Do business the right way. Your way.
You can do it. And there’s lots of help.
It's a big step to take, but you won't look back. Start by talking to entrepreneurs just like you, successful business people, experienced coaches, and government advisers. There are lots of free, friendly events at which to meet them.
Start today: come to an eventYou deserve to succeed. Here’s how.
Taking your business to the next level is a challenge, as a great product and excellent service aren't enough. You have to stand out from the crowd with a powerful brand. A group or individual workshop is a good way to find yours.
Start today: attend a workshopIt's a great opportunity. Seize it!
It's rewarding to be part of something big, which reaches millions of people. Make the most of your talent and dedication by enhancing your skills. The best way is with workshops and advice tailored to your project.
Start today: get in-house supportGet in touch: we're open for business.
The UK is a huge economy, with great opportunities. Yet consumers and firms alike have certain expectations: even an outstanding product will fail if it doesn't adapt. Get the insights from an experienced marketer.
Start today: learn about the UKYour work is vital. We'd like to help.
Government does a fantastic job supporting SMEs. Yet tight budgets make it increasingly hard to meet KPIs, such as creating jobs and enhancing skills. The solution is to inspire the audience through innovative and proven programmes.
Start today: introduce a pilotYou want to reach more. Try this.
You provide a great product for SMEs, but it's increasingly hard to cut through the noise and get heard. The answer is to demonstrate your value with focused business support to your target market. It offers a great return on investment.
Start today: launch a partnershipDon't do business the wrong way. The conventional way.
We're often asked how we can be so enthusiastic about starting a business when the fact is that 80% fail within the first year and a half. The answer is that most of these firms make the same mistake. And it's scarily easy to do.
The companies that fail are the ones that act and spend without stopping to think.
A failed business doesn't come up with the wrong answers. It doesn't even ask the right questions. It sounds obvious, but it fights against the character of a typical entrepreneur: be optimistic, get started, and work hard.
How many remarks in our Top Ten Traps are familiar?
That's back to front. You shouldn't build a site and market that; the site is there to help your marketing — so you have to plan that first.
In fact, this is when you need to think most about your company's direction and carefully focus your time and money.
We know it looks like a luxury, but in our experience it's essential if a business is to grow. The competition are getting it, for sure.
It's the other way round. Without a plan, spending is often wasted. To increase return on investment, it's vital to think before acting.
We agree. However, this means you need to think fast, with expert help, rather than cross your fingers and hope for the best.
This is often misunderstood. Yes, it's important to test — but from a position of strength, not guesswork. Fail fast and smart.
Technical and creative skills are vital, of course, but that perspective mustn't determine the direction of your business.
This seems like a saving, but it's not good value to pay someone who's experienced enough to think also to do. Split them up.
You live and breathe your business, but nobody can be an expert at everything. That's why smart firms use outside advice.
This is the most common mistake and the most dangerous. History is full of strong products that lost. Remember Betamax?
Our team has had the privilege to work with hundreds of clients over the last fifteen years — large and small, global and local, startups and corporations. We have discovered that successful firms undergo the same journey: they dream, they learn, they grow.
First, offer something new. Every company needs to reach the blue ocean, instead of competing in the red sea. It is the only way to avoid being a commodity and having to cut prices. You succeed when you do things differently.
Second, be true to yourself. The best way to be different is to be genuine: your business will then be as unique as you are. Customers expect nothing less. You must believe in what you do, how you do it and why you do it — otherwise, why should they?
Third, make the most of experience. Innovative and authentic entrepreneurs still learn from others; in fact, it is all the more important to take advice. This gives you the best of both worlds: it maximises your creativity and minimises your risk.
Fourth, listen to smart people. A wealth of cutting edge research is available from business schools, chartered institutes and professional authors. Successful firms absorb best practice into their business and use it to stay ahead of the competition.
Your company starts with its brand. What is its raison d’être? It is important to spell out why the firm exists, how it does business and what benefits it delivers. These values need to be embodied in everything you do, as well as being communicated to your customers.
The next step is to identify the best fit between your products and customers, while remaining true to your brand. How do customers progress from learning about you to being an advocate? You must have the right dialogue in the right place at the right time.
At this point, the goal is not to close the sale but open a relationship. Different customers have different needs – and, sometimes, they do not know what they are. You need a compelling way to demonstrate the value your company offers during the sales process.
Nothing levels the playing field more than digital. It enables you to compete on a level playing field – provided your website, social media, blogging, search engines, content marketing, advertising, remarketing and online PR are all aligned with your strategy.
We believe in you.
Our role is to help business dream, learn and grow. We understand that each company's needs are different, so we deliver growth in five ways – strategy, training, production, events and funding – as well as tailoring our services to each client.
We work with organisations large and small to draft a growth strategy, whether from scratch or as an audit of existing activity, that harnesses our unique and proven 4×4 system.
We deliver courses for all group sizes, both in-house and public, which are engaging, innovative, practical and demanding. We receive outstanding feedback from our alumni.
We deliver compelling brand assets, marketing collateral, sales narratives and digital platforms — the latter including websites, mailing lists, social media and more.
We hold innovative, educational, friendly events such as training courses, speaker meetings, book clubs and networking meetings. Our feedback is outstanding.
We have access to a range of schemes that make it affordable to work with us. We also provide up to £2,000 of match funding ourselves to one company each month.