Our new client recently asked us some challenging financial questions…which is perfect, as this means they really do understand our business model, and the in-depth expertise available to them.
Tag archives: growing business
‘My financial pants are Teflon-coated’
If you don’t understand the financial implications of the changes you’re considering, you can end up making disastrous mistakes.
This is the biggest mistake companies make when they professionalise
Boards in the corporate world are currently undergoing a change. When recruiting for directors, there is a new emphasis on finding people with geopolitical expertise, tech backgrounds and knowledge of ESG and sustainability. This is different from the past, when the most important qualification for a director was usually their financial track record. Traditionally, boards […]
Field mice defeated the German tanks. Here’s what your business can learn
The Battle of Stalingrad, in the Second World War, continued for nearly six months. Towards the end of 1942, a German tank unit was preparing to join the battle. It had been waiting in reserve on grasslands outside the Russian city. But when the unit came to move, the tank operators were in for a […]
How Amazon decides whether its products are viable
Here’s something new I’ve learned… When Amazon decides which products or services to develop, it follows a process it calls “Working Backwards”. The idea is that before they go develop something new, they picture the moment of the launch. Their marketing department drafts a press release announcing their new product. The details include the (as-yet […]
Why you can’t expect your accountant to be proactive
Imagine ordering a take-out meal… …And when it arrives, getting upset because the chef didn’t use your preferred recipe, did not call you up to find out how spicy you like your food, and didn’t provide the nutritional information you’d prefer to see for the dish. It wouldn’t make any sense, would it? A take-out […]
5 Years ago, I couldn’t do this…
Last Christmas, we received an unusual present from our kids… …A robot vacuum cleaner, who has since been christened “Robbie”. We keep it in our house in Wales, and it does an exceptionally good job. Each visit, before we leave, we can set Robbie to work and by the time we return, the floor is […]
Out with the old…
The start of 2023 is, fittingly, all about new beginnings for me. After 35 years in the same house, Thelma and I are moving to Gloucestershire. We’ve always fancied slightly more rural surroundings, which will be slower and calmer than our Essex life – although we will be returning to Essex frequently for the business […]
The devil’s in the details. So are the opportunities
One year, we had a new client who wanted us to work out in a lot more detail which parts of his business were profitable over the past 12 months, and which weren’t. It was a wonderful idea, because you need to understand where the profit lies in your business in order to grow faster. […]
Genius ideas for your business – from an unexpected source
In the early 1990s, an employee of Swan Vesta, the matches company, told his bosses that he could save the organisation millions each year. Initially, they laughed at him. But he persisted, and was eventually granted a few minutes with the Board. His proposal? Instead of using the sandpaper strike on both sides of the […]
