I recall a fellow attendee at my first sales training course, when I was preparing for my own transition from employee to consultant. She confided in me that before her first sales meeting, she threw up in the car park ... ...

This blog is about how Helen Beaumont of Essendon Tax focuses her network and messages to stimulate more referrals to her ideal clients. I spoke to her a few weeks ago and it was lovely to see that she is still using the tech ...

Years ago, we were on holiday in Italy. Every day, when I sat by the pool, I'd see a man on a lounger deeply engrossed in his laptop. Every quarter of an hour or so, two children tried to attract his attention, only to be fob ...

Let's face it - no one wakes up and says, ''You know what sounds fun? Filing taxes and writing policies for a living!'' No. There's always a deeper reason behind starting a business ... ...

Are you self-employed and trying to navigate the pathway to happiness? Understanding the dynamics of success and self-perception can significantly enhance your well-being and fulfilment as an entrepreneur ... ...

Let's explore various types of consultancy, helping you understand which one aligns with your expertise and aspirations, especially as you shift from a corporate environment to an independent consultancy career ... ...

I had a lovely email when I first published this blog post from one of my clients, a graphic designer of many years, but new to running his own business and feeling lost in how to generate clients ... ...

Once again this week, for me that crucial management skill reared its ugly head. I’m talking, of course, about delegation ... ...

I was watching Drew Pritchard of Salvage Hunters fame on television the other evening. For those of you who have never seen the show, he restores architectural salvage and sells it on to business and private individuals looki ...

People who meet me in Northampton and Milton Keynes are always saying that I seem to know everyone who goes out networking for their business. It's not true, of course ... ...

That's a lovely expression and it comes straight from my mother's own mouth. In case you haven't got it, it's about what happens when someone doesn't honour your values ... ...

If you grew up in Britain in the 60s, 70s and 80s, the chances are the words ''through the round window'' will take you right back to the wonderful world of Play School ... ...

Anyone in sales knows that rejection is part of the process. Not everyone you approach is going to buy from you. And rejection yes, it hurts ... ...

The term 'business development' holds substantial importance. It comprises a myriad of activities and strategies that drive growth and change within a company. Yet, what does it truly mean? ...

Here's an interesting statistic: A Stanford research study showed that when briefing someone with just statistics they remember only about 5-10%, but when coupled with stories and anecdotes, the retention rate rises to 65-70 ...

I'm sure you've noticed that nearly all business writing is about change; doing something differently, innovation, evolving, re-inventing the company and re-inventing ourselves ... ...

Conceived on your kitchen table, down the pub, after a particularly frustrating meeting with your boss, or that awful moment when you were told you were being made redundant, your business became your baby ... ...

So how does this diversity contribute tangible added value to an organisation’s decision-making process? The answer may lie in the way multilingual capabilities extend beyond mere communication; they enrich the discourse and ...

I had an early lesson in time management when I was a student nurse that I suspect lots of us had with our first jobs. For many years, it stopped me from doing what was important ... ...

As a consultant leaving employment and setting up on your own, you will have a vision of how you will make a difference for your clients and create a secure financial return for yourself and others for all your investment in ...

Brand new consultants are often told not to define a target market. Just get out there and sell! Cast your net wide and your target market will emerge ... ...

"I’ve got a great new contract so I’m going to be off the scene for at least 6 months, maybe longer." I often hear this. It’s a time for congratulations and a warning. The big contract will come to an end and suddenly the dia ...

One of the phrases I use when describing what we offer our clients is how to build their business through collaboration rather than competition ... ...

Giving is the heart of the Christmas message and all over TV and social media. The shops are full of suggestions and entreaties on how to give to those in need or to affirm our love for those near to us ... ...

Referral marketing is about getting others to pass your message on to your ideal clients. A metaphor I often use for this is to liken it to passing the baton in a relay race ... ...

Do you remember how it felt when you first fell in love? I always think of it as being on a big pink fluffy cloud. No matter what anyone else says, that person is just perfect. And if the other person feels the same? Wow! Jus ...

Winter is coming. You may be like me and one of the things you love to do is wrap up warm and just sit outside a cafe and people watch. You don't have to join in as you're purely a spectator ... ...

As you can imagine, I meet a lot of people who are nervous about networking and, in particular, joining a regular membership group. They give many reasons, but there is one very common networking fear ... ...

I was talking to a new client recently who admitted that having to stand up and present for 60 seconds filled her with dread. It meant she avoided networking events where this was expected ... ...

"I hate networking, it's so artificial and superficial" I often hear this, and the setting where I hear it the most is usually a networking event. So I wonder why they are there if they dislike it so much? ...

Let's be honest, in most things we do, we cherry-pick. Whether that's good or bad depends on our definition of the term. The Oxford English Dictionary defines cherry picking as "choosing the best [cherries] from a group and l ...

Often when I meet people and get talking about networking they will tell me a story about the networking group they joined where another member sidled up to them after their first meeting and said "now you're in the group you ...