General

“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” (Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) In business it’s too easy for an entrepreneur or business leader to mistake being busy for being effective. Working long hours with back-to-back meetings can…

“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” (Benjamin Franklin) Extending 30-, 60- or 90-day payment terms may seem like a simple trick to help your sales teams convert sales, smooth negotiations and boost customer service. What you may not recognise, though, is that those terms…

“Taking bold action on climate change simply makes good business sense. It’s also the right thing to do for people and the planet.” (Richard Branson) Climate change impacts the fundamentals of business operations. Rising heat affects productivity, floods and storms damage infrastructure, droughts disrupt supply chains, and new regulations increase…

“Financial planning causes a struggle between the rational brain and the emotional brain.” (Michael C. Finke, author of Money Management Skills)  You didn’t start your business to become a psychologist. But understanding the way emotions creep into your decisions could be the difference between plain sailing and struggling to stay…

“Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.” (Michele Jennae, business coach and author) Most entrepreneurs know they should be building a network, but not many know this should be a core business strategy. Building and maintaining the…

“Too many businesses only realise the value of intellectual capital when a key person leaves – or a competitor copies what they’ve built.” (Alicia Mendes, author of Futureproofing Through People) In the rush to raise capital, improve profitability or streamline efficiency, business owners often miss what truly drives their success:…

“Defining your target market is about understanding motivations, challenges, and goals. Without this, your messaging falls flat and your marketing budget burns fast.” (Elena Kwan, Founder of MarketLens Consulting) Fundamentally, businesses start because business owners believe they see a gap and aim to fill it. Their target market is built…

“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” (Simon Sinek) Employee engagement. It determines so much about the direction of a company, its staff productivity and how likely it is to succeed. According to a Gallup poll just 23% of…

“Too often we hold fast to the clichés of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” (John F. Kennedy, former US president) Humans are creatures of habit. We form opinions and sets of actions…

“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” (Richard Branson) Whether you call it May Day, Labour Day or International Workers’ Day, 1 May is an opportune time for businesses to consider and prioritise their workers. …