Business Value
DIY Business Limits
Trying to grow your business and do everything yourself? Good luck….
August 3, 2023
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Trying to grow your business and do everything yourself? Good luck….
In this last restaurant we see how an owner’s personal attitude can drive the culture and ultimate success or failure of his business. How the “brand”of his business is tied up in how he presents himself to his potential customers.
I’m in Greece this week and will highlight some observations I see from different F&Bs that have customer experience and underlying business value lessons for all types of businesses. In the second one we have the most successful restaurant on the strand. Every day lunch and dinner he has full tables. And it stems from providing consistent high quality experience from the passerby to the final bill payment. An experience that gives him a constant stream of repeat patrons and others referred by friends or the high reviews.
I’m in Greece this week and will highlight some observations I see from different F&Bs that have customer experience and underlying business value lessons for all types of businesses. In the first one, we have a nice owner and a nice clean place but it’s sabotaged by confused messaging of what it is and some very awful pictures and inaccurately paint a low quality vision of what to expect inside.
Trying to grow the business on the back of monkeys? By investing in your employees, you’ll not only improve productivity but also attract the best new talent to continue driving the growth of the business.
What is the most effective way to sell a new product or service to your customers? Listen to them, find their pain and needs and then design the product or service. Most do it backwards and then find themselves struggling to find an audience for what they created. Learn the formula from direct marketing to know what to priortise and when.
Today the lesson is how to organically grow the business by leveraging an overlooked asset… your existing customer base and unlock the key to how most successful businesses were able to scale and grow.
Pricing is an overlooked and powerful lever of growth but it’s often determined incorrectly or unnecessarily limited.
We touch on due diligence today and the uncomfortable questions you can head off by preparing from today and turning a painful process into a beneficial one.
Buying a business is akin to a game of inches – it’s the fine details that can make or break the deal. Scrutinize your contracts, work on your growth paths, and be prepared for tough negotiations. Don’t let a few oversights cost you a potential sale. It’s not just about getting to the end zone, it’s about ensuring every yard is fought for and won
In 1985, the Chicago Bears learned the hard way that you can’t run the same play repeatedly and hope for different results. A striking parallel to an owner who kept spinning the wheel, hoping buyers would overlook his over-involvement in the business. Like in the game of football, businesses thrive on the right fundamentals and the ability to adapt. Are you making the necessary adjustments or sticking stubbornly to the same play?
my first M&A deal taught me a lot and especially how character can make or define success. A spoiled son decides to play in the big leagues and learns quickly the ball flies pretty fast and can be pretty hard. He hesitates and costs him millions.
what happens when you build a real business and you want to retire and sell but allow one function to fall short because its leader is incompetent or lazy… same as what happens when you fumble the ball on the goal line every down….
The Movie Any Given Sunday was famous for highlighting the battle for inches on both the football field and life. From personal experience I can tell you the inches look deceptively simple and often it’s just a few that separates the consistent winners from the losers. This week we’ll go into more detail on why that’s the case in business.
In the story with David and Nathan, David was having an “affair’ with his business by being so busy in day to day thankless tasks that he was neglecting growing the company and his own family. In my experience, several owners who were too busy to invest 20 minutes in finding out the strengths and risks in the underlying value of their business are no longer in business today. It’s not a coincidence.
In the story with David and Nathan, David says in passing he stepped away from a recurring revenue opportunity because he was focused on potential costs. In Business, predictability is sexy. You don’t want your business to come off as challenging, volatile, and a “bad boy”.
in the story with David and Nathan, David is allowing himself to take his eyes off his business by indulging the wishes of a customer that has become too big. You don’t want to be at the mercy of a big whale of a customer or it can evaporate your business in a second or keep you up at night worrying about it..
in the story with David and Nathan, David had his “black knight” Jack, who is destroying the value of David’s business by being completely inept in his finance role. It’s an unforced error and 100% avoidable. It just requires a commitment to producing and providing high quality financial reporting.
in the story with David and Nathan, Nathan started by how David’s poor customer experience from outsourcing is destroying the value of his business. Some metrics in this article make Nathan’s point pretty clear…
In the world of business, the real thief may not always be who you expect. David finds out finally the uncomfortable truth – that the thief jeopardizing his company’s value and his family’s future is closer than he thinks.
As the stakes get higher, the complexity intensifies. Juggling projects, pleasing clients – but is David losing sight of what matters?
Tough calls and slashed costs – the realities of running a business. But could these decisions lead to unexpected pitfalls? What will David find out eventually?
David begins suspecting his employees, even one he went above and beyond looking out for. Who in your organization would you protect unconditionally? Is your loyalty justified?
Just when David thinks he has everything under control, a breakfast chat changes everything. Are you aware of everything happening in your business, or is there a blind spot you’re unaware of?
The stakes are high if you plan to sell your business one day. Below is a case study of someone who did everything right when it came to making her business a sellable asset except for one area she wanted to save a couple of dollars …
And the math shows the benefits and costs of enhancing and neglecting the value of your business.
The key to restful sleep as a business owner….
Keep delivering on your promises to customers and suppliers, and continue to provide excellent service and uphold your reputation in the marketplace.
In short, transform your business into a premium, sellable asset that will secure your legacy and provide you with peace of mind.
Call me if you need help doing it.
Here we talk about 3 common anxieties and concerns that cause many business owners – especially those in their late 40s or 50s – sleepless nights..
Met a guy this weekend who was a total hustler but a bit out of his league trying to raise 50% investment. However, he did provide a reminder that we should ensure we walk the walk.. instead of just talk the talk…
So if the parrot is dead…it’s dead. Be honest, be transparent, and focus your energy on highlighting your growth paths and potential, your unique assets that help you stand out and justify a premium to buy or invest in you.
Sarah turned her business around with four simple, yet powerful, strategies – pricing adjustments, expense management, speeding up payments, and smart leasing. Now, she’s not just staying afloat but growing, all while increasing her company’s value. It’s amazing what strategic cash flow management can do
Are you chasing metrics such as ROAS without the full picture? I’ve seen so many business owners led down costly paths to optimise this and other metrics, but it’s often the wrong one to focus on without the full context.
At our upcoming Profit and Dine session on October 29th, we’ll give you the full context by diving into the key metric you really need to guide your investments—and boost your profits and cash flow.
Join us in Dubai or online to gain actionable insights that can transform your business
Ever feel like you’re wasting time and money on things that don’t drive results? Jonathan did. He spent hours on a logo and “branding”, only to realize he wasn’t focusing on the deals that matter.
But a few months later, everything changed. He hadn’t spent more on marketing—but his profits soared. How?
By understanding one key metric about his customers.
Want the same clarity? Join us on October 29th at Stay Café in Dar Al Wasl Dubai or online
Are you running the same play over and over, wondering why you’re stuck? It doesn’t matter how hard you push—if your strategy isn’t right, the results are always predictable.
You might think it’s just a rough patch, but what if the problem is your playbook? If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally see progress, it’s time to rethink your approach.
Want to know how?
Sometimes networking events don’t go as planned—especially when you’re dealing with a noisy venue, a wandering toddler, and an impromptu pivot to something far more valuable.
What happened next in one unexpected 1:1 conversation completely shifted the day. It was all about systems, growth, and a game-changing mindset.
For a young entrepreneur, a roadmap she will never forget.
Special birthday promotion to join the monthly round table. Read article to find out more.
Ever tempted to make a quick buck? Does making 10% more on a deal make sense 100% of the time?
We thought we had a good partnership—until a sudden change made us rethink everything.
It wasn’t the money that left a bad taste, but the mindset behind it.
What’s worth more: a one-time gain or a long-term relationship?
One decision can cost you far more than you imagined. See how easy it can be to fall in that trap.
Ever get the urge to just tell someone off—whether it’s a playground bully or a demanding client? My 5-year-old daughter mastered the “teacher voice” and got her peace.
One of my clients?
She fired her biggest (and worst) customer, and within 30 days, she had three better ones.
Business freedom is about choosing who deserves your time. Curious how to make that leap?
Being a business owner can feel like you’re on an island. Your friends and family don’t quite get the mental ups and downs, and somehow, you’re working harder than anyone, yet paying yourself last—if at all. Sound familiar?
But here’s the thing—you don’t have to go it alone. The smartest entrepreneurs know where to turn for insight, support, and the right questions.
Find out more inside.
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