by Ian Smith | Apr 17, 2019 | Strategy
I’m always reading a business book whether I’m traveling or not. It’s been out for a few years now, but I’m enjoying Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. It sets out a strong case for believing “Less is More”. I’m not reviewing the book...
by Ian Smith | Apr 3, 2019 | Scaling
There was a fascinating article in the WSJ today which is worth summarizing for business owners. The article was valuable for entrepreneurs because it brought together some key statistics you should be aware of, and I’ve added a few more to add value and...
by Ian Smith | Mar 18, 2019 | Acquisitions, Exiting your business, Operational Tips
Buying Companies Most acquirers embarking on an acquisition are ill prepared to successfully buy another company and integrate it. Research consistently tells us we are weak at this common corporate tactic – buying other companies. Acquisitions are for...
by Ian Smith | Feb 16, 2019 | Leadership
We all admire a leader who can simplify a complex problem into an understandable, simple, explanation of the essential elements. We are motivated by the leader who can set out a clear, concise solution to a complex problem. Ultimately, in the best companies this leads...
by Ian Smith | Jan 21, 2019 | Scaling
Over the last ten years, to assist owners of businesses, I’ve tried to tackle all aspects of scaling a business, whatever your starting point. We’ve addressed positioning, sales processes, marketing playbooks, product launches, executive compensation, saleability...
by Ian Smith | Dec 30, 2018 | Leadership, Management
If you are a private company owner CEO, you face enormous challenges to scale your business. I don’t mean just grow. I mean scale. Building control, predictability, alignment and safety into your growth. Successful scaling sees market share growth, margins...
by Ian Smith | Dec 17, 2018 | Sales Tips
Marketing teams have the skills and knowledge to add great value to their sales teams but often don’t. Whether a sales role is business development, focused on opening up markets, or myopically trained on a few strategic accounts, there is great insight to be...
by Ian Smith | Nov 19, 2018 | Customers
In the world of Business-to-Business (B2B) almost every sales process, business process or strategic plan is built on the premise that we know our customer. Of course it makes sense. The more we understand our customers the better we are placed to serve them. To...
by Ian Smith | Oct 28, 2018 | Leadership, Negotiation
In business and in life in general, the ability to move people to your point of view is a rare skill. I’m talking about setting out a better way forward that you passionately believe in, that cuts through bias with impeccable logic but addresses the emotion on...
by Ian Smith | Sep 3, 2018 | Exiting your business
Robotics, HR services and specialized manufacturing are just three of the recent sectors where our work has supported a premium exit of a private company. Executing operational playbooks across the spectrum of a company’s departments, over a sustained period of...
