How to do a 'set/reset' for your business.

How can you do a simple business 'Set/Reset'? 🤔

Today is both the start of Q2 for 2025 📈 and April Fools' Day 😂 (although with the news the way it is, the April Fools' headlines are getting harder to spot).

The question to ask as we go into Q2 is not whether you'll get through the quarter, but what you want to get from it? Where do you want to be at the start of Q3?

You have to be aware of where you're going to make sense of how and what you can control. 🧭

There's a lot of negative narrative in the business press at the moment and it's easy to fall prey to it, unless you've got a clear view on what you can focus on instead.

Too many people fall into the trap of focusing externally, instead of adopting an internal locus on control. This is easily picked up in the language people use and their outlook. The former think things mainly happen to them and they have little control over that, and the latter make things happen for themselves. They steer a different course. ⛵

The burning question then is - Are you clear about what you want to get from the next 12 weeks? ⏳📊

The answer we come across far too often is "not really". Alongside comments like "We've a rough idea....; we don't know what the markets will do....; we're waiting to see what the budget says....; the impact of tariffs....; it's outside of our control we just respond...." 🤞🍀

That's energy sapping, not much fun, and feels very uninspiring.

We've built a really simple framework for doing a quick 'set/reset' with our clients. 📈

These are short interventions, where we get a snapshot of where they are now (current state) and where they'd like to be 3 months from now (desired future state). 🏅 (See the model below).

We add a lot more detail to help reflect on the current state and how clients feel about it. This normally highlights the lack of suitable and varied metrics that help to reveal what’s going on. You need to know much more than just turnover and profit.

It's much easier to fully commit yourself when you know where you're going, how you think you'll get there, and what you'll get from being there. 😃

As the diagram below shows that doesn't mean it's all plain sailing. There may well be challenges, but it's much easier to cope with them if you're clear on the journey, and if you've someone to guide you. Ask anyone who drives the M25 regularly detours or unexpected incidents occur. It’s how we prepare for and react to these that makes the difference.

We work alongside clients in 3 month sprints that build the vision for their Desired Future State and the processes and systems to support their journey. 🤝 📈 We hold them accountable and share others models and tools that help to build their skills and knowledge. Ultimately, these lay a solid foundation for a 2-3 year plan to start to emerge focusing on the Vision, Implementation and Priorities as below. This can then help to launch or relaunch the business and enhance its profitability. 🚀

One page business plan

Let us help you get the most out of your next quarter and/or reset your business planning. Get in touch to see how we can support you.

Join us for a Managing Change Workshop

Next Managing Change workshop date announced: 21st January 2025

Following the success of our last sold out Managing Change workshop, we are pleased to announce the next date is the 21st Jan 2025 (9am-3.30pm) at the Anthony Burgess Foundation at 3 Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY. Lunch and refreshments are provided on the day.

We work with hundreds of businesses every year and here’s what we’ve learnt - they expect change, they react to change, but they don’t adequately plan for it.

Why?

In a world of constant change, they are often too busy reacting and don’t have the headspace to adequately plan and think through what’s needed. Plus, ‘change’ isn’t one thing, there are so many different components to change across various aspects of the business that they are not sure which to deal with first.

This practical workshop has been designed to give you the space to think through different aspects of change from different models and tools to navigate change, the psychological responses to change, changing market conditions, and strategic planning for change.

It will help equip you with the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to manage and implement change effectively, build resilience, and promote innovation and growth.

Key topics covered in the workshop include:

1. Understanding business change

2. Psychological aspects of change

3. How to plan for change

4. Overcoming resistance to change

5. Building a change-ready culture

6. Developing clear action steps for success

FUNDED SPACES AVAILABLE - For Greater Manchester based businesses, we also have some fully funded spaces available. Please get in touch for more information and to secure your funded place. Funding is via the GC Business Growth Hub.

For more details, please see flyer below or contact andrew@knowanddo.com.

New Managing Change workshop - spaces now available

Know and Do are pleased to be working with the GM Business Growth Hub to deliver a new workshop to support businesses to manage change. We are able to offer 30 fully funded spaces on the workshop for eligible Greater Manchester businesses.

We're excited to announce our fully funded Managing Change Programme, a 6-hour face-to-face workshop designed to help small business owners effectively navigate change and promote growth. This workshop will equip participants with the skills, tools, and knowledge to manage change, foster resilience, and drive innovation.

If you run a business one thing is guaranteed, you’ll be dealing with change constantly. The pandemic accelerated the impact of change for many businesses and the landscape is still evolving. Global supply chains are being disrupted and inflation and other increasing costs have made business more challenging for many.

The scale and nature of change can seem overwhelming. That’s why we’ve designed this day long workshop to help provide a framework to understand and practically manage change in your business.

The workshop will run on 2 different occasions with ~15 businesses each time. The first date is Nov 25th in Manchester. Second date is being confirmed.

Register your interest asap, as we only have 30 spaces that are fully funded (meaning there’s no cost for eligible Greater Manchester based businesses). Applications are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

Email us now to secure your spot and gain valuable targeted learning support to support your growth journey.

Email: andrew@knowanddo.com

We’ve produced a short loom video that explains more:

A short introduction to Managing Change, a fully funded 6-hour workshop designed to assist you and your business to better navigate change on the road to growth and success.



Managing Change Workshop flyer

Managing change flyer page 1

Managing Change Workshop flyer

Managing change flyer page 2