In a recent interview with Bill Fox, co-founder of Container13 and editor of Forward-Thinking Workplaces™, former president of Starbucks Coffee Company International Howard Behar identified several key principles for better leadership and a better life. Behar, the author of It’s Not About The Coffee and The Magic Cup, in a…
Rapid business growth is the hope of every MD and Company Director the world over, but according to the US Small Business Administration (SBA) there are five basic components that need to be well observed if this is to be achieved. What’s your USP? Without knowing what sets you apart…
Taking role play to another level, the new initiative of an Edinburgh-based start-up is attracting a lot of attention and excellent prospects for UK growth. Aimed at transforming business training in critical decision-making, new company Games Without Frontiers has invested £500,000 in the scheme. This has resulted in the formulation…
With recent reports suggesting that businesses achieving three years of 20% growth represent just 2-4% of British SMEs, forward planning remains imperative for business owners. “But the approach needs to be for a marathon rather than a sprint; focus needs to be well into the future in order for maximum…
A survey by eProcurement Software Company Wax Digital turned up some interesting results recently. Namely, many UK companies confirm that although organic business growth is a trend, such success is bringing them more than a dozen growth challenges. A struggle to overcome obstacles and get to the next level was…
Finding employees who have the ideal skill set and the right attitude is hard enough. So when you have got them, you need to hang on to them. In times of business development the risk of losing good personnel is at its highest. In a recent article for Director Magazine,…
“Trust is the highest form of human motivation. It brings out the very best in people.” Stephen R. Covey, author, educator and businessman When you experience business growth for the first time in your SME, your leadership team needs to be trusted to deliver. But only a strong and positive…
Against the backdrop of political-uncertainly and fluctuating markets, activity in the UK’s manufacturing sector grew more rapidly in April than in the past three years. According to the BBC, The Markit/CIPS UK manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 57.3 from 54.2 in March, significantly surpassing economists’ expectations. Saying that…
The Government is currently striving to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020 and while the recent Apprenticeship Levy is applicable to all employers, it is payable only on annual paybills in excess of £3 million, meaning that it will affect fewer than 2% of UK employers. However, initial confusion over…
Investment in expert advice is something that should not be skimped on. While some regard paying for consultancy as an admission of knowledge gaps – or as a low priority expense – Julia Haviland, Managing Director of Brittain, emphasises: “Paying for impartial business development expertise is both smart and profitable,…