rich. Dirk Bogarde, the English actor and writer who died in 1999, famously said that to…
Selling: The Big Issue
The best salespeople are most Aware. Sitting in a coffee shop in Tunbridge Wells the other day my wife and I watched a young man selling The Big Issue on…
Take Small Steps
Don’t let your enthusiasm get the better of you in achieving your business dreams. The last time I wrote an article about Mulberry, the UK fashion brand famous for its…
How to Build a Billion Dollar Business in Less Than Four Years
Timing is almost everything, but you still need to execute with confidence. I’m a bit of a Luddite when it comes to computer games, although I do have an “app”…
The Simple Question That Can Make You Rich
Strategic clarity allows you to make much better decisions about your business. I have a question for you. It appears to be very simple, but if you really work hard…
The Rule of Three
All things being equal the best connected people are the most successful. My mother, Mary, always used to say that “bad things always come in threes” so she would be…
Nichely Done
Focus and specialisation are sources of enormous wealth. I once asked an actuary friend of mine when I was going to die. I’m 1.93m tall; I weigh 89Kg; I don’t…
Sheer Hippy Pants
Why Lululemon has been so successful. Lululemon is fascinating. It is a phenomenally successful Canadian brand of trendy work-out gear. At the moment it is in the news because it…