Ten great reasons for using a business coach to support business success.
Shared Prosperity Fund Management Support Session Announcement
Save the Date - 8th February 2023.
If you’re a Greater Manchester SME, you may be able to access this funded support session run by Know and Do. Connected to the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund this support is aimed at small businesses.
Know and Do are proud to support the work of the Business Growth Hub in Greater Manchester. We have worked with the BGH as a provider across a range of services to SMEs from coaching, consultancy, training around sales and marketing, and mentoring. We’ve delivered practical support to hundreds of SMEs that has helped them to understand and apply new knowledge to make a positive impact for them and their businesses.
As European Funds come to an end, the BGH with GMCA is trialling a new shared prosperity fund that is offering additional support for managers and leaders in what are undoubtedly turbulent times for many. The first pilot phase will offer 120 places of 3 hours of fully funded support for business owners and leaders to explore how they are managing their response to the current cost of living crisis, rising business costs on many levels, and planning for growth.
Know and Do are offering a new group session, working with 8-12 businesses to understand, support, learn, and connect the businesses to help them confidently navigate this turbulent business landscape in 2023. The session will run on the 8th of February from 9.30am-12.30pm.
Places are going fast as businesses sign up to discuss, reflect, network, and plan new approaches to their work. We’d love to have you join us for this new event. Applying is simple and Know and Do can do the 1-page application for you. To secure your spot now, get in touch with us as soon as possible.
To apply, get in touch with Andrew via andrew@knowanddo.com or call the office on 0161 2804567.
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Success Formula Video Viewpoint
Our co-founder, Andrew Ramwell, was asked by MMC Learning to share Jack Canfield’s Success Formula. You can watch Andrew explain EVENT + RESPONSE = OUTCOME in this 5 minute video.
Andrew uses E+R=O with clients to examine their expectations and improve results. The psychology behind the formula means it is an important technique leaders can learn to better manage disruption, unexpected circumstances or challenging situations.
If you want to discuss the contents of the video with Andrew further, contact him direct on 07507 327993 / andrew@knowanddo.com.
MMC Learning is an internationally connected business that delivers online marketing and management qualifications. They are accredited as a CMI and CIM study centre and operate in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University.
Leadership Support in Greater Manchester
Due to the success of our last peer to peer network programme, Know+Do has been commissioned by the GC Business Growth Hub to provide two more fully funded Peer Networks.
A Peer Network is a process of practical support and inspiration for leaders of businesses and organisations. This programme is aimed at Greater Manchester leaders and is fully funded – so is offered at no cost to those eligible - providing practical support as we emerge from lockdown.
Each cohort will have 11 business leaders involved for 6 interactive sessions, online from 9am-12noon and starts in June 2021 meeting every fortnight thereafter.
You get the opportunity to discuss the key issues and look to learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment.
The facilitated session cover the business topics the group needs - often this includes re-looking at sales or marketing approaches, re-organising operations or rebuilding teams amongst others.
Facilitated by Andrew Ramwell this Peer Network will be crafted to impact each leader and their business strategy. The programme:
Helps leaders overcome business challenges;
Provides an opportunity to examine issues in your business in-depth;
Gives space for leaders to recognise and act on new opportunities;
Allows you to reflect on what you need to lead a successful business;
Enables leaders to learn from and be inspired by their peers in a safe environment.
Past group members built new connections of trusted peers to continue offering support beyond the programme.
Places are limited, and the next group will begin in June. so if this is of interest complete the form below or contact andrew@knowanddo.com or call 0161 280 4567.
*Photograph credit William McCue on Unsplash
What Do You Stand For?
I have had the privilege throughout this year of working with many people starting up a new business. Even in the midst of a pandemic and all the fearful headlines, opportunities for business exist; especially new ones.
Anyone starting a company today fully understands that almost no scenario is now impossible to imagine. Very, very few would have ever predicted national lock downs happening so fast and being so extensive back in 2019. Now they have happened leaders are wiser to the risk, impact and how to cope.
One thing I stress to all new business owners is the importance of clarifying what your company stands for, and that clarity comes in the form of answering two questions:
What is the purpose of your business? Describe what you want it to achieve and why.
What are the principles of your business? List the key principles (or values / standards) your business will work to and why.
One owner shared that it was simple to answer these questions. Number 1’s answer was to make money, number 2’s answer was to make money effectively and efficiently. It was helpful that he was so clear, however if that is the core to your culture I explained they should not be surprised that if there are times when the money does not appear so easily, their people will quickly desert the business. Money is used a motivator for work but not to create the culture a staff team need to face challenges such as infusing loyalty, encouraging sharing, going the extra mile or enabling co-operation.
Another new owner recently offered the phrase ‘we want to make beautiful things’ as her answer and this quickly led, after a few coaching questions from me, to understanding what was behind this aspiration. They mapped the purpose and the values of the new business and now they use their answers as a guide for the big and the mundane decisions: to assess the quality of their products; to choose suppliers; to create the look and feel of their brand; to form a marketing plan; to style their website; and so on. A lot of thought lay behind the short statement and they now have a culture they are demonstrating that as others join will be followed. This person wants their business to make a profit too but their purpose and values will help hold a team together in good times and tough.
The start up business owner has energy and time to consider these questions. What they state at the conceptual stage becomes the reality as the busy demands of the new company appear and opportunities or challenges must be assessed.
If you are a leader of an existing business you will undoubtedly be, right now, very busy but you will still do well to pause and ponder these two key questions. If you have no space in your day you might have to think about the questions on a walk or when you exercise, maybe as you lay in bed or while you are eating your food; but you can ponder these questions*.
When you’ve started the answers you can then find out who in your business agrees with you, or maybe is even aware of the existence of such statements. It is then that we find the most value appears, as behaviours, attitudes and plans can be shaped by a group working towards a common goal and with agreed standards.
*We recommend a way to take notes for such times, perhaps keeping a small notebook to hand or app on your smart phone, ready to record the clear thoughts you have in these quieter moments.